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"Serenity Peak" Mark's 60cm Iwagumi

myboyshay

myboyshay

Member
Joined
2 Apr 2009
Messages
187
Location
South Shields, Tyne and Wear
Hi Everyone :wave:


serenitypeakjournal.jpg

LOADS OF PICS ON PAGE 9

After months of spending, planning, reading and picking brains right here on UKAPS I've started my first "real" effort at aquascaping, i love Iwagumi so I had to have a go 😀

The setup will be as follows:

Aquarium: 60x30x36cm Opti White from Aquariums Ltd
Cabinet: ADA style from Aquariums Ltd
Lighting: 4x24w Arcadia T5 Luminaire (only 2 will be used - 4 for photographs)
Filtration: Tetratec EX700 (using Sera Siporax Media)
Substrate: Aquasoil Powder Type, Power Sand Special S (with added Bacter 100, Clear Super), Tourmaline BC, Penac W and Penac P
Carbon Source: 3ml EasyCarbo - daily
Additives: Brighty K, Green Gain and Green Brighty Step's over time
Hardscape: Seiryu Stone
Plants: Eleocharis Parvula
Fish/Inverts: Paracheirodon simulans, otocinclus and Caridina Japonica

I've used some of the great Amano's tanks for inspiration (sorry nothing original, I don't have the confidence just yet).

Please feel free to comment, always good to get feedback, good or bad (that's how we learn after all)

Just want to thank everyone who has give me some advice in one form or another, especially Graeme TGM and George....Cheers :thumbup:

Here's the pics of the hardscape for the time being (can't wait to get it planted)

Cheers Mark!

myiwagumihardscape.jpg
myiwagumihardscapefullt.jpg
 
Re: My 60cm Iwagumi

:lol: Vito got there before me, I agree that CO2 will help you get that tight carpet look you want with less algae issues. Iwugumi is less forgiving of minor algae issues because of the clean look etc. Important considering the low plant biomass to light and fert levels. HC can virtually grow in the dark with enough CO2 but I've struggled to get it to grow at all with easy carb alone.

Nice rock layout, I wouldn't change a thing, will look awasome when planted - Best of Luck, T
 
Re: My 60cm Iwagumi

Might be ok with loads of liquid co2, but you'll need to overdose like crazy, so I'd be careful when adding stock.

And yeah, there really is no need for all the expense on the substrate system - a bag of Nature Soil would work just as well. You could have bought a pressurised co2 system with money saved.

Still, the hardscape is very nice. I'm no gumi expert, but I like it a lot. :thumbup:
 
Re: My 60cm Iwagumi

nice iwagumi layout. should be good when planted and similar to one im doing this month in a 90cm ut with some welsh rock and hairgrss as well as your plants.

Id agree with the above posts re the co2. The HC would do a lot better on it and youll have to go through a fair wack of easycarbo to make up for it. Will be interesting to see how a full ada ferted tank copes without it though. Bet that lot cost you under the substrate!

are you using the in/outlets that come with the tetratec?
 
Re: My 60cm Iwagumi

Nice one Mark, it looks proper sweet pal. Real nice addition to your room by the looks of things too. Very very nice. 8)

Your rock work is great too Mark. Im wondering weather hair grass would suet you better with you not having Co2. Its much more forgiving in lower light/low Co2 set ups.

I would recommend around 7 hours of light and see how you get on. I dont see any for foreseeable problems with what you have. The growth wont be fast, but it should be steady and clean providing you get the light-growth balance right. Keep on top of those water changes and you should be cool.

Its worth considering only adding K and carbo at first. After around 6-8 weeks, maybe more with the rate of growth and the nutrients of that substrate you can start adding some more complex ferts.

Nice work mark, you should be happy with that!! :thumbup:
 
Re: My 60cm Iwagumi

Thanks for the great feedback on the hardscape 😳 I spent a full day trying to get it right, I'm over the moon with it, can't stop looking at it.

I'm still a bit of newbie and I find CO2 injection all a bit daunting (soft I Know). I read some articles by George and Graeme's on TGM's website regarding Easycarbo use so I thought I'd try without CO2 injection. I really hope it works out, reading these threads have made me a little nervous now :?

are you using the in/outlets that come with the tetratec?
Nope I have ADA lily pipes......I know the ADA substrate is expensive but my brother-in-law actually went to to Japan so I give him a list of some of the substrate additives and the lily pipe (outflow) and he got them for me as a pressie, I haven't got a clue how much he spent on them......he's a goodn'

Graeme: Thanks for the fert dosing advice, you actually emailed me from work with your recommended daily dosing regime so it will be as follows:

EasyCarbo and Brighty K from day 1 - 3ml each
Brighty Step 1 after around 2 months - 3ml and gradually build up to around 6ml (knock on the head after trimming and gradually build up again)
Green Gain (at initial setup and after trimming)

I'll be performing a 50% water change every day for the first 2 weeks and then once weekly after that.

Stocking: week 3 - inverts, week 4 - otos and week 5 - shoal of Green Neons.

Do you think I'll be OK with this??

Thanks for taking the time to comment everyone

Mark!
 
Re: Mark's 60cm Iwagumi (Full ADA Substrate System)

UPDATE:

In response to some of the comments with regards to HC without CO2 injection, I've decided to go with Graeme's advice and plant my tank with Eleocharis Parvula. Hopefully I'll end up with a nice grass like plain with a little patience.

I'll have to wait a couple of weeks to plant (skint til' pay day).

Once again thanks for the cool comments on my hardscape.

Mark!
 
Re: Mark's 60cm Iwagumi (Full ADA Substrate System)

myboyshay said:
UPDATE:
In response to some of the comments with regards to HC without CO2 injection, I've decided to go with Graeme's advice and plant my tank with Eleocharis Parvula. Hopefully I'll end up with a nice grass like plain with a little patience.
Mark!
Click to expand...

Good Idea opting for the hairgrass as its less demanding, I have kept Parvula and I would say that Elocharis acicularis is much nicer as its grows nice a staight instead of curly like Parvula, you would have to trim regularly tho otherwise the smaller rocks will quickly be hiden by the grass.

Anyway mate what ever you decide im sure it will look good.

Vito
 
Re: Mark's 60cm Iwagumi (Full ADA Substrate System)

on fertilizers i do use the ADA products on 2 of my tanks. for the latest setup i did the following:

in the first 2 weeks just Brighty K and daily water changes.
after 2 weeks Brighty K + Step 1 til the first 3 months. From this time you can add Carbo with the ferts daily.
(I also used ECA as a daily fert in my large tank for red plants.)

after water changes: Green Gain + Green Bacter helps after trimming and with the water quality. phyton git with WC helps with ferns and microsorum.

From the 3rd months: Brighty K, Step 2.

use less lights on start. or less hours of lights.

after 2 weeks amano shrimp could come in to keep algea under control.
Good filtration is a must have.

If you go after ADA products you could try their filter material NA Carbon in the first month to quickly remove wasted organics and ammonia. This also helps with green water just like Green Bacter do.
 
Re: Mark's 60cm Iwagumi (Full ADA Substrate System)

ah another thing i noticed..

Substrate: Aquasoil Powder Type, Power Sand Special S, Bacter 100, Clear Super, Tourmaline BC, Penac W and Penac P
Click to expand...

If you will use Power Sand Special, you do not need Bacter 100 and Clear Super since these additives are in the "Special" version of PS.

ADA has another bacterial product which is the Bacter Ball. You can put this into the soil, later just throw into the water (shrimps will eat this), but you can add the ball to the filter. 1 ball is enough for 60 liter. I added this earlier to the fresh filter.
 
Re: Mark's 60cm Iwagumi (Full ADA Substrate System)

I love your hard scape, you can tell you were playing with it all day!!! nice substrait system, no expence spaired :thumbup: i would ecco everyone else and reccomend the use of a co2 system. if you need a system let me know and i can point you in the right direction!! 😀
 
Re: Mark's 60cm Iwagumi (Full ADA Substrate System)

If you will use Power Sand Special, you do not need Bacter 100 and Clear Super since these additives are in the "Special" version of PS.
Click to expand...

Cheers, yeah I knew that, just listed what was in the powersand and thanks for the dosing tips....thanks!

Good Idea opting for the hairgrass as its less demanding, I have kept Parvula and I would say that Elocharis acicularis is much nicer as its grows nice a staight instead of curly like Parvula, you would have to trim regularly tho otherwise the smaller rocks will quickly be hiden by the grass.
Click to expand...

I love the look of E. acicularis but I want Tropica quality and I can't seem to find it unlike Parvula which is easier to find....Cheers!

I love your hard scape, you can tell you were playing with it all day!!! nice substrait system, no expence spaired i would ecco everyone else and reccomend the use of a co2 system. if you need a system let me know and i can point you in the right direction!!
Click to expand...

Cheers Matty :thumbup:

Thanks for taking the time to comment everyone!

Mark
 
Re: Mark's 60cm Iwagumi (Full ADA Substrate System)

myboyshay said:
I love the look of E. acicularis but I want Tropica quality and I can't seem to find it
Click to expand...

many maiden head aquatic stores stock it, and if they done get them to order it.

tropica don't do it, and aquafleurs quality is IMVHO sometimes better than tropica and cheaper.
 
Re: Mark's 60cm Iwagumi (Full ADA Substrate System)

Cheers Saintly & Vito :thumbup:

Checked out both of your journals guys....great stuff! I love seeing how scapes develop...fingers crossed mine works out eh!
 
Re: Mark's 60cm Iwagumi (Full ADA Substrate System)

Excellent scaping, :clap: only just found this journal after you commented on mine, its a very similar set-up to my own. it will be good to see the differences between our scapes especially when you are dosing easy carbo and i am using pressurized CO2.

More pics though! 😀
 
Re: Mark's 60cm Iwagumi (Full ADA Substrate System)

Cheers Andy 😳

I'll be adding more pics during the planting process. I can't get my plants till payday (19th) and I'm bloody itching to get started on the planting.....patience is a virtue as they say 🙄

Hopefully things will work out with just the Easycarbo!

Thanks

Mark
 
Re: Mark's 60cm Iwagumi (Full ADA Substrate System)

myboyshay said:
Cheers Andy 😳

I'll be adding more pics during the planting process. I can't get my plants till payday (19th) and I'm bloody itching to get started on the planting.....patience is a virtue as they say 🙄

Hopefully things will work out with just the Easycarbo!

Thanks

Mark
Click to expand...

I know what your going through i was ready to start scaping my tank in early June/July but it didnt arrive till 3rd week august, i had all the equipment but no tank! Was very hard! Lots of time for planning and researching!
I use easycarbo on my other tank and my belief is that you need accurate and regular dosing and you will certainly get some success but be aware not every plant likes it.
 
Re: Mark's 60cm Iwagumi (Full ADA Substrate System)

I know what your going through i was ready to start scaping my tank in early June/July but it didnt arrive till 3rd week august, i had all the equipment but no tank! Was very hard! Lots of time for planning and researching!
I use easycarbo on my other tank and my belief is that you need accurate and regular dosing and you will certainly get some success but be aware not every plant likes it.
andyh
Click to expand...

Yep I waited a fair while for my tank/stand but when it arrived it was worth the wait.

Graeme TGM as advised me to dose the Easycarbo 3ml per day so hopefully the hairgrass (I've opted to go for one plant as a grassy plain) will like it, fingers crossed anyway.
 
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