# Mini M Iwagumi - New final (again) photo



## igirisujin (15 May 2020)

Hello  My 25cm is still running and will continue for another month or so, but I've been hardscaping for a few weeks now and couldn't bear it sitting empty any longer. Sooo, I decided on a dry start. I've been taking photos during the hardscaping and setup, so I'll upload in several sections. For now, here's the tank  It's an ADA Mini M (36cm) from the lfs (not so local), and a bag of Aquasoil.


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## igirisujin (15 May 2020)

I wanted to do an Iwagumi layout this time, but honestly the hardscape available in the local shops is not great. There are not many good hardscape shops in the south of Japan - particularly ones that stock rocks - so I went to the beach to see what was available. It was pointed out to me last time I mentioned it that it might not be legal to collect my own rocks, but I have been assured since that as long as it's not a national park or protected area, it's not a problem.

Anyway, I found some I liked, took them home and cleaned them up.


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## igirisujin (15 May 2020)

This time, I didn't want to make the same mistake as before with hardscape. My current tank's hardscape is very unstable and therefore a nightmare to clean! This time it will be solid. Rock solid 

I found some aquarium-safe silicone at the supermarket/DIY place, began sticking some rocks together and left them overnight to set.


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## igirisujin (15 May 2020)

Siliconed hardscape pieces arranged in tank. I put a mat underneath this time to try to avoid scratching up the base of the tank. The rock positioning would be further adjusted and a couple more smaller ones added later.

Another issue I have with the current tank is that the substrate slips forwards through the rocks and mixes with the sand. This time I used filter media and silicone to plug all the gaps between the rocks to try to prevent slippage as much as possible - especially down the sides and centre of the layout.


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## igirisujin (15 May 2020)

Here's the hardscape with ADA Aquasoil and powder top layer (cheaper brand leftovers, not ADA) in place. The shadow directly under the main stone concerns me a little, but I'll see if anything grows there. I didn't really want to include any Anubias, mosses or anything like that, but I might if other plants struggle in the shade.

I tried to angle the rocks carefully, using shadows to create separation between them - something I picked up from the Josh Sim talk video at Green Aqua. Hopefully it will help with depth when planted and filled.


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## igirisujin (15 May 2020)

After starting a thread on here and doing lots of research online, I decided to go with the ONF Flat Nano +. 

Good decision. 

Although I love the look of the ADA Aquasky G, the LED colour just isn't good enough to compete these days (I saw some in person in local shops) and the tanks look washed out. The power can't be adjusted either, and the app control was appealing to me. 

The ONF really does seem great. Easy to operate, fantastic plant colouration (tried on my 25cm) and I love the way it slowly transitions up and down. More expensive than the ADA , but I think it was the right choice.


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## igirisujin (15 May 2020)

As for plants, I wanted to try Monte Carlo for the first time. The local shop here didn't know it, but managed to order it for me through ADA. Here, the ADA plants are about half the price of Tropica. The 4 pots I used here were about £6 each. 

I'm gonna do this as a dry-start as the 25cm is still using the filter and CO2 that I'll transfer over to this tank. Hopefully after a month or so, the 25cm will be ready, and the plants in the Mini M will have put down some roots 





Here's the full tank shot straight after planting. I've never done a dry start before, so I hope it all works!!


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## Steve Buce (15 May 2020)

Nice scape


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## Andrew C (15 May 2020)

Looks great I’m about to start doing something very similar and was contemplating a dry start so I will watch with interest.


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## Aqua360 (15 May 2020)

That's looking excellent, good job. 

I also noticed the wabi kusa in your first pic, do you have any pics and info on it?


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## igirisujin (16 May 2020)

Aqua360 said:


> That's looking excellent, good job.
> 
> I also noticed the wabi kusa in your first pic, do you have any pics and info on it?




Thanks 

Yeah, that's a little Do!Aqua bowl I bought about 3 years ago and had sitting around. When I set up the 25cm my wife also wanted to make something, so I gave her the bowl and leftover plants to use. Although, just like her goldfish tank, I'm the one looking after it!!  Plants are just some Hydrocotyle, Rotala and Crypts. Soil is leftover cheap-brand 'aquasoil' and ADA La Plata Sand.

I let it get a little too dry recently though, so honestly it's not in the best condition. It's a little unkempt now, too.

I'd love to try one of those new DOOA shallow cubes, but... budgets and all that. Even in Japan, those cubes are more expensive than the small ADA tanks!

She might kill me if she sees I used the 'pyjama shot'...


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## igirisujin (16 May 2020)

Andrew C said:


> Looks great I’m about to start doing something very similar and was contemplating a dry start so I will watch with interest.



Great, I hope yours goes well too. I'll keep an eye out for a journal!


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## Aqua360 (16 May 2020)

igirisujin said:


> Thanks
> 
> Yeah, that's a little Do!Aqua bowl I bought about 3 years ago and had sitting around. When I set up the 25cm my wife also wanted to make something, so I gave her the bowl and leftover plants to use. Although, just like her goldfish tank, I'm the one looking after it!!  Plants are just some Hydrocotyle, Rotala and Crypts. Soil is leftover cheap-brand 'aquasoil' and ADA La Plata Sand.
> 
> ...



Thanks for the info! It's a shame the do!aqua glass isn't available anymore  

Did you keep the wabi in a level of water, or just damp substrate?

I treated myself for my birthday to one of the Dooa you mentioned, the 30x12x8 I think it is, arriving next week. Going to be a challenge to scape it I think, but we'll see what happens!


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## igirisujin (16 May 2020)

Aqua360 said:


> Did you keep the wabi in a level of water, or just damp substrate?




Just damp substrate. Just enough water to see the sand sparkle, and then the occasional misting. 



Aqua360 said:


> I treated myself for my birthday to one of the Dooa you mentioned, the 30x12x8 I think it is, arriving next week. Going to be a challenge to scape it I think, but we'll see what happens!




Slightly jealous


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## Aqua360 (16 May 2020)

igirisujin said:


> Just damp substrate. Just enough water to see the sand sparkle, and then the occasional misting.
> 
> Its good to see the rotala, I'll deffo need to try it emersed
> 
> ...



Well, I hope it turns out to be worth it! I did hesitate as i do find the dooa to be expensive for me, I just won't mention it to the gf 😂


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## Ady34 (17 May 2020)

Love the mini m scape. The hardscape is very nice and it looks great planted too. Will look forward to seeing the progression.
Cheerio,


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## igirisujin (20 May 2020)

Quick update, although it's only day 6. The Monte Carlo is settling in well. Looks like it has the potential to be a right weed!

Loving the ONF Nano +


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## Keetchy (21 May 2020)

Wow great tank. Good job. Good timing too as I'm going to be scaping my first Iwagumi tank tomorrow, but in a 300 litre tank. I do like the way you have set the rocks up


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## CooKieS (21 May 2020)

Very nice mate, I love the green carpet, goes really well with your stones.

that ONF is great for green tones.


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## LondonDragon (28 May 2020)

Shared on the UKAPS FB page


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## Ady34 (28 May 2020)

Love the rocks in this. Great scape.


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## castle (18 Nov 2020)

@igirisujin I really like the rockwork in this, any updates?


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## igirisujin (21 Nov 2020)

castle said:


> @igirisujin I really like the rockwork in this, any updates?


Thank you - It's really not good, I'm afraid. I've been having problems again. The plants went wild after filling with water, and I trimmed them the next week. After that, they turned brown and began disintegrating.

I assumed that the CO2 was too low, so doubled it. I'm injecting about 1.5b/s into the filter inlet now from 3 hours before lights on, and it seems to be dissolving for the most part. I've also increased the EI powders (KH2PO4, KNO3 and Trace) to a little more than the dose rate stated on the packs. 

I've been fighting this for a while now, and 3 weeks or so ago I trimmed very harshly right back to the substrate. Some areas (actually those that get more natural light) are growing back. Other areas are still struggling badly, even with higher CO2 and ferts. Initial growth after trimming is fine, but anything below the tips soon turn brown and start withering. 

The filter doesn't seem to be clogging or getting particularly dirty each week, and I'm doing 2x 50% water changes per week (was every day for the first few weeks). 

Thoughts on problems:
CO2 - but I've already increased it. 
Lighting(??) - I have an ONF Nano+ running at 70-80% for 6 hours. Plants with sunlight seem to do better, but I can't imagine I have a light shortage...
Ferts - powders don't go bad, right? I've had them (dry) for maybe 4 years. 
Water - I can't get RO, but I could buy filtered water from the supermarket 5 litres at a time fairly inexpensively. 
Distribution - Looks good to me, there seems to be a consistent flow around the tank - although the areas where the plants are doing better are possible lower-flow areas. High-flow areas are by no means extreme. 

Any thoughts would be really appreciated. I've struggled with every setup since coming to Japan.


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## igirisujin (20 Jan 2021)

UPDATE TIME

Having been at a total loss as to what to do and almost giving in, I visited the local/closest (30km away) fish shop to get some more CO2 bottles. While I was there, I saw that they had a nice ADA 30cm cube set up, with the new DOOA light. Plant health was pretty good (although colour was a little washed out), which I was shocked at as their CO2 seemed incredibly low to me (1 bubble every 3 seconds, 2 mostly lost to the air), and they said they didn't dose fertilisers. It got me thinking. 

When I got home, I thought I'd try one last thing before giving up. I threw out my EI salts that I had been dosing since the start as per CO2 Supermarket's directions on the label. Instead, I bought ADA Brighty K and Mineral and am dosing 1 push of each per day. The difference in 2 weeks is actually shocking. Complete restoration. I can only assume that either something was wrong with the EI salts I was using, or somehow I had messed up the dosage and was waaaay overdosing. I now have no diatoms, no BBA, very low green algae growing on the glass, crystal clear water and no surface scum. Amazing. Long may it continue.

I've been using these EI ferts since coming to Japan, and have never been able to keep anything alive. It never occurred to me that they could be wrong - I always assumed that as long as ferts aren't deficient, all is good. Therefore it must be CO2, poor maintenance etc. I know many people love EI and know it can work when done well, but from now on, I'll be lean dosing.

Attached pictures show the tank 2 weeks ago vs. yesterday.


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## not called Bob (21 Jan 2021)

nice looking setup


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## Libba (23 Jan 2021)

Just reading through this thread for the first time and I'm really happy for you that you found your problem. As far as I'm aware the EI dosing method is designed for tanks with high plant mass. I believe the general consensus is that the ADA-style dosing regime (mostly just K and trace) is sufficient for an iwagumi which inherently has quite low plant mass. Thankfully you figured it out before it was too late. Awesome scape, love the rocks.


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## CooKieS (23 Jan 2021)

Libba said:


> Just reading through this thread for the first time and I'm really happy for you that you found your problem. As far as I'm aware the EI dosing method is designed for tanks with high plant mass. I believe the general consensus is that the ADA-style dosing regime (mostly just K and trace) is sufficient for an iwagumi which inherently has quite low plant mass. Thankfully you figured it out before it was too late. Awesome scape, love the rocks.


I agree, well done.


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## Garuf (23 Jan 2021)

Such a nice little scape, I'm a big fan of a more unusual Iwagumi.


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## igirisujin (26 Jan 2021)

Thank you for the comments. It's a real relief, although I'm nervous that the current good growth is a lucky accident and will at some point be reversed!!

I took a couple of pictures of the fish this afternoon, after going over the rocks with a toothbrush. 










I also picked up some bits of driftwood at the weekend, although it's still a bit early to be thinking about the next scape. I'd like to re-use this Monte Carlo at the front and down the centre, but also use moss on the wood achieve a more typical Nature Aquarium style.


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## Kalum (26 Jan 2021)

really nice scape and glad it's all coming together and looking really healthy, you certainly have an eye for it with the rock layout as well as the new wood


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## igirisujin (8 Feb 2021)

Had a go at a final (?) photo this morning. I don't have any additional lighting for the background etc, so I had to take it with a fairly slow shutter speed and the fish are blurred. Would be nice to have a flash, but I left most of my gear in England when I came. 

Might have another go at a photo in a week or so, but I'm also keen to get on with the next scape now I've found a balance!


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## igirisujin (14 Feb 2021)

Took some final final photos again yesterday, one week later. Surprising how much growth can happen in just a week once it gets going! 

I'm not sure whether I prefer the wide or narrow angle shot for this tank, but I think I'm leaning towards the narrow.


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## Whitebeard (15 Feb 2021)

Hi,
Superb scape! I liked it very much..

One quick question though...are you using RO water or straight from tap?



igirisujin said:


> Took some final final photos again yesterday, one week later. Surprising how much growth can happen in just a week once it gets going!
> 
> I'm not sure whether I prefer the wide or narrow angle shot for this tank, but I think I'm leaning towards the narrow. View attachment 162852
> View attachment 162853


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