Newbie Iwagumi Aquascape Project

[gilch icariel]

My very first attempt with rocks. Feel free to drop comments. Very much appreciated! Thanks!

[Bdat]

Thats a really good first attempt. It looks good. I think you need some bigger rocks.

[thebaldingaquarist]

Looks good!

The largest rock has what on it?

[gilch icariel]

Thanks bros. Yup. Kinda have small rocks though. But the space inside is just nice. The largest rock has US Fissidens tied to it. Still waiting for it to lush out.

[thebaldingaquarist]

i envy your skill to tie fissidens to the rock..

Note the contrast of the plants you have, some of the plants are not contrasting enough to stand out. notably, the hair grass is covering everything.

[magpie]

Your large rock will be nice and lush once the fissiden covered the entire surface.

[gilch icariel]

Thanks guys! yeah. I have 3 mini HC bushes. They are partially covered up a bit by the hair grass. I have to give it a hair cut soon. Anyway I'm seeing some hair algae on my large rock. It kinda grows and overlaps the fissidens a bit. I have to use tweezers to remove it once in awhile. Any ideas on how to get rid or somehow control the hair algae from spreading?

[lzw814]

hi bro, can you share your tank spec and fertilization regime?

[gilch icariel]

Hi all,

Decided to post an update of the tank after some amendments and upgrades.

Here it is, coming 8 weeks since setup.

20140123_233323.jpg

Feel free to drop any comments or suggestions on how to further improve this scape.

Greatly appreciated and thanks!

[qngwn]

You're achieving tremendous growth in just 8 weeks! How is your co2 and fert dosing like?

Nice lush fissidens on your rock, however the rocks at the back does not seem to be the same type of rocks as the front.
the 3 rocks at the back right corner is distracting me from your main focal point, and has a stark colour and transition from the fissiden covered rock, to the light grey rocks.

[gilch icariel]

You're achieving tremendous growth in just 8 weeks! How is your co2 and fert dosing like?

Nice lush fissidens on your rock, however the rocks at the back does not seem to be the same type of rocks as the front.
the 3 rocks at the back right corner is distracting me from your main focal point, and has a stark colour and transition from the fissiden covered rock, to the light grey rocks.

Hi qngwn,

My co2 is 2 to 3 bps. I didn't use soil for substrate. I'm using black diamond sand with tablet ferts. Once in a while I will dose the tank with Seachem Excel.

As for the lighting, I'm using a timer. Repeating 6 hours on and 6 hours off.

Yes, you're right. The rocks at the back has a different colour tone compared to the ones in front.

Any suggestions? Does it looks weird? Haha! Sorry, kinda noob in iwagumi. Very first attempt.

Much appreciated!

[Ingen]

Very lush growth throughout! qngwn is right, the back rocks are quite distracting. Is that a drift wood in the center?

[gilch icariel]

Very lush growth throughout! qngwn is right, the back rocks are quite distracting. Is that a drift wood in the center?

Hi Ingen,

Thanks! Is it better to remove those 3 rocks at the back? Yup its a "tree like" driftwood in the center. I just throw it in and position it. Its not embedded into the sand. Because if I embedded it, it will look much lower and does not have that "raised up" feel.

[Ingen]

I'm new to this hobby as well, maybe not be able to give good advice.

Perhaps replace the driftwood with a bigger piece of rock to enhance the focal point since it's a iwagumi scape?

[qngwn]

Personally to me, iwagumi wise, i'll prefer it to have just the same type of rocks as hardscape, thus creating the 'zen' feel of simplicity, yet tension in the scape at the same time..

[gilch icariel]

Okay. Thanks for the tips. Maybe I shall remove the 3 rocks at the back. Will find bigger rocks that are similar to the ones in front.

[gilch icariel]

Screenshot_2014-01-26-02-49-31.jpg

Taken the advice of you guys and decided to go for a rescape. Here it is. Thanks guys!

[thebaldingaquarist]

wow! the highlight has totally changed.

once the left white rock gain some green, i think the tank will look very very natural.

NICE!

[gilch icariel]

wow! the highlight has totally changed.

once the left white rock gain some green, i think the tank will look very very natural.

NICE!

Thanks bro! Much appreciated! Anyway, should I add 1 or 2 more rocks? Or this is fine already?

[thebaldingaquarist]

Thanks bro! Much appreciated! Anyway, should I add 1 or 2 more rocks? Or this is fine already?

In my opinion, its great the way it is. no need for more rocks.