# A more conventional Iwagumi (Final shots @ 22 weeks)



## James Marshall (21 Jul 2011)

Hi Folks

Feeling a little bored with my current scape, I started to play around with a box seiryu stone i'd had for a while.
My last few scapes have had low laying hardscapes, so I fancied doing something much taller. After several trial arrangements the rocks kept returning to the classic 3 prong Gumi shape shown below and I figured I should run with it.






I shall attempt to rebuild this formation in my Mini-M tomorrow, i'll post some photos when done.

*Specs:*
tank:  35x22x26cm  (20litre)
Light:  24Watt PC T5 and 8Watt T5 baclight
CO2:  via external diffuser
Filter:  Eheim 2213 external
Substrate: ADA Power sand and ADA aquasoil amazonia 


Cheers,
James


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## George Farmer (21 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Great to see you back mate!

Lovely layout. Nothing wrong with a classic design...


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## Markmark (21 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Looking real nice James. What are you planting?


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## James Marshall (21 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Thanks George, good to be back. Glad you like the layout.

Mark - For the planting I'm thinking Riccia and hair grass at the back and perhaps a carpet of weeping moss at the front, with some christmas moss in the meeting point of the 3 main stones.

Cheers,
James


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## Tony Swinney (21 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Back with a bang !  Nice to see you scaping again James - rock layout looks cracking.

Look forward to seeing it in the Mini-M - hope it fits   

Tony


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## James Marshall (22 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Thanks Tony.

I hope it fits too, as you can see i've gone over the boundary marked by the paper on the left hand side, so it's going to be a bit of a squeeze.   

Anyhow the tank is drained now and if all goes according to plan i'll post a photo of the hardscape in place in an hour or so.

Cheers,
James


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## Westyggx (22 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Hi James, this looks great love the layout. I have some seiryu stone on order myself looking forward to creating something almost as good as yours i hope


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## James Marshall (22 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Thanks Westy.

I look forward to seeing your seiryu scape, please post some photos of your design once the rocks have arrived   

Cheers,
James


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## James Marshall (22 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Just a quick update.

The hardscape is installed, now on to the planting.





I tied some moss and Riccia to stones this morning so it shouldn't take too long to complete.
I'll post some photos this evening

Cheers,
James


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## ghostsword (22 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*



			
				Tony Swinney said:
			
		

> Back with a bang !  Nice to see you scaping again James - rock layout looks cracking.
> 
> 
> Tony



You bet, James came back with a bang!!! Looks fab, great rock layout. 

Riccia perling would look great with the dark rocks.


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## Ian Holdich (22 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

very nice!


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## a1Matt (22 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

It is nice to see you on here James.
Hope life is treating you well


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## James Marshall (22 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*



			
				ghostsword said:
			
		

> You bet, James came back with a bang!!! Looks fab, great rock layout.
> 
> Riccia perling would look great with the dark rocks.


Thanks Luis, I always like to use some Riccia, its a great gap filler for nano tanks.




			
				ianho said:
			
		

> very nice!


Thanks Ianho



			
				a1Matt said:
			
		

> It is nice to see you on here James.
> Hope life is treating you well


Thanks Matt, things are going really well at the moment

*Update*
Well, after tweaking the angle of the main stone about 50 times the tank is planted now with the following plants:
Vesicuaria ferriei  (weeping moss)
Vesicualria dubyana  (christmas moss)
Riccia fluitans
Eleocharis parvula
Eleocharis arcicularis





The Riccia and hairgrass are not really visible in a front shot yet, I think it will take a couple of weeks before they are. You should be able to make them out in the three quarter shot below.





Cheers,
James


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## ghostsword (22 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

The light is cool... another dyi?

Could you take some close up shots?


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## wearsbunnyslippers (22 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

nice james, cant wait to see this grow in!


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## Nelson (22 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

hello stranger   .

you don't hang about.looks stunning mate.

heres a song for you  8) .


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## James Marshall (22 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*



			
				ghostsword said:
			
		

> The light is cool... another dyi?
> 
> Could you take some close up shots?


The lighting is DIY Luis, but it's not new. Its the same rig you saw at the exhibition last year




			
				wearsbunnyslippers said:
			
		

> nice james, cant wait to see this grow in!


Thanks mate, I think it will take a while for the moss to mature nicely.




			
				nelson said:
			
		

> hello stranger  .
> 
> you don't hang about.looks stunning mate.
> 
> heres a song for you 8) .



Thanks Neil.
I love the "School's out" reference, this is twice as funny as you may realise. Obviously as a Teacher I am enjoying a long summer hol, but also I sang on the 1980's re-recording of this song when I was a lad.   

Cheers,
James


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## George Farmer (22 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Stunning. Already.


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## Eboeagles (22 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

A more conventional Iwagumi!? A classic Iwagumi more like! 

Very nice, great composition, you make it look so easy!


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## ghostsword (22 Jul 2011)

*A more conventional Iwagumi*



			
				Eboeagles said:
			
		

> A more conventional Iwagumi!? A classic Iwagumi more like!
> 
> Very nice, great composition, you make it look so easy!


That is the issue, they make it look so easy, but a iwagumi is far from easy.

With so much stuff on show it is hard to hide bad design.


.


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## James Marshall (22 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*



			
				George Farmer said:
			
		

> Stunning. Already.


Cheers George   



			
				Eboeagles said:
			
		

> A more conventional Iwagumi!? A classic Iwagumi more like!
> 
> Very nice, great composition, you make it look so easy!


I'm glad you think it's a classic  
When i say its more conventional I mean it's the first time i have conformed to a style. I've always prefered complete creative freedom but i'm actually finding it very satisfying.



			
				ghostsword said:
			
		

> Eboeagles said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Luis, I spent hours gazing at the arrangement and tweaking it, then gazing and tweaking and so on.
It's never easy, but then if it was it would be no fun   

Cheers,
James


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## Mark Evans (22 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

James!

Good to see ya man. This is one killer scape mate


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## James Marshall (23 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Thanks Mark, I'm really glad you like it.   

Cheers,
James


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## viktorlantos (23 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Hey James, this is superb. 

I love the moss selection. The tank already looks great with them.  
I am missing these moss focused tanks nowadays. They looks very natural in most cases. This will be a perfect example of that.


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## James Marshall (24 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Thanks Viktor  

I am becoming a fan of mosses, they do seem to give a natural mature look to a scape.

Cheers,
James


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## Tom (25 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Nice clean setup - gonna look great filled in


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## flygja (26 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Looking very nice James. Have to warn you about the Riccia and hairgrass combo though, I ended up manually picking out a lot of Riccia from my hairgrass!


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## James Marshall (26 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*



			
				Tom said:
			
		

> Nice clean setup - gonna look great filled in


Thanks Tom




			
				flygja said:
			
		

> Looking very nice James. Have to warn you about the Riccia and hairgrass combo though, I ended up manually picking out a lot of Riccia from my hairgrass!


Thanks Flygja, 
That's a good point, i've mixed HC and Riccia a few times and the riccia can be plucked out with tweezers to stop it swamping the HC. However, this is not so easy with hair grass as I tend to accidently grab the grass and uproot it. I wonder if the excess riccia could be syphoned out from amongst the grass if it was done regularly.

Cheers,
James


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## flygja (27 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

James, syphoning can be done to remove some of it first but its not the end-all solution. Riccia's shape is like a multi-pronged grappling hook and will lodge itself into the grass. My advice is to maintain Riccia as often as possible, by removing it from the tank and doing all the trimming/re-tying outside the tank. Trimming Riccia in a tank is a nightmare, especially if you have hairgrass or Helanthium tenellum or mosses.


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## mlgt (27 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Looking good James. Hope all is well with you 
My tank is still going good


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## James Marshall (28 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*



			
				flygja said:
			
		

> James, syphoning can be done to remove some of it first but its not the end-all solution. Riccia's shape is like a multi-pronged grappling hook and will lodge itself into the grass. My advice is to maintain Riccia as often as possible, by removing it from the tank and doing all the trimming/re-tying outside the tank. Trimming Riccia in a tank is a nightmare, especially if you have hairgrass or Helanthium tenellum or mosses.



Unfortunately my use of Riccia doesn't lend itself to being removed. I don't find pruning it too bad, as long as I remember to turn my filter off first, then it floats to the top and i collect it with a net.
 I know I can successfuly pluck Riccia from moss with small needle nose tweezers, I'll just have to improve my skills for keeping the grass clear of it.




			
				mlgt said:
			
		

> Looking good James. Hope all is well with you
> My tank is still going good


Thanks Ricky
Glad to hear your tank is going well.

Cheers,
James


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## LondonDragon (31 Jul 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Nice rock work James, good to see you back too  another one to watch


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## James Marshall (18 Aug 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Thanks Paulo, much appreciated.


*Update*

Day 7.   Started to get some BBA in the moss so decided to spot dose it with easycorbo 

Day 10.   Seriously damaged the moss with the spot dosing.

Day 14. Weeping moss on the left had on the left of the tank was all dead and had to be replanted

Day 27.  Mosses are recovering nicely, new moss on the left is growing and the Riccia and grass are now visible.









CO2 45 bubbles per min
1ml ADA K daily
1ml ADA step3 daily
2 drops ADA green gain weekly
2 drops ADA phyton git weekly
2 drops ADA ECA weekly
70% water change weekly

Cheers,
James


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## James Marshall (30 Aug 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*





photos taken today.

Well, the mosses seem to have recovered and are growing nicely. 
I still feel the scape looks a little scruffy, but i hope that will improve once the moss matures.
The Riccia and Grass are growing fast and have been pruned a couple of times, i'm open to suggestions on the shape of the riccia, the shape in the current shot was what i had in mind all along , but i'm not yet sure if i like it.






Cleaning the rocks has been a lengthy weekly task, and leaves the rather unatural effect of mostly clean rocks with algae where the toothbrush won't reach. Hopefully the addition of some amano shrimps will solve the problem.


Cheers,
James


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## Tom (30 Aug 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Looks good to me 

As for the Riccia/grass, how about some HM along the back, crawling around the sides?


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## James Marshall (30 Aug 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Thanks Tom   .
HM is a good suggestion, it might well creep over the rocks at the back more naturaly than riccia.

Cheers,
James


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## ghostsword (31 Aug 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

You are so good with the nanos, great eye for it. 

Would it be crazy to add some dash of colour to it? Maybe some rotala indica at the back? Just three or four stems, to add some red to it.


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## George Farmer (31 Aug 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Gorgeous mate.  Superb photography too.

I'm temped to go for another Iwagumi myself after seeing this.  Top Class.


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## James Marshall (2 Sep 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*



			
				ghostsword said:
			
		

> You are so good with the nanos, great eye for it.
> 
> Would it be crazy to add some dash of colour to it? Maybe some rotala indica at the back? Just three or four stems, to add some red to it.


Thanks Luis.

A splash of red could look good, however a few isolated stems would just get laid flat by the current as the tank is turned over 20 times per hour.




			
				George Farmer said:
			
		

> Gorgeous mate. Superb photography too.
> 
> I'm temped to go for another Iwagumi myself after seeing this. Top Class.


Thank you George, much appreciated   
I'm  planning another Gumi myself, i,ve got to get a 60cm setup first though.

Cheers,
james


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## James Marshall (19 Sep 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

*Update*
The scape is 8 weeks old now and is finally starting to look more as i envisaged. The weeping moss is begining to creep over the lower stones and i feel the Riccia is looking a little more natural. Still, I think it's going take at least another 8 weeks before the scape looks fully mature.


















Have added 4 amano shrimps to help keep the rocks clean, I'm still spending 2 hours scrubbing them once a week and the amanos then seem to clean the bits i miss. 
Unfortumately, however, the BBA has returned. Had I kept up a small daily dose of liquid carbon I may have prevented it, but after killing the moss with spot dosing I over reacted and stopped dosing all together.
I have now resumed dosing, but will also look for the cause of the problem. I'm convinced that CO2 and ferts are not to blame. It could be that the cherry shrimp population has now got so high that the bio loading is massive or that when I rescaped the tank I didn't clean up properly and left a layer of mulm under the rocks and moss stones.
I shall thin out the cherry shrimp numbers throughtout the next week, not quite sure how to address the mulm problem.

Cheers,
James


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## Eboeagles (19 Sep 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Totally stunning!


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## Piece-of-fish (20 Sep 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Top work James. 
Journals like this is a credit to ukaps.
Looking forward to 60


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## ashcarter89 (20 Sep 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Tank looks amazing ,and the photography is too, how did you manage to get the blue to white backgound effect ???


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## George Farmer (20 Sep 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Divine.


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## andyh (20 Sep 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

James that is Friggin awesome dude!

When i first saw it i thought it was a little uniform, but i was quite clearly wrong! Looks so well aged.

Thing of beauty

Andyh


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## Gill (20 Sep 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Now that is a scape I have been waiting for, that showcases how good those rocks look aged with algae. Instead of being clinically cleaned each week.


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## Packers (20 Sep 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

This is a really beautiful tank!  Are those celestial pearl danios / galaxy rasboras?  If so, then I love your choice of fish too - these are some of my favourite fish.


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## Cecska (21 Sep 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

This is a great layout and a perfect choice for plant.  
Beautiful nano tank.


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## James Marshall (21 Sep 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Thanks for the compliments folks   , they are much appreciated.



			
				Piece-of-fish said:
			
		

> Looking forward to 60


Me too mate, hoping to get started on it next month.



			
				ashcarter89 said:
			
		

> how did you manage to get the blue to white backgound effect ???


I've used an opaque white tank backing in conjunction with a "powerglo" backlight shining on the white wall behind the tank. I think It is the contrast between the green to yellow bias of the main lamp and the blue bias of the backlight that gives the effect.



			
				Packers said:
			
		

> Are those celestial pearl danios / galaxy rasboras? If so, then I love your choice of fish too - these are some of my favourite fish.


Yes they're celestial pearls, I love the behaviour of this species. They often circle the main stone in a little shoal.

Cheers,
James


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## Mark Evans (21 Sep 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

This has turned into a little beauty James! 

I hope you'll start to use a few more varieties of plants in the future?


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## James Marshall (22 Sep 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Thanks Mark   



			
				Mark Evans said:
			
		

> I hope you'll start to use a few more varieties of plants in the future?


Good point. That's one of the reasons i'm getting a 60cm set up, nanos can be a bit limiting when it comes to choice of plants and fish. I might even have a try at using some wood    

Cheers,
James


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## James Marshall (9 Oct 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

*Update*

At nearly 11 weeks old the scape is starting to fill in properly. The mosses were pruned 2 weeks ago and are now a lot more dense. The BBA has all but gone, and the traces that remain look well bleached by the gluteralderhyde.













The gluteralderhyde was added in the form of EasyCarbo at a starting dose of 0.5 ml every 12 hours and cycled up to a rather controversial 2ml every 12 hours.over a period of 2 weeks. Please note that I previously caught up all the cherry shrimps I  possibly could, and although the few that remained survived the process, such high doses of gluteralderhyde can be lethal to shrimps. 

I always level the cycle off when the algae turns red (this only happens with BBA and staghorn, as far as I know). I feel it is important to keep dosing until the algae has been completely eradicated.

Cheers,
James


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## Ian Holdich (9 Oct 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

looks lovely mate!


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## flygja (10 Oct 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

That is beautiful. Some of the healthiest mosses I've ever seen.


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## clonitza (10 Oct 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Excellent work James! Really really like it. 
How often are you syphoning the moss?

Cheers,
Mike


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## Stu Worrall (10 Oct 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

thats some stunning work james!


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## ghostsword (10 Oct 2011)

*A more conventional Iwagumi*

I especially like the patina of age on the rocks, such a natural look! 

Great work James, I am a big fan of your nanos.


.


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## James Marshall (13 Oct 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Thank you folks  , much appreciated.



			
				clonitza said:
			
		

> How often are you syphoning the moss?



All maintenance is done once a week.
I only syphon the moss at the base very lightly as the stones its attached to are sitting on a layer of mulm, and i don't want to drag it up into the moss.

Cheers,
James


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## andy-mu (13 Oct 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

That is a really nice tank James. Layout, plants, photos.

The easy carbo, does that just kill BBA and staghorn or will it work an all algae types? Thread algae etc


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## James Marshall (14 Oct 2011)

*Re: A more conventional Iwagumi*

Thanks Andy.

I've never known easycarbo to kill anything but BBA and Staghorn, It has had no effect on thread algae even when spot dosed. However others may have had different experiences.
Thread algae is best delt with by Amano shrimps.

Cheers,
James


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## James Marshall (27 Dec 2011)

Well its been a while, but the 20 litre Iwagumi has finaly reached its final photo stage.
It has taken 22 weeks to grow the mosses to full maturity, but well worth the wait i feel.
I have battled a bit of BBA on occasion, which I suppose is a risk with 85% moss planting in a 20 litre tank under 24 watts of T5. Removing the fish and maintaining a population of about 20 cherry shrimps seemd to be the factor that finaly cured the algae issues.

I have really enjoyed this scape as it is a departure from my usual style and because i don't usually keep nano scapes running this long.
























Cheers,
James


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## GHNelson (27 Dec 2011)

Hi James
Lush man   I love moss......colours are great..... love the lighting too.
hoggie


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## Antoni (27 Dec 2011)

Great scape with mosses and low maintenance! Love the composition with the 2 different type of moss and the eleocharis! 
Some ripple could even enhance the picture further! Congrats!


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## Mark Evans (27 Dec 2011)

Super bloody shish James!!!

Ripples wouldnt go a miss i think.

I'm having fun with riccia at the moment, but boy, it's like a woman what with all the maintenance and attention it needs.


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## Piece-of-fish (28 Dec 2011)

One word... Quality!
Words Nr. 1 nano scaper


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## Ian Holdich (28 Dec 2011)

Super dooper!

That moss is da bomb!


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## spyder (28 Dec 2011)

Simple layout and looks so fresh, bright n healthy.

Nicely executed and great final shots. Well done.


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## James Marshall (29 Dec 2011)

Thanks for your appreciation folks  



			
				Antoni said:
			
		

> Great scape with mosses and low maintenance! Love the composition with the 2 different type of moss and the eleocharis!
> Some ripple could even enhance the picture further! Congrats!





			
				Mark Evans said:
			
		

> Super bloody shish James!!!
> 
> Ripples wouldnt go a miss i think.
> 
> I'm having fun with riccia at the moment, but boy, it's like a woman what with all the maintenance and attention it needs.



As the shrimps are slow moving I could take these shots at 1/6 second shutter speed. The ripples would then have been completey blurred, so I sacriiced them for a small aperture and slow shutter speed to capture the mosses as sharply as i could.

Cheers,
James


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## ghostsword (29 Dec 2011)

Piece-of-fish said:
			
		

> One word... Quality!
> Words Nr. 1 nano scaper



Yep, one of the best! 


___________________________

Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year


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## Markmark (29 Dec 2011)

That was worth waiting 22 weeks for. That looks amazing mate!


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## George Farmer (29 Dec 2011)

A class act.  You don't post much, but when you do...

BTW you need to get the latest PFK (Feb '12)....


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## Mark Evans (29 Dec 2011)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> A class act. You don't post much, but when you do...



Is that with or without riccia George?


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## George Farmer (29 Dec 2011)

Mark Evans said:
			
		

> George Farmer said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I don't see any riccia attached to wood...


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## James Marshall (5 Jan 2012)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> Mark Evans said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Blimey Girls... don't bust the buttons on your blouses.  

Just to shut you up...



Got this for the 60cm...and yes George I thought I might super glue riccia all over it, because I have the coordination of a 3 year old and can't tie with fishing line.  

Happy New Year  ,
James


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## George Farmer (5 Jan 2012)

James Marshall said:
			
		

> Blimey Girls... don't bust the buttons on your blouses.
> 
> Just to shut you up...
> 
> ...


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## Gill (5 Jan 2012)

That wood is Very "Ent" like


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## mitchelllawson (5 Jan 2012)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> BTW you need to get the latest PFK (Feb '12)....



I got it > saw you swimming in the fish tank haha.

10 Things you will discover in this issue -

1. George Farmer can survive underwater.


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## Mark Evans (5 Jan 2012)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> I don't see any riccia attached to wood...



I'm not sure what this riccia and wood thing is?....  it's not on wood in my tank neither....you've not been drinking mate have you?....


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## George Farmer (5 Jan 2012)

Mark Evans said:
			
		

> George Farmer said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Forget it mate. I made a mistake and thought you had riccia attached to wood. I blame my iPhone, with it's small screen!

James, sorry for the hijack! Can't wait to see what you can do with your 60cm!


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## George Farmer (5 Jan 2012)

mitchelllawson said:
			
		

> George Farmer said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks. The mention was more for James's benefit as he's in there too, including the back page with a preview of another one of his awesome nano scape features.


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