1ft cube iwagumi setup journal.

[EvolutionZ]

Hi guys! its my first time trying out a 1ft cube iwagumi setup! here in this thread i would like to keep it my set up journal.
i'll provide my tank specs first:
1ft cube 30cm x 30cm x 30cm
lighting - 20watt FL clipon
substrate - GeX dark green packing
temperature - 25 - 27C
Co2 - DIY co2 with inline regulator(done up by a bro but need to collect tomorrow. in line regulator control the amount of co2 that is coming out. just like a regulator solenoid.)
Ferts - wondergro macro+ and micro +
Flora - chendol plant aka Utricularia graminifolia, Hair grass, downoi, mini pellia and HC
Fauna - shrimps? schooling fish? haven't decide yet.
pH - 7.0
first thing first, tank came this morning. made by Davidsws. i grinded 2 "tubes" of bamboo charcoal from daiso into powder form and layer on bare tank. was told from a bro that by doing this, it helps bateria to grow better in the substrate and also slow release of nutrients.
i also pour in some ceramic ring and ceramic rings chip with dirty water too.

then there goes in 2kg of dark green packing GeX soil.
and also my rocks from biotope.

oh great! everything went smoothly and heres how it looks like when the tank was filled with water. water not 100% clear due to me using old cloudy water from my the other tank.
not sure if the 20watt is bright or rather instense enough for the demanding HC, BTW my diy co2 with inline regulator is not in yet as today was raining heavily so didn't go and collect..

close up on rock scape.(2 rocks are tied with mini pellia)
HC i already floated it for 1week.. if didn;t manage to form a nice lawn.. will let the chendol plant take over(if chendol plant is able to form a lawn)

filteration im using a jebo hang on filter with 30ceramic rings taken from my 2ft crs tank... will be changing to a resun CY-20 canisterfilter(200l/hr) after my dad came back from china trip as he is helping me buy from there.

anyway guys, do you think the white background suit the rock scape? or should i just tear it out?
please give some comments. thanks!

[EvolutionZ]

some points im pondering over...
1) get more small rock so surrond the big rock
2) tear out the ulgy white background.

[illumnae]

The white background is interesting, try leaving it in till your plants grow out and see how it goes. it'll be a nice contrast with your fish if you get colourful ones i think?

[EvolutionZ]

hi illumnae, i tore out the white background already. now the whole scape looks better. as for fishes. im searching for small schooling fishes.. any recommandation?

[illumnae]

you can try Boraras brigittae or Axelrodia riesei for small schoolers. Slightly larger schoolers (and my person favourite) would be Trig. espeii

you can probably keep 10 Boraras brigittae or Axelrodia riesei or 6 Trig. espeii in your 1ft cube

[EvolutionZ]

maybe i will make this another shrimp tank anyway will update some photo later on.

[Shadow]

espeii is better, brigittae not really school

[ranmasatome]

Stone henge replica? kekeke

[EvolutionZ]

Stone henge replica? kekeke

what's that?those were dark coloured rocks from biotope

[EvolutionZ]

heres an update! got my co2 with inline regulator today. quickly mixed the solution inside.. but now after almost 10hours.. i saw little bit of co2 is producing out from my bubble counter...
anyway.. heres a picture. did a small trimming to the hair grass and also tore down the white background.

close up on chendol plant and rock scape.

i placed 1 trio of endlers in to cycle the tank.. but today went to a lfs.. bought 8 pieces of tiger shrimp on impulse...
oh well.. since i bought it.. have to cross finger and place in my 2day old tank. so far after 10hours of being in my tank.. they are happy and some even turn reddish!

i heard reddish coloured tiger are stable and heathy tiger.. true?

okay heres how the regulator looks like...

my 2ft and 1ft cube tank

far view......

thanks for viewing!

[torque6]

hmm. evolutionz, seems you are here as well. The rocks you gathered from thio is a new batch or you have bought them some time ago.

I am trying to rescape an iwagumi setup as well, unfortunately i am missing the "main stone", as I didn't find anything suitable from biotope in ang mo kio.

Nice set up by the way, have you thought about propogating some of your mosses and plants to the 2nd tank ?

[EvolutionZ]

hi torque...
im changing the scape.. due to keeping it a shrimp tank.. i need some moss for the shrimps.. tomorrow will update you guys =)

[williamng]

Thio have some nice rocks. However, all the bigger pieces I guess are sold already. I also need a bigger piece for my main rock. I wonder when Thio is going to have new stock

[EvolutionZ]

hi guys... well i did a rescape... change of plants too.. find that chendol plant don't really blend well with HC and HG.
i also changed my 20watt FL to boyu single-tube 18watt PL(powerful lighting)

used didiplis diandra as back ground plant... am aiming for a ball shape from the didiplis diandra.

back ground haven't ready yet... didn't get enough pots of didiplis diandra


why i said my 18watt boyu was powerful? look...
pearling hc! i planted the hc in less than an hour.. most of the hc are pearling! the mini riccia on mesh are pearling like mad too!
never exprience it when i use the 20watt FL.


close up : one of my boraras brigittae

thanks for viewing. would like to hear more comments..

[EvolutionZ]

scroll up for the picture.. im using a regulator to control the bps.. currently controling at 2 - 3bps.. about 80% co2 is being dissolved into the water..

[EvolutionZ]

hi guys.. went to buy another 2 pot of didiplis diandra yesterday.. not intending to keep it a shrimp tank anymore..
added a Apisto trifasciata male yesterday together with 5 rasbora espei/hengei(polyart have it mixed espei with hengei.. so bo bian)

comments please

[Repz]

Looking good i prefer this scape over the previous ones
i can't wait to see the hc grow out

[EvolutionZ]

Looking good i prefer this scape over the previous ones
i can't wait to see the hc grow out

thanks bro.. i also hope my hc creep well.. but im prepared to wait for months
anyway.. im trying to achieve a ball shape for the didiplis diandra.. as well as a hg lawn behind.. some hg are already creeping

[benetay]

Looks nice! Hope that the hair grass or HC doesn't take over each other. I like the DD at the right corner looks good.

Ps: Avoid using dialects as we know that there are people who doesn't know the term (bo pian) so if you will like to use it, maybe you can consider adding the translated version of it.

Cheers!

[EvolutionZ]

Looks nice! Hope that the hair grass or HC doesn't take over each other. I like the DD at the right corner looks good.

Ps: Avoid using dialects as we know that there are people who doesn't know the term (bo pian) so if you will like to use it, maybe you can consider adding the translated version of it.

Cheers!

thanks bro, will trim any HG runner if they tries to take over HC,

PS: opps.. sorry about the dialects.. bo bian = no choice