Get a 20 gallon tank with grow light hood, add dirt (organic potting soil), cover with aquarium rocks, add aquarium plants, 6-12 shrimp, and 4+ snails, add a sponge filter, enjoy your little ecosystem.
This is pretty much it! The book promotes sand over aquarium rocks (ideally living sand from a lake, pond, or river bank, laws permitting), but I’ve seen people have success with fine gravel/coarse sand as well. If it goes in ‘dead’, it’ll be live within a month for sure.
