Iwagumi

[arif_93]

hi i want to turn my failed aquaqube planted tank into an iwagumi tnk
can anyone tell me where to get rocks online and what ones also what plants i will need. it is a 13x13x15 inch cube with 2wpg will i need to upgrade my lighting if so too how much i am struggling with co2 cuz i cant get co2 working but i mite end up spending 20 quid on a nutrafin kit.
i have got compost in it 1/2 inch covered with 1/2 inch of tetraplant substrate and then covered that with a mix of of peagravel and a reddish gravel i have created a slope so it is high at the back and low at the front i will cover all of this with half an inch of sand will this be ok i cant spend anymore on gravel/substrate so i have to use what i got......
also the plants i already have are a 2 pots of glosso which im sure will die if i cant get this silly diy thing sorted out. an anubius on bogwood which i know i wont be able to keep in an iwagumi tank. 1 pot of rotala rutundifolia 2 pot of SAGITTARIA LILEOPTERUS which will also die without co2 injection and finaly 10 individual plants of sagitaria natans wich are not mre then 4cm high.
can i use the plants i allready have ifso what ones what plants should i buy???

 

[Themuleous]

Aquaessentials is your UK based source of rocks, however I have found this place, which would work out cheaper than AE.

http/www.aquaristic.net/shop.php/sid/f08...rt/tpl/-/lang/1

Sam

 

[Dave Spencer]

Hi Arif,

Great to hear about another Iwagumi about to start. To be honest, due to the dimensions of your tank, you will be a bit limited in what you can do, but you can still produce a scape where the rock structure is the focus and everything else hangs from it. On the plus side, because your tank will not give you a large open expanse of swimming space that a tank with greater width will give you, you are less restricted by your choice of plants.

What you could try for is a large central mountain of rocks. Where there are gaps within the mountain you could add some substrate and plant Glosso or HC, giving the impression of a mountain with areas of grass. The foreground could be left to just open sand if you wish, or you could try something like Dwarf Riccia. The background is where you could move away from typical Iwagumi type low growing plants and try for something tall and grassy Eleocharis vivipara, or maybe even something with colour like Ludwigia arcuata.

If you can get hold of Aqua Journal 136 (Japanese text only, unfortunately) there are several pictures of scapes in there that could give you some idea of where to go.

The essence of what you will try to achieve will come from the fact that the rocks will be central to the idea, but you will want to create a feeling of open space. Make sure the rocks are of the same type, they are interesting and, most of all, be bold with their size so that the plants do not totally overgrow them.

Hope this is of some help, Dave.

PS. I have never tried Glosso, but I think it may need fairly good light levels to carpet. George had a tank with a Glosso carpet, but I don`t think he had particularly high light levels. Maybe he could give some advice here, seeing as you already have the Glosso.

 

[nry]

Plants won't die without CO2, they just won't grow as quickly.

If you can be patient enough, I may be replacing my 2 x Nutrafin cannisters and diffuser with a pressurised kit, in which case I'll send you it. May not be for a few weeks yet and not 100% guaranteed to happen though!

 

[arif_93]

hi iwagumi was the idea but ihave shut down my aquaqube stripped it to the bone now its jsut full of sand and water and soem bogwood what a waster of my 130 pound savings >< .......
so ive decided to just stick a few psuedomugil gertrudae in there and let them spand reproduce whatever and who knows maybe for christmas or my next birthday in may 08 ill still have this tank and start a nano reef and properly plan before i do anything

 

[nry]

I bet you have learnt loads though! And all is not lost, you have learnt from your mistakes which is something not everyone can do