Has anyone set up a small low/no-tech ecosystem tank with shrimp?

[LeaveYourHatOn]

I keep coming across these (I don't mean as kits - I mean as videos and tutorials from aquarium and fish enthusiasts) and wondering if they really can work, and has anyone tried one?

I've got a low tech fully planted 50l set up for my betta. It's my favourite tank - it runs itself and I just trim plants and stick the trimmings in the substrate to root.

It's aqua soil capped with sand. The plants (hygrophilia, anubias and microsorum) were very well established before I added the fish. I occasionally dose a little fertiliser and maybe do a 10% water change for my own peace of mind but it's basically a little ecosystem.

I also run big high tech display tanks but this one is by far my favourite because it involves no work and it always looks good. The water is always stable, there is no nuisance algae and my lovely HMPK Bruno is living his best life

That sounds lovely! My ds1 would like a betta eventually and I think that might be the way to go.
But first I'd like a shrimp tank for me :D So from what I can gather, it's a soil base, sand or gravel on top, wood/rocks, plants, let them establish, then add shrimp/snails/fish.
It sounds a bit too good to be true, I'm sure I'm missing something!

The type of tank style you’re describing is also called the Walstad Method. I’ve not done it, not had the patience and I’m just too good at killing aquarium plants. But it does require patience and may still require mechanical filtration for air flow and to avoid dead spots in the tank.