# Mini-M Iwagumi low tech



## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

It looks like you are going iwagumi but the plants you want don't suggest that. So this isn't a strict stone arrangement style? What's your goal here?


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## hitmanx (Jun 24, 2012)

Solcielo lawrencia said:


> It looks like you are going iwagumi but the plants you want don't suggest that. So this isn't a strict stone arrangement style? What's your goal here?


Its a modified iwagumi where the rock arrangement is still the centerpiece but the overall planting is bushier.
But because it's low tech it does not rely on traditional plants like hc or glosso etc, but uses moss instead to give the illusion of a carpet... the staurogyne and crypts will be used to tie the rocks in with the carpet...

I'll post a few pictures of examples but I'm trying to find the owners of the tanks before I post...

Bump: I'm trying to find the owners of these tanks but I'm looking for something similar to these...

Update: 1st picture is owned by member bsk, 2nd picture owned by hailmbrian from scapeclub.org


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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

Okay, now I see what you're after. The hardscape right now is so-so. However, with _very_ careful planting, you can make it look pretty good.

It looks like the main rock is too centered front to back. If you can push everything toward the back a little bit, that would create a lot more space for your foreground.

Also, there is a very open space under the main rock in the center. You want to close this gap, either with another rock or with very careful planting. This way, it looks like something is supporting it instead of leaning over precariously, which is uncomfortable to look at.


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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

Plant suggestions - 
Foreground: mix of Hemianthus callitrichoides and Eleocharis parvula.
The open space would be H. glomeratum (aka: H. micranthemoides)
Between the main rock and the front left rock is Hydrocotyl tripartita.
Background: Rotala sp. "Pink".

There are other combinations. Perhaps adding a couple stems Ludwiga Red behind and to the left of the main rock will give a nice accent.


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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

And here's the refined planting.









I added the Ludwigia Red and also added Java fern "needle leaf" as the midground on the left. Looks pretty good, doesn't it?


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## klibs (May 1, 2014)

+1 for Solcielo's suggestions. Should come out great either way if all goes well


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## hitmanx (Jun 24, 2012)

Yes those are great suggestions. .. thanks for helping me visualize 

I'm trying to avoid HC and other traditional plants for low maintenance and lowlight options

I have some things to think about... I knew I should have posted the scape before I flooded... moving the rocks now is gonna be a pain :icon_mad:


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## lamiskool (Jul 1, 2011)

Shouldnt be too hard as long as you hanvt planted yet, just drain the tank and move everything! Also dhg belem is a great carpet plant for nano, low tech tanks and requires little maintenance


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## hitmanx (Jun 24, 2012)

lamiskool said:


> Shouldnt be too hard as long as you hanvt planted yet, just drain the tank and move everything! Also dhg belem is a great carpet plant for nano, low tech tanks and requires little maintenance


Its aquasoil so I'd imagine any heavy movement with turn it into muck... at least my experience with aquasoil malaya has proven it to be very soft...

So you guys think the rocks give an uneasy feeling be so far forward and leaning in?

I will some side view pictures to show where the rocks are positioned front to back...


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## hitmanx (Jun 24, 2012)

These are some other views to show the space the rocks currently occupy...


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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

It looks precarious but all you have to do is add a rock for structural support and it might be fine. The formation does look too far forward, perhaps move it back slightly. Also, that front flat rock is very big. In my sketch, I made it much smaller to give space for plants to grow.

You can use excel/glutaraldehyde and you should be able to grow the suggested plants.


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## hitmanx (Jun 24, 2012)

The rock formation will be hard to move as its supported by plastic and zip ties... I like my rocks to be structurally sound :icon_smil

But I can move the rocks on the right to make it more like the first example by bsk...

The way it is now begs for something more on the left side... where did you suggest I put another rock to fill in the open space?


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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

Place a rock as structural support for the main stone. This way, it's leaning on it instead of tipping over precariously.


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## hitmanx (Jun 24, 2012)

Okay I did some rescaping... my original idea didn't seen right and your suggestion has helped clarify my intentions...

The water is a little cloudy but you can see that a couple rock movements seem to give a more solid impression... I think I need to get more ryuoh stone to work on the left side...

Opinions so far?


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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

It has a nice shape now with the support structure (the rock).


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## hitmanx (Jun 24, 2012)

Solcielo lawrencia said:


> It has a nice shape now with the support structure (the rock).


I'm going to try and work in your other recommendations. .. we'll see how it evolves... simple is beautiful is what im going for... rotala, moss and s. Repens and maybe some h. Tripartita for accents... I'm looking for low maintenance with another baby on the way :bounce:


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## lamiskool (Jul 1, 2011)

rescape looks awesome! rock formation reminds me of pride rock or whatever from lion king lmao


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## hitmanx (Jun 24, 2012)

So given that the back left and middle will be rotala and the new shape of the hardscape, would it look more balanced if the left side was built up with more ryuoh stone?

Would a greater slope form right to left give a more dramatic effect?


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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

The background doesn't matter so much since it's covered with plants. The foreground matters greatly. It should be perfectly level.


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## Dantrasy (Sep 9, 2013)

I like it. I'd also like to see a rock back right.

I'll watch your progress closely. I'm about to scape the same tank with similar rock.


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## hitmanx (Jun 24, 2012)

Solcielo lawrencia said:


> The background doesn't matter so much since it's covered with plants. The foreground matters greatly. It should be perfectly level.



If the back slopes up from right to left, won't the front look to odd if it's straight across? Why must it be level?


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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

Do you really mean right-left or left-right? If right-left, that will look odd. EDIT: NVM, slopes UP from r-l. Since there are plants there, it wouldn't matter. 

The front line must be level like a picture frame b/c it frames what's inside the tank. Anything else causes the eye to focus on it.


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## hitmanx (Jun 24, 2012)

I guess i should start a tank journal for this one... but in the meantime...

I have added 60 to 70 stems of rotala rotundifolia. .. some with more healthy submersed growth than others... also random floaters, pothos vines and a bunch of horwort to combat new tank syndrome.... 

Eventually the rotala forest will be cut back to behind the main rock structure, but for now I need more stems to get this tank going with as little algae as possible :red_mouth

I'm still waiting on the stauragene repens and I'm testing methods of attaching xmas moss to small objects to spread out to make a carpet... I also have a lot of fissidens that I could use...


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## hitmanx (Jun 24, 2012)

So almost 3 months in and now im not so sure i like the iwagumi style, modified or not...

It's too sparse, and I know its lacking in something... it's currently only rotala rotundifolia and mini xmas moss... despite good parameters 4 out of 5 amano shrimp have committed suicide so I guess they don't like it either 

This is what I've got so far, one with a black background slapped on and the other with just the white wall:


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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

One problem is that the rocks are collected into one giant mass; it doesn't look like three separate rocks. Continental drift is in order to separate the pieces. There are other issues, but that's the main one.


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## hitmanx (Jun 24, 2012)

Solcielo lawrencia said:


> One problem is that the rocks are collected into one giant mass; it doesn't look like three separate rocks. Continental drift is in order to separate the pieces. There are other issues, but that's the main one.


Yes... the concentrated mass of rocks is unsettling :icon_redf


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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

If you're not willing to move the rocks, then I'd suggest adding some plants in the crevices between the rocks. This will give the impression of separation.


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## fishophile (Feb 6, 2012)

Solcielo lawrencia said:


> And here's the refined planting.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Great suggestion and a great way to visualize it as well.


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## falcooo (Sep 30, 2011)

Solcielo lawrencia said:


> If you're not willing to move the rocks, then I'd suggest adding some plants in the crevices between the rocks. This will give the impression of separation.


I second this idea. Adding some plants in the crevices would enhance the look for sure.


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## Dantrasy (Sep 9, 2013)

The sudden height change (front left) is a bit off putting. You could lower it and wrap mini xmas around more.


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## pannyx (May 30, 2014)

I guess I'll be the odd one out because I liked the way the rocks were placed together in the original. That background plants were what didn't make it great for me. I do love the idea of putting plants or mosses in the rock crevices.
roud:


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## hitmanx (Jun 24, 2012)

I thank you all for your suggestions and comments... I have concluded that there is too much about this scape I don't like... the tank dimensions... the ryuoh stones... the rotala with pink accents... the weird green colour of the mini xmas moss... it just doesn't feel right...

This scape needs to die... i think a conversion to a moss dominated low light shrimp tank is in the works :biggrin:


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