Newbie 2ft Iwagumi Tank

[Rexxer]

This is my 1st attempt on a Iwagumi scape. Please take a look and give me your view and comments before I add in water. ThanksIMG_0770.jpg

[VSGenesis]

Hi there,

Good job. My own opinion only okay. Your focal is that big rock on the left yes. I would place two rocks near to it. Two rocks that are slightly smaller to accompany that big rock. Placing it close, making it a nice focal point. Take note, you did a good job, keep doing it. I'm just saying what if I do. End of the day, you'll be looking at it everay with your family. So if it looks nice, everyone will enjoy. Very relaxing.

For the front, try to straighten it. It'll look better if the foreground is straight.

good job on the tone of the rocks. All same. The big rock seem to have black colour. Is it the soil that got on it? You wet the soil already? Because it looks like what happen to mine when I rescape. The soil sticks to the rocks and plants.

The back part. Smaller rocks. What plants do you intend to place there? If it's mid or those rotala plant, it'll get covered.

Good job nonetheless. Keep the update coming. =)

[Rexxer]

Thanks for the pointers. The big rock looks darker cause I just washed it before scaping, now looks lighter already. Will be keeping mainly mini fissiden and some hairgrass. Oh can I know which HG dont grow too long?

[Rexxer]

63 views but only 1 comment.
Comments please... Need more pointers to improve

[Shadow]

You need more rocks and place your main rocks at golden section.

[Rexxer]

Added more rocks. How about now?

[VSGenesis]

Google Iwagumi Golden Ratio. It's just a guide. If it looks good to you, go for it.

Google nature, rocky mountains etc. Imitate nature. Trial and error. Just do a little bit of reading on Iwagumi and the golden ratio.

It's not just the number of rocks, its the placement and the focal. (Where the viewer eyes is firstly drawn to) Each rock being there for a purpose. To compliment the other. Keep up the good work and go for it once you're set.

Small example. http://www.google.com.sg/imgres?um=1...:10,s:21,i:170

Where did your eye go to first? The one on the left or right? Did you notice that the main rock is always accompanied close with 2 other rocks?
Cheers.

[Peanut8787]

I feel all the supporting rocks are too low. Not evenly to support the main character

[Rexxer]

Got some more rocks just now. Later will find some time to try rescaping

[Rexxer]

Where should I put bigger rocks? Should I put taller rocks on the right of the main rock?

[qngwn]

Thanks for the pointers. The big rock looks darker cause I just washed it before scaping, now looks lighter already. Will be keeping mainly mini fissiden and some hairgrass. Oh can I know which HG dont grow too long?

You can try jap hairgrass.
All hairgrass will grow long, just that jap hairgrass does not grow straight up.
It will grow long and curl towards the ground.

If you're planting hairgrass at the end to create a distant effect, use the normal/mini hairgrass will do.

[Rexxer]

Try rescape again. Comments please...

[VSGenesis]

LOL. Just promise us; don't give up ya.

I would say it looks much better than the previous one.

[qngwn]

Try rescape again. Comments please...

Much improvement! great job!
anyway you can try to make it seem like the smaller rocks are a part of the bigger rock, ie, the rocks "join" below the surface of the soil

anw, did you mix 2 different kinds of gravel? ADA and Gex?

[Rexxer]

Thanks for the advise. I think I'll settle with this scape, if not it will never get fill with water.
I am using ANS planta soil with leftover ADA 2 at the bottom to build the slop.

[qngwn]

Thanks for the advise. I think I'll settle with this scape, if not it will never get fill with water.
I am using ANS planta soil with leftover ADA 2 at the bottom to build the slop.

Well, what i can say is do be patient, wait for a few more days before putting water in.
Else you will end up like me, rescaping when the soil and rocks are all wet, which is prefer to do it while they're dry

Try to make it to your liking as much as possible, else 2 weeks down the road, there will be something itching from within asking you to improve the scape.

[eviltrain]

i think you need those foreground plants which grows low. if not, your plants will cover the rocks very soon.

good job~

[Rexxer]

Ok I'll wait a few days more before adding water.
Low growing plants like glosso, ET, HC? Am thinking of using mini fissiden on mash, but don't think it will look natural filling up the gaps in the soil, right? Gotten a pot of jap HG, now in other tank waiting. Oh is it ok to just leave the HG in the pot with sponge in the tank? Will it die?
Sorry for all the stupid questions

[qngwn]

Ok I'll wait a few days more before adding water.
Low growing plants like glosso, ET, HC? Am thinking of using mini fissiden on mash, but don't think it will look natural filling up the gaps in the soil, right? Gotten a pot of jap HG, now in other tank waiting. Oh is it ok to just leave the HG in the pot with sponge in the tank? Will it die?
Sorry for all the stupid questions

Try taking pictures of all your different scapes, then you can always rescape it back incase you want your older scape.
It most probably will not die, depending on how long you going to put in there, and also the lighting for your other tank.

[eviltrain]

mini fissiden lawn seems like a good idea.

but you will have to tie alot of mesh to achieve that, hehe.