# Rate my Iwagumi Scape



## Agent69 (Oct 9, 2013)

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## Agent69 (Oct 9, 2013)

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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

3/10

It looks unnatural with the substrate so high on the rocks. Should be much lower to expose the rocks.


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## Agent69 (Oct 9, 2013)

Solcielo lawrencia said:


> 3/10
> 
> It looks unnatural with the substrate so high on the rocks. Should be much lower to expose the rocks.


@solcielo - you're a tough critic lol but I appreciate your feedback! 
Do you think I should drop some of the substrate? What do you think about rock placement? 

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## Mathman (Apr 5, 2009)

I personally don't think it's bad at all. Cryptocoryne parva would be nice to use so that the rocks can be visible.

Remember that at the end it is what you like...


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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

Agent69 said:


> @solcielo - you're a tough critic lol but I appreciate your feedback!
> Do you think I should drop some of the substrate? What do you think about rock placement?


You should lower the substrate.
The rock placement isn't good. If I were to use a word to describe the arrangement, it would be "cute", like a baby iwagumi.

One issue is that the angles of the rocks are pointed in all different directions with no uniformity. The two large stones are the worst offenders and they need to be realigned. THe left one should be tilted up more.


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## Kehy (Feb 5, 2012)

Honestly, I think it looks fine. Maybe try taking a pic or two from a different angle? Try a higher shot looking down, and a 3/4 shot, again from the higher angle.


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## HUNTER (Sep 4, 2012)

I think it looks good for a mountain look, it may need a small rock down the middle coming down.


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## urbach (Apr 16, 2009)

I'm good with your scape now. What matter is the end product. Your plants play a part to nice scape. It's all depend what plants to compliment your scape now.


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## Aplomado (Feb 20, 2013)

Looks a bit too symetrical in my opinion.


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## Agent69 (Oct 9, 2013)

Hey guys below is the scape guide I used. I didn't want to copy the exact scape but it helped tons to understand placement. I see a lot of controversial comments saying it's too symmetrical or its not uniformed but I thought in this hobby uniformed means unnatural?!? Anyways I only have 12" of length to play with so it's a bit difficult. I do appreciate all feedback and do consider all suggestions. Let me know what you guys think!?

















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## Agent69 (Oct 9, 2013)

Alright guys so I dropped some of the substrate to enlarge some of the stones. I think it looks better now.









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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

Uniform means having a uniform look. If it's in disarray, it looks terrible, especially when there are very few subjects. For example, a string quartet would look terrible if they sat all over the stage, but a string orchestra looks fine that way because they cover the entire stage. Since you only have five rocks, it must be uniform in appearance.


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## Mathman (Apr 5, 2009)

No significant change IMO.


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## Little Soprano (Mar 13, 2014)

IMO, I think if the two biggest rocks were angled in a way they compliment each other, as in sloping in the same direction, with the biggest one up high, and the second one following the top line of the slope, you might be able to create more of an impact. Just my .02 cents.


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## Agent69 (Oct 9, 2013)

Alright so I moved the stones to face the same direction. You guys were right it definately made a difference and it looks better. 

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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

I'm not so sure it looks better.

I'd remove the smaller stones and arrange just the largest rock without any consideration to any other rock. Just itself, alone. Only when it's perfectly arranged by itself should the second largest be used to complement it.


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## Little Soprano (Mar 13, 2014)

I think if the rock on the left was brought forward and the top of it was lower then the big rock it might work, but I agree you should pick one of them and "showcase it". In most Iwagumi tanks, your eye, well mine, are always drawn to the showcased rock. You should make it so the rock makes an impact.


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## Catf1sh (Apr 15, 2014)

little soprano said:


> i think if the rock on the left was brought forward and the top of it was lower then the big rock it might work, but i agree you should pick one of them and "showcase it". In most iwagumi tanks, your eye, well mine, are always drawn to the showcased rock. You should make it so the rock makes an impact.


+1!


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## HUNTER (Sep 4, 2012)

It'll look a lot different once planted. I'd go with the first one one, after all it's your first choice.


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## Jill (Mar 13, 2012)

I like the first one too. I would be stoked if I could could create that...lol.


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## Agent69 (Oct 9, 2013)

Alright guys here's a new scape. What do you guys think? if there's any suggestions with rock placement please comment!

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## Agent69 (Oct 9, 2013)

Forget that last scape I'm going to even out the substrate line

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## Kehy (Feb 5, 2012)

Looks like the rocks exploded, and it's sending the eye in all directions, not a particularly pleasing design. Try having them mostly leaning into one direction, which will push the eye in that direction. Maybe a smaller, less dominant stone slowing the eye down by having a different direction? 

I have very little idea what to do with rocks. Apparently people really didn't like my last scape. Take with salt grain.


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## someoldguy (Feb 26, 2014)

Actually , I kinda liked it as it was in post#12 , maybe with the substrate brushed away a bit to accentuate the height of the rocks .

Anyway , to further confuse the issue ... if you haven't looked at these already:


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

http://www.aquajournal.ro/static/www.aquajournal.net/na/iwagumi/index.html

Whatever you do it's important that it looks good to YOU . You've gotta live with it , to us in the ozone , it's just pixels


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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

The problem is that you're still following that iwagumi guide, which used a long tank for the example, but doesn't work for the shape of your cube tank. It's an entirely different arrangement because cubes are symmetrical and forces the eye towards the middle. The guide can still be followed but don't follow the pictures as that will lead to the wrong impression.

Imagine a square dinner plate:
1. where do you put the steak? 
2. where do you put the vegetables?

If you can imagine eating a steak on a square dinner plate, you can arrange an iwagumi in a square tank.


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## Agent69 (Oct 9, 2013)

Alright guys well I finally came up with a scape I like. I understand now that I was going about this the wrong way. Scaping an iwagumi cube is harder than Scaping a long tank. Let me know what you guys think I was going for a mountain type look.









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## Agent69 (Oct 9, 2013)

Please any input on how I can excel the appearance of my tank is welcome 

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## Kehy (Feb 5, 2012)

Looks a little flat, but I'm guessing that's the angle of the picture. Take pics from multiple angles for cube scapes (not just head on and slightly higher head on). Multiple angles are the only way to really see the depth of a cube.


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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

It's important to already have in mind what you want for dinner before you start cooking, and when you do start cooking, you have to know the steps to achieve that perfect dish. Since you already know what you want for dinner, you need to know how to cook it so that it's palatable.

This is what I suggest:
1) start with substrate only, sloped evenly to the back.
2) place the largest stone somewhere in the middle so that it looks nice.
3) place the second stone next to it.
4) add garnishing stones one by one.
5) if necessary, fill in with more soil

It might be helpful if you provided a picture of only the rocks.


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## Agent69 (Oct 9, 2013)

what do you guys think of this scape? I have 2 smaller rocks leftover might keep experimenting 

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## Xarieck (May 21, 2012)

I like this layout the best. Sub'd to follow the build.


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## jcgilmore2 (Jul 10, 2013)

Notice how much more of an "open" area the reference you posted has on the right side. You had a pretty good arrangement going, just maybe scoot the two main rocks to the left a bit.. just enough to get a small row of plants in there between the glass. Not bad at all though, keep playing with it... you'll get it looking great. The last attempt is def better if you want that symmetrical look, Im not a fan of that myself, I like asymmetrical balance which is what most iwagumis have. 

Remember.... Balance can be achieved with the use of plants down the road too. So hardscape is not everything. 

Great start, look forward!


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## jcgilmore2 (Jul 10, 2013)

Ok, My first post was on the first page, didn't notice that the thread had gone on. What you have now in the pic above is much nicer. But it's your tank, remember to go with what feels right to you. You have to look at it everyday. People have made some great comments that I agree with... amazing development. It great that you are taking your time unlike I do lol. Look forward to the planting.


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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

Last arrangement looks much better balanced in the tank. A minor adjustment: move it to the right and forward a bit because it's crowding the back left corner. Back substrate can be higher to outline a hill.


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## Agent69 (Oct 9, 2013)

Xarieck said:


> I like this layout the best. Sub'd to follow the build.










jcgilmore2 said:


> Ok, My first post was on the first page, didn't notice that the thread had gone on. What you have now in the pic above is much nicer. But it's your tank, remember to go with what feels right to you. You have to look at it everyday. People have made some great comments that I agree with... amazing development. It great that you are taking your time unlike I do lol. Look forward to the planting.


Thanks guys!! As you can see from my first post I've been experimenting a lot with this scape. I wanted something I would be happy and proud to look at. Thanks for everyones honest critique, it really has helped me with designing this scape. Next step is Scaping with plants!

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