Beginner's Iwagumi Journey

[fateddee]

Hi everyone,

I've recently started on an Iwagumi Aquascape after spending countless months looking at similar aquascapes from fellow hobbyists.
I like the Iwagumi concept as it is simplicity at its core. The layout is simple but yet artistic.
Currently my tank (60x30x30cm) is undergoing the DSM to help grow the HC plants (1st week).
I bought 8 pots and 2 mats of HC and split them up into small bunches for planting
ADA aqua soil (normal) as the base and covered with powder type
I use 2 x lights for this setup (2 tube 55w Aquazonic & 16.5w Pro LED Z series) for about 12-14 hrs a day
The weird contraption you see in the photo is a humidifier which is set on timer to go on at intervals to ensure that the tank is kept humid and moist.
Cling wrap on the top (during the day) to assist in creating a humid enviroment.
I also use a spray bottle with Dechlorinated water to ensure that the soil at the top of the slope remains wet and does not dry out.

So far i noticed some yellowing or browning of several leaves but the main bulk of it remains green. I read online that this could be attributed to the weaker plants dying out. Hopefully the remaing plants will established themselves well! Fingers crossed as I know HC is considered a difficult plant to cultivate, especially for an amateur like myself.

The main difficulty i encounter so far was keeping a balance between ensuring that the top soil of the slope is moist and at the same time ensuring that the soil at the bottom of the slope is not flooded. To do so, I normally spray the top soil with my mist bottle at regular intervals and at the same time use a paper towel to absorb excess water that start to collect in pools at the bottom.
Generally the humidifier helps in ensuring the entire setup is moist so I'm less worried about the plants drying out. I just need to ensure that no fungus or mould start to grow.

Anyways i took 4 shots of the setup.

Any comments and feedback as to the Layout and the DSM process welcomed


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The bottom 2 photos is with the humidifier on (hence the misty look)

1522007_10151831007173097_362799040_n.jpg1472834_10151831007273097_1794424496_n.jpg

[thebaldingaquarist]

Hi,

Nice DSM setup and layout! I see that you are removing excess water, which is a good thing. this will prevent to a certain extent the fungus and mould (is it mould or mold?)

However, the combination of the humidifier and the spray bottle might introduce too much humidity. Fungus may still come back. What i suggest is for the humidifier to still be there, but only spray when you open the lid for air-ing or replenishment of the humidifier water.

Another thing is the lighting. i have used 55W on a 2ft DSM for HC and was successful. My lighting was on for 10 hours continuous. So i am not sure whether the increased intensity and increased duration will work better. the increased intensity will probably benefit the tank due to the misty environment diffracting light away from the plants but i am not so sure.

note that if you ever do spray, aim. HAHA.
when the rocks get spray and is so humid, it might get some algae. its easy to clean it off the rocks, but messy to remove totally from the tank..

Hope it helps.

[fateddee]

Hi,

Nice DSM setup and layout! I see that you are removing excess water, which is a good thing. this will prevent to a certain extent the fungus and mould (is it mould or mold?)

However, the combination of the humidifier and the spray bottle might introduce too much humidity. Fungus may still come back. What i suggest is for the humidifier to still be there, but only spray when you open the lid for air-ing or replenishment of the humidifier water.

Another thing is the lighting. i have used 55W on a 2ft DSM for HC and was successful. My lighting was on for 10 hours continuous. So i am not sure whether the increased intensity and increased duration will work better. the increased intensity will probably benefit the tank due to the misty environment diffracting light away from the plants but i am not so sure.

note that if you ever do spray, aim. HAHA.
when the rocks get spray and is so humid, it might get some algae. its easy to clean it off the rocks, but messy to remove totally from the tank..

Hope it helps.

Heya Eric, thanks for your advice.
Mold is american english. Mould is british english. The latter being more appropriate in our context.
Anyways i did not fully wrap the cling wrap over the tank, i left a gap at the side so that co2 can enter. Thanks for the advice about algae growing on rocks, I noticed one rock turned very slight greenish but no visible algae as yet.

I use strong light intensity and long photoperiod because there isn't great risk of algae growing since it is not submersed. but i will continue to monitor!

Thanks for your advise!

[thebaldingaquarist]

if algae do develop on the rocks, i would normally dose some excel on the rocks. I want my rocks to look like rocks when i flood the tank.. another crap habit of mine.

after i flood my tanks, i let the algae roam free. LOL

[fateddee]

It has been almost a month now and i just flooded my tank. However i seem to be having algae issues.
I posted under the algae thread. Any seniors can provide their advise?

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photo 1.jpg

[blue33]

Keep changing water for few weeks, the best and cheapest way to do and dose potassium after each water change. Your lighting period is too long, change to 7-8hrs.

[Urban Aquaria]

Since you have Co2 injection, crank it up to help the HC transition from emersed to submersed growth... during this transition time when the water parameters are still fluctuating, nutrients from the soil are being circulated around the water column, so algae will always take the opportunity to flourish, especially around delicate small plants like HC.

Try to manually remove as much of the thread/string algae from the HC quickly though, don't let it entangle and smother the HC, or else once the algae grow into thick clumps, the HC will have to be pulled out along with it.

Once everything stabilizes and the tank is cycled, you can add in your algae team to manage the remaining algae and you should see alot more improvement.

[fateddee]

Keep changing water for few weeks, the best and cheapest way to do and dose potassium after each water change. Your lighting period is too long, change to 7-8hrs.

Yes i have reduced the lighting to 8 hrs and the CO2 to start 1 hr b4.
Should i change 50% water or more?

[blue33]

No Fauna, i'll go for 50% everyday since water is cheap.

[fateddee]

Since you have Co2 injection, crank it up to help the HC transition from emersed to submersed growth... during this transition time when the water parameters are still fluctuating, nutrients from the soil are being circulated around the water column, so algae will always take the opportunity to flourish, especially around delicate small plants like HC.

Try to manually remove as much of the thread/string algae from the HC quickly though, don't let it entangle and smother the HC, or else once the algae grow into thick clumps, the HC will have to be pulled out along with it.

Once everything stabilizes and the tank is cycled, you can add in your algae team to manage the remaining algae and you should see alot more improvement.

I Just did a water chemistry test.
Ammonia = 0.25 ppm
Nitrite = 0.25 ppm
nitrate 0ppm
ph 6.8
kh = 2 dkh
Gh 5dkh

I noticed that some GSA is growing, could it be due to the 0 nitrates? online sources seem to point to that cause. What is your take?

[Urban Aquaria]

GSA is usually due to too much light... are you still using 2 lightsets after its flooded?

Its quite normal to get abit of GSA in iwagumi layout tanks with mainly low carpet plants anyways. Without taller plants, all 4 sides of the tank glass are fully exposed to light from above, so lots of opportunity for algae to grow there.

More frequent water changes during this initial cycling period will help, it'll remove excess accumulated nutrients in the water column and help to slow down algae growth.

[fateddee]

GSA is usually due to too much light... are you still using 2 lightsets after its flooded?

Its quite normal to get abit of GSA in iwagumi layout tanks with mainly low carpet plants anyways. Without taller plants, all 4 sides of the tank glass are fully exposed to light from above, so lots of opportunity for algae to grow there.

More frequent water changes during this initial cycling period will help, it'll remove excess accumulated nutrients in the water column and help to slow down algae growth.

Sorry i didn't mean GSA but Blue green algae (BGA).
NO GSA at the moment and yes I'm using both lights... it seems to be ok at the moment.
Thanks for your journal entry on your DSM, it really helped!

[blue33]

Your algae thread posted does show you've BGA appeared which those people thought you've GSA. I believe is on certain parts of your tank only?

[fateddee]

Your algae thread posted does show you've BGA appeared which those people thought you've GSA. I believe is on certain parts of your tank only?

Yea certain areas! I manually removed them and started adding in excel. I also cranked up the CO2. The algae seem to be receding. Hopefully the HC can survive the transition period. I don't want an algae filled tank before CNY. RELATIVES come to your place and comment that you're an algae farmer. Hahahah

any other tips to remove?

[blue33]

All those you mentioned do not remove them permanently, it'll still come back. Read what I've posted previously on BGA and you'll know what to do.

Noted. Too much Excel can cause other issues also.

[felix_fx2]

Yea certain areas! I manually removed them and started adding in excel. I also cranked up the CO2. The algae seem to be receding. Hopefully the HC can survive the transition period. I don't want an algae filled tank before CNY. RELATIVES come to your place and comment that you're an algae farmer. Hahahah

any other tips to remove?

Certain areas means water flow is little or non.
You need water flow to carry the important stuff like co2, nutrients. So the plant can out complete algae fast.

Have faith, crank up co2 and do slightly more for water change.

Do you have any relatives also in the hobby? Else not to worry, they see as in a whole & won't zoom in to nit pick on you.. True personal experience...Last year CNY LOL...

[BlessChwee]

Certain areas means water flow is little or non.
You need water flow to carry the important stuff like co2, nutrients. So the plant can out complete algae fast.

Have faith, crank up co2 and do slightly more for water change.

Do you have any relatives also in the hobby? Else not to worry, they see as in a whole & won't zoom in to nit pick on you.. True personal experience...Last year CNY LOL...

I am sure your tank must have at least some standard to show to friends/relatives unlike mine sometimes look like a longkang

[Urban Aquaria]

Sorry i didn't mean GSA but Blue green algae (BGA).

I see...yeah, BGA need abit more work to solve. Its mainly due to not enough circulation in those areas and excess nutrients all concentrated there, they love to grow in such areas with low or no flow.

So have to regularly trim the plants, or adjust the layout to reduce dead spots, and if possible increase flow to improve circulation.

[felix_fx2]

I am sure your tank must have at least some standard to show to friends/relatives unlike mine sometimes look like a longkang

my standard not very good... stone also not same color... got BBA somemore... and they didn't notice...
if their noobs, in their head is.... wow like golf course sia! ...

btw, you can add a powerhead/wavemaker to increase flow to those lesser flow places.. at the expense of beauty...

[fateddee]

Dear Seniors,
I finally managed to get a clearer shot of the algae. I have no idea what algae this is. Is this fungus or hair algae or brown algae?
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I've been doing water changes and i added in 2 amano shrimps. Not sure if that will help.
My HC are all dying and i'm v sad
What am i not doing right?
I''ve reduce the lighting period to 5 hrs, co2 to come on 1 hr before.
daily water change of 20-30 percent.
daily dosing of excel + pressurised co2
Added in 5 to 6 floating plants (limnobium laevigatum)
Also, I'v Been having trouble trying to increase circulation as well since the Rock is blocking the flow and the lily pipe only goes in one direction. I think may need a wave maker.

Have i left anything out?