I accidentally responded too the wrong guy whoops, but I’ve heard very good things about this air pump it’s nearly completely quiet, and you can put a air stone in you sponge filter to make the bubbles quieter.
sponger filter not staying submerged means air is trapped in the sponge. giving it some squishes should remove a lot of the air, and at worst, lean a rock or piece of wood on it.
i would look at getting a USB Air Pump like this one. i use these in my tanks often and they are quieter than the bubbles themselves. As far as the underwater filters go, use your best judgement on them, and pay attention to reviews.
In regards to critters that can potentially become territorial or even violent, my go-to approach is "don't push your luck", but you can certainly try.
A USB air pump will run off a 10,000mAh battery bank for about 36 hours.
the only fish you could add into a tank that size would be a betta, which really should have a filter, and would probably eat your shrimps.
If you're looking to do walstad purely because a filter will make noise and bother you, i might suggest a sponge filter run with this air pump. bought it a few times in the past for sponge filters or air stones, and its super quiet, the bubbles from the filter itself will be louder than the pump, and i personally find the bubble noise very relaxing, like rain.
I am obsessed with these USB air pumps. They won't work for a huge sponge filter but they work great for a single airstone. I have four and I cannot hear anything when they are running.
Just an air pump. I have multiple tanks and run them all on air, but for a single tank situation I recommend this USB one. Its silent and moves a ton of air.
ALON Aquarium USB Air Pump Ultra Quiet Nano Air Pump for Fish Tank with Hanging Buckle and Check Valve https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CSP4HTZ/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_5E0VFNZ56NT0A3H3PMG9?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Here's a picture of what mine looks like now after using it for a while. Needs cleaned tho haha. I just squeeze the sponges out in tank water during water changes and it works great.
This thing, despite its price, is amazing and incredibly quiet for tanks up to a 15gal, especial if you hang it by the carabiner.
TBH when I upgrade from my 10 to a 20 I'm probably just going to get a second one of these rather than a larger pump
Ik you said Amazon but petco should be having its 50% off tank sale starting October And this is the air pump I use. Very powerful and dosen't take up any space. Strong enough to have to stones going at once.
ALON Aquarium USB Air Pump Ultra Quiet Nano Air Pump for Fish Tank with Hanging Buckle and Check Valve https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CSP4HTZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apan_glt_fabc_X27FX6DQ75VSWG34EH0A?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
No problem! Always happy to assist a fishkeeper in need. I forgot to mention, but you would also need an air pump for bugs' filter.
I highly suggest getting a 5 gallon tank I’m pretty sure petco is doing a 50% tank sale too. For a filter I would get a air pump and sponge filter those work well and its what I use, it also is good if you have a tight budget.
The quietest and weakest is USB air pump, encased in silicone, hang on the tank wall using carabine clip. Get extra one, they are prone either to stopping working or working on and off. Unplugging and re-plugging helps.
Slightly less quiet is button-like piezoelectric air pump on suction cup. Audible, but quiet. Reliable, also have two of them, no problems.
Next, but too powerful for 2.5 gal tank, extra pressure has to be released outside with 2-way air valve, adding to the noise, is Tetra Whisper air pump for 10 gal tanks. It's hit or miss, quieter than other similar sized air pumps, but some of them are loud, a matter of luck. If you can get through few years of their use, they become quieter with time, IME. I keep mine on sponge.
I'm using the following, though in a slightly larger bowl. A valve is needed to bleed off extra air since the pump has no controls.
I'd love to see other people's recommendations.
ALON USB Fish Oxygen Air Pump Aquarium Ultra Quiet Oxygen Pump for Fish Tank with Hanging Buckle and Check Valve - Black https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B08CSP4HTZ/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_ET8N5TKYNMC3EWR03WCE
Pawfly Aquarium 0.6 Inch Air... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076S3D75C?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Pawfly Aquarium Air Control Valves for 3/16" ID Airline Tubing Single Way Plastic Air Flow Controllers Regulators Adjustable Blue Hose Connectors Air Pump Accessories for Fish Tanks, 10 Pack https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B08SC8BJF1/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_AQZ1M4CHV3Q4P5EJ26CP?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Those air pumps are loud.
These are almost silent: https://www.amazon.com/ALON-Oxygen-Aquarium-Hanging-Buckle/dp/B08CSP4HTZ/
Just use a sponge filter and a cheap USB air pump from Amazon. Like one of these guys https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CSP4HTZ/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_1S0WWTCQ52RCX3A4Y0QK?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
They are very quiet. You can also put an air stone inside the sponge filter to make it even quieter.
It's what I use as secondary filtration in all my fishtank and it is very quiet and cheap.
can you please edit the link to remove the affiliate tag? posting a clean link (like this: https://www.amazon.com/ALON-Oxygen-Aquarium-Hanging-Buckle/dp/B08CSP4HTZ/) is easiest.
Get a USB air pump and a cheap filter. Those 2 together are less than $15 and could be at your door by tomorrow.
Shrimp can be quite hardy, but I would not have added them in for another couple of weeks because keeping them alive (through frequent water changes) is counter to cycling the tank. Beneficial bacteria aren't just in the soil, they are also in the water, so every time you remove 30% water, you remove 30% bacteria.
That sucks, sorry to hear.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08CSP4HTZ/
I keep a cheap USB pump on hand, you can plug it into any USB battery pack.