My own iwagumi scape

[steveno]

Hello All,

After being a avid follower of every bodies journals and learn so much, I thought it was high time I started a journal myself.

I've had a few attempts at putting a scape together in the pass but none have really turned out very well and typically result in me tearing down and starting over, but isn't that part of the fun I guess.

Here my latest attempt (currently 2.5 weeks old) hopefully it turns out better than the previous ones.





Current setup:

• 120l Optiwhite tank (purchased very cheaply from ebay, as can be seen by the crappy silicon joints)
• Inline diffuser connected to C02 fire extinguisher connected to timer (4-5 BPS, and set to come on 1.5 hour before lights on)
• TetraTec External EX1200
• Hydor ETH External Thermal Heater
• 2x AquaRay GroBeam 1000 ND suspended approx. 250mm from top of tank, connected to timer (set to turn on for 7 hours a day).
• Glass intake and lilly pipe
• C20 drop checker, with Neutro Bromo Blue solution purchase from Aqua Essentials, current gives a lime green reading but is quite difficult read given the color isn’t very strong.
• Air stone with timer to provide additional oxygen at night

Substrate: ADA Aqua Soil Amazonia (with year old power sand underneath)

Hardscape: Seiryu stone & some drift Wood (which has some Fissidens fontanus still attached)

Plants: HC, Pogostemon helferi, Echinodorus uruguayensis, Anubias nana bonsai, a single Moss ball and some a couple other plants I’ve forgotten the names of, that I’ve carried over from my many previous scape.

Current livestock: 3 Otos, 2x black neon tetras (remaining fish from previous scape), 6 amano shrimp & 3x assassin snails (in there following a huge outbreak of snails, Prob over feeding)

It initially started as a simple iwagumi scape, with the substrate banked up quite high and quite low in front, but this substrate keep rolling back down even thou there was support.

I recently added the drift wood and planted up that corner of the tank, I plan on attaching some Riccardia Chamedryfolia to the wood which I have ordered from a seller on ebay.

Would have loved to have tried a dry start and give the technique that George tried on his amazing TMC signature scape to grow moss, but unfortunately had some leftover livestock and no other tank to put them in, as the misses won’t let me have another tank in the house. Lol...

Once the HC fills in I plan on added some small schooling fish, something like Chilli Rasboras, thou am defiantly open to suggestions.

As suggested the scape isn’t very old, so happy to take on any suggestions or advise that will improve my scape. I would love for the HC to cascade over the largest stone, any suggestion how i can achieve this?

 

[Trevor Pleco]

Really like the rock formation, imo you don't need the big piece of wood... unless it's moved and creatively linked with the hardscape somehow..

Having two focal points on either side divides the tank and negates the flow of things....

 

[NanoJames]

Although I haven't tried them personally, I know plenty of folks on here are fans of the Ember Tetra. Your tank is more than big enough for them and they would add some nice colour to the tank which, I might say, looks brilliant! Once the HC fills in it should look really nice!
Cheers🙂

 

[Andy D]

Really like the rock formation, imo you don't need the big piece of wood.

I am far from an expert but I agree. The wood seems out of place.

 

[George Farmer]

Nice set-up and promising start.

Consider losing the wood or at least moving it so it doesn't distract so much. It's out on a limb over there all lonely on the right. Maybe try integrating it with the lovely rockwork you have.

 

[Trevor Pleco]

Nice set-up and promising start.

Consider losing the wood or at least moving it so it doesn't distract so much. It's out on a limb over there all lonely on the right. Maybe try integrating it with the lovely rockwork you have.

great minds think alike ...🙂

 

[steveno]

Thxs for all the suggestion so far, I've taken the wood out as everyone suggested, and looks so much better without...simple is best. In previous scape i tended to added to much when it not needed resulting in unbalanced scape, that's one of the great thing about starting this journal. 🙂

I going to endeavor to just keeping HC and Anubias nana bonsai (i love this plant) in this scape, but as you seen i have a tendency to start added stuff. I just need to find a new home for other plants as don't have another tank. I upload a new picture when i get home from work.

Although I haven't tried them personally, I know plenty of folks on here are fans of the Ember Tetra. Your tank is more than big enough for them and they would add some nice colour to the tank which, I might say, looks brilliant! Once the HC fills in it should look really nice! Cheers🙂

I not planning on added all fish just yet, but will consider Ember Tetra when the time comes, i want fish to small hence why i was considering Rasboras, my LSF have some Vietnamese cardinal in and they look great.

 

[steveno]

Heres a quick shot of the scape with the wood removed...



def. improvement, but need to relocate the white rock as looks out of place... the plants in corner will be relocated soon... thanks for looking...

 

[steveno]

Apologies for crappy photo, taken using my iphone camera.

Quick update since minor rescape, i've relocated the stone furthers on the right to better sit with the other stones, the HC is filling out nicely thou the amino shrimps are do their best to uproot it, as are the assassin snails in their hunt for rouge snails, I also taken to set snail traps in the evening both of which seem to be working as snail numbers seem to have lessen.

I have replant the Echinodorus tenellus i initial had in the corner to the back of the tank which hopefully get some height and provide a bit of backdrop to the scape.

Some minor surface algae in tank surface but easily removed, I also have recently starting having a issue with surface scum, I think it may be due to me reducing the C02 as I was concerned I was gassing my livestock a bit to much. I have since dialed it back a little which should hopefully reduce the surface scum.

I'm keeping the corner of the tank planted until the HC has filled out some more, which should hopefully take care of any excess nutrients.

I am considering installed a white background to back of tank which should help bring out the greens a little more, thou would consider any other suggestions...

As always please don't hesitate to comment and offer advise.🙂

I should really rename this journal, can anyone tell me how i can go about this.


Thanks for taking time to view.

 

[Lindy]

When you go into the journals forum, in the same box as your journal title there is 'edit' to the farthest right. Click on this and you can do what you like to your title

 

[steveno]

When you go into the journals forum, in the same box as your journal title there is 'edit' to the farthest right. Click on this and you can do what you like to your title

Hello Idcgroomer, thxs for the help...🙂

 

[steveno]

Hello again,

Being spend quite abit of time on my newly setup shrimp tank, but though I would provide a short up-date on this tank.



HC is fill out thou is a little leggy, so have been gently pressing down, I only wish it would spread faster, it is however nice to see it pearling.

I recently trimmed and replanted the Ammania SP Bonsia, which should hopefully recover.

The Echinodorus tennellus seem to have recovered from their relocation and have recently started sending out runners.

i seem to have resolve the surface scum issues, i relocated my inline diffuser to allow a bit more time for C02 to dissolve in pipes before entering tank, i have also taken to lifting lilly pipe at night to aerate tank and pull down surface scum. I'm also thinking of replacing the purigen in the filter as i sure it has expired.

I removed the remaining corner plants and have ordered a couple pots of HC to fill in that area, to my surprise I found a single cherry shrimp, I added these about a year ago in a previous scape and assumed they had all dead or been eaten. I might add a few more as he/she looks pretty lonely.



The number of snail have drop significantly, I still however still managed to pick out 20 of them this morning, so guess still got a long way to go.

The Amano’s seem to be doing a great job keeping algae under control, thou i getting a a little surface algae which is easily removed.

I have resisted the temptation of adding any additional livestock, but will once HC has filled out.

I am planning a applying a frost back to tank, this should help make tank stand out a bit more.

As always thanks for taking time to view, comment and suggestion always welcome. 🙂

 

[Brian Murphy]

Looking good!

 

[steveno]

Looking good!

Thxs Brian,

It still got a long way to go, particularly with the carpet, would have loved to done a DSM for the HC but unfortunately had some live stock and nowhere to relocated at the time. Thou i have recently start a low tech Shrimp tank which i am trying a DSM to attached Moss to wood, using the same method you used on your setup. Hows your two setup coming along i note you haven't posted an update for awhile.

 

[Brian Murphy]

Thxs Brian,

It still got a long way to go, particularly with the carpet, would have loved to done a DSM for the HC but unfortunately had some live stock and nowhere to relocated at the time. Thou i have recently start a low tech Shrimp tank which i am trying a DSM to attached Moss to wood, using the same method you used on your setup. Hows your two setup coming along i note you haven't posted an update for awhile.

Still having issues with my 5ft tank which I think is down to the substrate being full of dirt and no CEC happening at all so the roots are just rotting away. It looks like I get very little growth if any from anything that is planted into the substrate, even though I'm adding ferts and Co2. The smaller tank was taken apart as I wasn't happy with it and getting no feedback from anyone so I took it that it was far from good. I knew it anyway and it was done on a whim, but I have just recently rescaped it on friday past and will start a journal on when I start seeing some growth and I am happy with it.

 

[steveno]

Hello Guys,

I wondering if anyone could offer some advice, I think I have an issue with flow in my tank, I current have a Tetratec EX1200 for my 120l tank which should be providing sufficient water changes. My substrate and hardscape is banked quite on one side with my lilly pipe and intake located on the same side.



I have noticed the HC that I have planted on top of the slope behind the rocks, which is also directly under my lilly pipe, is growing quite leggy and isn’t spreading as fast as the other locations despite being higher and thus received higher level of light. I don’t believe it’s a c02 or ferts issue as other area in the tank the HC is much healthier (thou not spreading as fast as I would like...lol.😀)



I think I could resolve by relocating my Lilly pipes to the other side of tank that as it would be easier to get water current to move down the slope rather than up as I currently have set up, but I am reluctant to reposition pipe work as it would make pipework much more visible and with a 5 year old more likely to be tampered with.

I'm currently look at the Hydor Koralia Nano 900, but wondering where would be the best position to to install to improve flow so that reaches the top of the slope and behind the rocks?

Any suggestion would be welcome.

The floater plants have recently been added and are there temporally and will be relocated to my other tank once I have finished the DSM on that tank.

 

[tim]

Hi steveno, nice scape. I know you don't think its co2 but ime it's always co2 related, the plant group you mention is higher in the tank so more par requires more co2, the koralia is a good way of increasing flow and can be placed in various positions to aid flow but on the same side as your Lilly pipe facing the same way would yield the best results. Hope this help.

 

[steveno]

Hi steveno, nice scape. I know you don't think its co2 but ime it's always co2 related, the plant group you mention is higher in the tank so more par requires more co2, the koralia is a good way of increasing flow and can be placed in various positions to aid flow but on the same side as your Lilly pipe facing the same way would yield the best results. Hope this help.

Thxs Tim, Initially my thoughts were to locate the power head on the opposite side of tank pointed toward inlet but will I'll consider locating in the same position as the lilly outlet, it dose actually make sense...

Tnxs again Tim

 

[steveno]

Update time:

Quite a few changes to setup:

Change filter media recently: replaced one of the compartment media foam pads and with 1L of ADA Bio Rio, also replace expired purigen with 100ml purigen bag.
Added Hydro Koralia 900 to improve flow as wasn't get much flow behind rocks.

Now using only ADA ferts - ADA Blighty K, ADA Blighty step 1, ADA Green Gain.

And most recently i have added a Twinstar Nano, (please read Twinstar 'what is it' journal).



HC is really filling out, Ammania SP Bonsia have fully recovered, and flow very much improved. Having some minor algae on rocks, echinodorus and also below substrate (which I'm not sure to how to remove without disputing substrate) but hopefully the Twinstar will assist.

Given as HC is filling out nicely will be added some schooling fish very soon, just need to make up my mind which fish to add, was thinking about 20-30 Boraras Brigettae as will add a bit of colour and will stay small but welcome to suggestions.

Thank for taking time to look...🙂

 

[Ady34]

Hi steveno,
really like the rock layout and plant choice, you've achieved a great sense of scale and a very nice looking scape