# Need some advice on Iwagumi with dragon stones



## [email protected] (Jan 8, 2010)

You need more substrate . Whats that 3rd rock ? looks like quartz


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## benosa562 (Feb 14, 2018)

[email protected] said:


> You need more substrate . Whats that 3rd rock ? looks like quartz


Yah, I have about 3l of Tropica Aquarium Soil left. I bought about 25lbs of Ohko Stone, so I hope it's Ohko lol.























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How about this?
















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chanceofplants said:


> The problem with these is that they're all around the same size. For iwagumi style, the look is more dependent on a varying sizes of the rocks. The second picture in my opinion is getting to be a nice layout but the one most towards the front needs to be changed in position or swapped or buried or angled differently


Yah, I'm gonna burying the one in front and the right side. 2nd photo on original post or 3 post?

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Another one, sorry for the glare









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A little closer









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## chanceofplants (Mar 21, 2018)

The problem with these is that they're all around the same size. For iwagumi style, the look is more dependent on a varying sizes of the rocks. The second picture in my opinion is getting to be a nice layout but the one most towards the front needs to be changed in position or swapped or buried or angled differently


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## bathsheba (Mar 2, 2018)

I agree the difficulty here is that they're close to the same size, for maximum Iwagumi one should be smaller or bigger. That said, my sculpture spidey sense says to keep looking. Sorry I can't be more specific, but I think there's something good in this neighborhood that you haven't quite hit on yet.

(Also it says my rocks are lousy and I should spring for better ones. Those are nice.)


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## chanceofplants (Mar 21, 2018)

these are looking better! 
take a look at this. It might give you some ideas on how to arrange it. Althought there really isn't a "one way" to do it. but some things to think about to help you get a better sense of the spatial arrangement that makes something an "iwagumi" style 

The Art of Planted Aquarium: Planted Aquarium :- What is Iwagumi Style


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## benosa562 (Feb 14, 2018)

Ok, so the 3 main stones are all about the same size. I might just abandon the iwagumi style scape and arrange the Ohko stones some other way. Any suggestions?

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## ecoaqaurist (Mar 8, 2018)

No! Don't quit ... you were just about on the spot ... just some small changes ... that's all. The overall concept was great!

Cheers,
Wes


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## benosa562 (Feb 14, 2018)

How about this









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## benosa562 (Feb 14, 2018)

Or this









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## Wendy1B (Jan 8, 2017)

Is it possible to do a compromise on the Front Left rock positioning it mid way between the 1st & 2nd pic in your last set of photos? Both feel almost right, but it kind of seems like the angles of this one rock are too sharp in both photos.


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## benosa562 (Feb 14, 2018)

Wendy1B said:


> Is it possible to do a compromise on the Front Left rock positioning it mid way between the 1st & 2nd pic in your last set of photos? Both feel almost right, but it kind of seems like the angles of this one rock are too sharp in both photos.


Should I position it vertically or horizontal?

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## ecoaqaurist (Mar 8, 2018)

benosa562 said:


> Should I position it vertically or horizontal?
> 
> Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk


Make the angle match the one in the back only in the opposite direction.


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## benosa562 (Feb 14, 2018)

ecoaqaurist said:


> Make the angle match the one in the back only in the opposite direction.


But in between the back and right stone?

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## Wendy1B (Jan 8, 2017)

benosa562 said:


> How about this
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I like this configuration the best, but can you tilt the far left tip of the front left rock further up so that it's not quite so horizontal?


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## benosa562 (Feb 14, 2018)

How about this









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## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

You're getting closer!


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## benosa562 (Feb 14, 2018)

vanish said:


> You're getting closer!


I just went with it. Plants have been in a bucket for almost a week lol









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## benosa562 (Feb 14, 2018)

Thanks for all the help and advice!!

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## Wendy1B (Jan 8, 2017)

I love it! I can't wait to see how it progresses!


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## benosa562 (Feb 14, 2018)

Wendy1B said:


> I love it! I can't wait to see how it progresses!


Thank you

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## ecoaqaurist (Mar 8, 2018)

I'm liking' the look

Cheers,
Wes


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## Immortal1 (Feb 18, 2015)

"g


benosa562 said:


> I just went with it. Plants have been in a bucket for almost a week lol
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Sometimes the real challenge is "guessing" what the final product will look like. By that I mean, you guessed at what the hard scape should look like - knowing what kind of plants you planned on using. There have seen so many build threads where the hard scape simply blends into the background as the plants take front stage. 

I will agree, what you have presented above looks pretty good. Perfect by the "standard", probably not. Will it look pretty damn cool once all the plants grow in - time will tell.


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## ecoaqaurist (Mar 8, 2018)

Immortal1 said:


> ... Perfect by the "standard" ...


Perfection is like beauty ... 'tis in the eyes of the beholder.

Cheers,
Wes


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## Koenig44 (Aug 19, 2016)

Do you have any kind of rocks? I'd switch out a piece of wood for a same size-ish rock. Just for a little bit abstract-ness.


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## Agent69 (Oct 9, 2013)

You’re going to need more plants than that. Are you supplying co2 into the tank?


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## benosa562 (Feb 14, 2018)

Agent69 said:


> You’re going to need more plants than that. Are you supplying co2 into the tank?


Not yet, waiting for my light to come in. Should be here today then I'll have the co2 running

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## benosa562 (Feb 14, 2018)

Koenig44 said:


> Do you have any kind of rocks? I'd switch out a piece of wood for a same size-ish rock. Just for a little bit abstract-ness.


No more rocks, don't really want to use wood, had that in my old tank

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## benosa562 (Feb 14, 2018)

Immortal1 said:


> "g
> 
> Sometimes the real challenge is "guessing" what the final product will look like. By that I mean, you guessed at what the hard scape should look like - knowing what kind of plants you planned on using. There have seen so many build threads where the hard scape simply blends into the background as the plants take front stage.
> 
> I will agree, what you have presented above looks pretty good. Perfect by the "standard", probably not. Will it look pretty damn cool once all the plants grow in - time will tell.


This is my first planted tank, so I'm ok with it not being the norm. I'm diggin it and hopefully everything goes as planned. Maybe my next tank I'll follow a more strict hardscape guideline. I'm just getting started lol

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## ecoaqaurist (Mar 8, 2018)

benosa562 said:


> This is my first planted tank, so I'm ok with it not being the norm. I'm diggin it and hopefully everything goes as planned. Maybe my next tank I'll follow a more strict hardscape guideline. I'm just getting started lol
> 
> Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk


Its lookin' great. I could say, "perfect practice makes perfect", but then who's perfect.

As that ol' song goes, " you can't please everyone so you gotta please yourself."

Cheers,
Wes


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