# Iwagumi Layout Advice



## Miller86 (30 Apr 2009)

Hey Guys,
 At the moment I am on the long road to my first proper planted tank. I have decided to create an Iwagumi styled tank, as this type of display first drew me into the hobby and its simplistic beauty has captured my imagination ever since.
Ironically this quest for simplicity is proving rather complex...
I have read the standard 'odd number of rocks/golden rule' stuff and obviously a planted tank is ultimately about self expression and artistic license but I wanted to draw on the experience of people on here that have 'been there done that'

These are the rocks I have to play with:






And these are two very similar layouts I have come up with so far:
(sorry about the quality of photos = camera phone effort)










Any help/advice/comments welcomed

Cheers


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## Superman (1 May 2009)

You've got the idea of how to layout a gumi style well.

The first one is better IMO and if you made sure that when you put it in the tank that you raise the back right rock up higher as the focus one then you'll be onto a winner.

As you've said it's each to their own and the main thing will be your view of it as you'll be looking at it more than us!

What size of tank are these going in?

As I've said the first photo could work really well in a mountain effect type of scape with maybe just HC or just a collection of different hairgrasses.


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## Steve Smith (1 May 2009)

Hey Miller, welcome to the forum! 

I like the second, though that rock on the right isn't really doing it for me personally.  It's a bit too square   Got any slimmer pieces you could try intead?

Great start!

Edit - I meant to say I liked the second photo


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## John Starkey (1 May 2009)

Hi in my opinion I would remove the rock in the middle too many rocks of similar size,I would try to add some smaller side stones,as Clarke says you need to have it sloping from back to front,
Good luck john.


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## Miller86 (2 May 2009)

Hey guys,
 Thanks for the replies


			
				Superman said:
			
		

> IMO and if you made sure that when you put it in the tank that you raise the back right rock up higher as the focus one then you'll be onto a winner.


Love this idea as so far i've only considered placement on a flat plane, i'll definitely incorporate this in my final design.



			
				SteveUK said:
			
		

> that rock on the right isn't really doing it for me personally.  It's a bit too square   Got any slimmer pieces you could try intead?



I'm gonna try a few different pieces in this position and maybe post the result of what it actually looks like 'in tank'



			
				john starkey said:
			
		

> I would remove the rock in the middle too many rocks of similar size



Never even considered this, i might see how it looks sinking them further into the gravel

Cheers


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## Mark Evans (4 May 2009)

don't forget to look at the grain of the rock too, you'll be surprised at how important the flow/grain of any stone is to a layout.

any large stones bury, or mound them. an amano technique to create the illusion of a  larger stones connected under ground, from smaller ones.steve uk demonstrated this well.....allthough seryious stone lends itself well to the technique

 bash a stone up to give you smaller pieces too


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