Sal Goes Rio With A Bit Of Vision

[Salam]

Ha ha, ok. Well, I found it at Wharf Couldn't resist it and those two pots have given me so much. It looks so pretty! I can't stop staring at it

Oh, and first fish acclimatising as we speak. Caught three platies (the fourth one refused to, but she will be caught tomorrow, mwahahahaha), two apple snails and two blue apple snails. Should start the bioload nicely.

 

[FishFanatic04]

Awesome! The tanks look great!. I'm so jealous of the red plant. I've ordered some 3 times now and it arrived dead.

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

Oh man, your planted tank looks amazing!

I have not a clue on iwagumi so I dunno if you're "doing it right" haha but seems like it's on the right track to me!!

 

[FishFanatic04]

I looked at the Iwagumi, and I am still learning so "with a grain of salt" if you please.....

I feel like the rocks are pushed so far to the edges that I am flicking my focus side to side. I would play around to get the focus into one spot.

PS. I would do anything for those rocks you have. The possibilities are endless.

 

[coldcazzie]

I would agree with that - the rocks feel very split, rather than complimentary. Iwagumis are hard though, so it could take some time ti get it spot on.

My only other comment is the stems seem to be planted together in clumps? Might just be that I'm looking at it on my phone but that's what they look like - if so, you'd do better to remove the weights and separate the stems out and plants them each individually, a couple of cms apart, iykwim?

Minnnt could be right on the ID, it might stay red for you, it might not. I presume the tank came with the T5 lights? Are you planning on adding ferts and co2 as well? They would improve the chances of it staying red.

 

[Salam]

Google is my friend Iwagumi tanks

I know, looking at it after it didn't feel right. Will have another play with the rocks later. I like this style so will give that a go. Weeping moss and some fire moss are ordered and should be with me Wednesday. Once I have it I can finalize the layout of the rocks with the moss.

Regarding the stems - they haven't got roots yet, so I thought it would be better to keep them in weights and then later spread them out. No? Still learning about planting. No Co2 planned, but will add fertilizer.

 

[Salam]

I've just googled alternanthera reineckii and it doesn't seem to be my plant. Mine is shorter and the leaves are much smaller. Unless it will grooooooow a lot.

 

[FishFanatic04]

I always take off the weights, it can rot the stems underneath it. I then cut the bottom of each stem with sharp scissors, right under a node. If you leave them bunched all of the bottom leaves will die before they root. I plant Bacopa individually, but smaller leaved stems like Mayaca fluviatilis, I plant in little groupings of 2-3 stems. Push them in the sand a little too far and then gently pull them up a bit. It should settle the sand around them.


I always walk into the room and groan and the odd floater. My hubby thinks its HILARIOUS.

Ohhh I love that linked Iwagumi tank. The grouping of rocks is awesome!

 

[ian]

the plant is Rotala Macrandra and i can give some advice on Iwagumi (if you're willing to take it), that substrate needs banking at the back. When i mean banking i mean right up the back, about 6-8" high, if not more. This gives the tank a greater sense of depth.

you also need to follow a pattern (again i know you may not want to follow the advise but it there if you need it), have a read here, i find this the best intro to iwagumi.

http/www.thegreenmachineonline.com/articles/tips-techniques/iwagumi-aquascapes-introduction

 

[Salam]

Thanks for the planting advice, FF. Will do that later. And yes, I can see myself already moan every time another stem is seen floating. Will be having my hands in the tank many times in the next weeks

Ian, thanks a lot for the ID and Iwagumi suggestions. Will have a read now and see what I can come up with. With banking, do you mean really only make the back higher? I read somewhere it should be level. Confused.

 

[ian]

It should be banked...where did you read that??

Amano (the creator of Iwagumi) suggests they should be banked. Heres a vid of him doing a iwagumi, the substrate starts off level then he adds the banking. This is the most common mistake IME that beginners of iwagumi make (i'm far from an expert BTW!). Another tip is to have a play around with the rock, and leave it for a day or so and if you're not 100% happy with the layout after a day, then it's not right.



heres also a link to my nano iwagumi, you can see the depth of banking on the one.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/381841-ians-nano-cube/

 

[Salam]

Thanks Ian Your advice is really much appreciated. Had a look at your nano after you posted and realised what you mean by banking, so will do it. Don't know where I read about the even bit, sorry.

Anyway, the man is on his way to P@H now to get more of the gravel, it's the Roman black gravel. We will then have a play around, add more rocks and try to get it more right. As you said, will leave it for a day then and see if it looks right tomorrow.

FF and Caz, I removed all plants of the weights, cut the stems and re-planted. Drove me potty trying to get the bacopa in without pushing the already planted ones out again, but I got there in the end. Looks actually much better now, all a bit more spread out. And I hope the bacopa will eventually cover the filter inlet and heater once it grows.

 

[FishFanatic04]

Lol Glad you got them planted. Can't wait to see!

 

[Salam]

Well, I HAD them planted. About 75% of them are just floating again. Need to get off the sofa and re-plant them. Argh

 

[FishFanatic04]

lol sorry. Happens to me too.