# X goes driftwood in the Mini L



## Armonious (Aug 16, 2010)

You of all people can't possibly not have any stone in that layout. 

I suggest you do a sanzon iwagumi beneath the substrate. Then, and only then, can you call it one of your layouts:icon_lol:.


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## Francis Xavier (Oct 8, 2008)

> You of all people can't possibly not have any stone in that layout.


Haha, at least people know my style! That's a pretty cool compliment. Mike was ribbing me all day about "just go back to Iwagumi if this is too hard for you!"

Oh, there will be stone. I went to a rockyard today specifically to get some pieces for this.


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## Armonious (Aug 16, 2010)

Back when I just lurked around here, which was sometime in 2009, I remember reading the series you posted on creating iwagumi layouts, and I recognized your name when I finally registered here in August.

I wish I had a rock yard for some stone. Everything I've seen around here is either too flat or round. I've got some Seiryu right now that I'm trying to work into a scape, but it is tough to do with only 4 pieces. In fact, I've got a thread up over in the aquascaping section, I'd love for you to take a look at it.


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## Francis Xavier (Oct 8, 2008)

Oh the rockyards here are just the same, but you just have to learn how to find the diamonds in the rough. I will give your thread a look.


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## Outlawboss (Dec 30, 2008)

Woot! An X scape with driftwood. This is going to be exciting.


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## Armonious (Aug 16, 2010)

Francis Xavier said:


> Oh the rockyards here are just the same, but you just have to learn how to find the diamonds in the rough. I will give your thread a look.


Just saw a place about 15 minutes away from me that may have some good stuff. It is not a rockyard, but a garden supply store. I saw some bonsai trees in a display window as I drove by, and some rock pallets out back. I might have to check it out.


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## Francis Xavier (Oct 8, 2008)

Well, I planned on having the scape done last night, but I just wasn't feeling it. One thing i've learned is that if you keep trying to force a scape, it's never going to turn out right. So sometimes, you've just gotta walk away and come back later.


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## MR.KENCADE (Jul 4, 2010)

yeah, that is so true its like art you have to be feelin it to create it ,but F.X. were still waiting to see where this hard scape is headed:thumbsup:


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## Francis Xavier (Oct 8, 2008)

I am getting the feeling that if I don't deliver on this one, I might be crucified!


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## A Hill (Jul 25, 2005)

Francis Xavier said:


> I am getting the feeling that if I don't deliver on this one, I might be crucified!


Oh, you will be. I agree completely about not forcing a scape though, it has to feel right.

-Andrew


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## Francis Xavier (Oct 8, 2008)

So you know how I said I wasn't feeling it the other night? Well the last half of that night I spent drunk and ended up with this.


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## Francis Xavier (Oct 8, 2008)

I ended up rolling with that scape, since I figured it would end up being less of a serious scape and more of a getting my feet wet with driftwood kind of thing for a first shot (there is a certain finesse involved in tying moss to driftwood, et cetera). I am pretty sure that the front right rock is going to be removed once the wood is sufficiently water logged.

The planting here, Note that shortly after these pictures I cut the Java, et cetera to the rhizome, just let it sit there for visual sake. All of the stems on the left will have to be kept relatively short - and will melt down over the next week or so as they switch from emmersed form to submerged. The plants were mostly left-over trimmings from one of the gallery tanks, my wabi-kusa, et cetera. 

There are also quite a few stems that are in the back (but too short right now) that are absolutely crucial to the look and feel of the layout - so it's definitely going to be one of those "Let's see how this grows out, and that will determine a lot").

So we'll see how it goes.


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## zeldar (Jun 24, 2009)

I really like it! But like you said that big rock on the right sticks out a little to much.

What are all the plants being used in here?

What type of sand is that? Im guessing ADA?


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## PinoyBoy (Mar 14, 2008)

Yep, he's gonna remove it. First paragraph last sentence.

Hardscape looks great. Why not remove the "rock" for a preview of how it will look without it? Then just put it back till the dw has been logged.


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## blair (Feb 8, 2009)

I will be watching this with great intrigue my friend  I may not actually be far off from putting some toothpicks in one of my glass boxes as well...


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## Francis Xavier (Oct 8, 2008)

zeldar said:


> I really like it! But like you said that big rock on the right sticks out a little to much.
> 
> What are all the plants being used in here?
> 
> What type of sand is that? Im guessing ADA?


The sand is indeed an ADA sand, it is sarawak sand. Of the sands, this particular type is least popular, so I decided to give it a shot since its color is suited for this particular type of driftwood - a blend versus a contrast. It would probably go well with manzanita, which is lighter in color than my type.

I'm thinking all the rocks will be removed or placed differently.

The plants I couldn't tell you all the types. The moss on the rocks and on the left driftwood is true classic java moss. The type on the right piece of driftwood is up for debate. Luis navarro says it is the type amano uses, but mike and jeff say it isn't. There is some narrow java, some bolbitis, some nana petite, some hair grass and 5 varieties of stems. 

The way things grow will be crucial as to whether or not this scape is a success or failure, and definitely isn't much to look at right now.


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## Francis Xavier (Oct 8, 2008)

PinoyBoy said:


> Yep, he's gonna remove it. First paragraph last sentence.
> 
> Hardscape looks great. Why not remove the "rock" for a preview of how it will look without it? Then just put it back till the dw has been logged.


When I get back from port aransas on Monday night I will probably just completely remove the rock and leave it out.


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## Francis Xavier (Oct 8, 2008)

blair said:


> I will be watching this with great intrigue my friend  I may not actually be far off from putting some toothpicks in one of my glass boxes as well...


It will definitely be interesting, I don't feel as if it has much direction as of yet other than a vague idea of how things will grow in to complete the picture.


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## Francis Xavier (Oct 8, 2008)

I decided I pretty much hate this layout.

It is being torn down tonight and redone. However, in my own classical fashion, the first time I seem to do anything it pretty much sucks. 

Be on the lookout for a rescape.


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

Francis Xavier said:


> I decided I pretty much hate this layout.
> 
> It is being torn down tonight and redone. However, in my own classical fashion, the first time I seem to do anything it pretty much sucks.
> 
> Be on the lookout for a rescape.


At least with smaller tanks, this process is easier:thumbsup:
You learn each time. More than plants or equipment, seeking nice dimensions and nice hardscape materials is more the quest, particularly if you have a different idea in mind.

You might consider piecing together rocks to make a wall like structure instead of traditional methods, more like the Dutch use/d to hide things and equipment. This takes some arts and craft skills, but at a small scale, it's also easier, then you can try something larger.

I've seen very little of this type of approach, mostly because it does take time and arts and craft modeling, train model type skills.

When done correctly, it really looks nice.

Trimming the wood to suit the design and space also should be done more often, many are fearful of doing that or altering the driftwood.

Just some ideas


Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## Francis Xavier (Oct 8, 2008)

Yeah, the game is pretty much 90% about finding the right material and placing said material. The irony is that no matter how much hardscape material you accrue, you continue to need more and more, and continue to refuse to give away what you have gained.

I haven't been much of a fan of rock-wall construction, but with some of the future ideas I have, it seems to be delving more and more into that direction.

In any event, I finally got around to doing something with this last night after officially deciding to tear it down. Enjoy the new layout. This one doesn't suck as much as the last one!


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## zeldar (Jun 24, 2009)

Love the new scape. What kind of rocks are those? Do you have any idea about what plants you are going to use? Looks like you don't have a lot of room for plants in the substrate but you could go to town with some mosses. 

On a side note, I know I keep asking the same question, but do ya'll have a date set for the grand opening of the store front? The last I heard was November. I need to come sift through all those stones and driftwood before everyone else gets their hands on it!


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## DANIELSON (Jul 15, 2010)

I really like the new layout great change. It seems like my hardscapes i set it up one way and completely change the whole thing.


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## Francis Xavier (Oct 8, 2008)

Zeldar, the stones are ADG Black Coast stones (the driftwood is TX Select from adgshop.com), same type that I used in my Mini S latest layout. Luis Navarro gave me some moss that he says is the moss that Amano has used popularly in the past, but Jeff (Senske) disagree's that it's the same kind, so the jury is out on whether or not it is. I like it, so I'm going to use it to cover that middle piece of driftwood. Glosso with some mixed crypt lucens will cover the front - the end goal is for them to cover / partially cover most of the stones. I also am getting some rotala mexicana spp. goias that tends to crawl for this area as well. In the back will be a mix of stem plants, in the mid ground will be a mixing of lilaeopsis that I have left over from the Mini S scape.

The "grand" opening is going to be sometime in January, but the first small 'soft openings' should still take place in November - we just had the internal guts of the whole system completed. But we can still process sales if you want to come by.

Danielson, thanks! In my case, the first time I work with a certain type of layout I tend to be completely horrible at it (i.e. my first iwagumi), then the next time around I've kind of blustered my way into learning how to not screw it up.


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## McGillicutty (Aug 31, 2010)

I might have to come through there as well. I'm new to the area and haven't had any luck finding a decent LFS in my area (The Woodlands).


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## zeldar (Jun 24, 2009)

Hey me either *McGillicutty*. I am in Spring. There is a decent one called Fish R' Us or something like that up in Conroe off 249. They specialize in cichlids but have some other freshwater fish as well. They don't have much in terms of plants or anything to do with planted tanks for that matter. They did have CPD's a couple times and some other random rare fish. Prices are above average though in my opinion. If you find any others, please let me know.

Oh there is a real nice place in downtown Houston close to the Galleria. Its called Fish Gallery I believe. They have tonsss of fish including nano's.


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## Francis Xavier (Oct 8, 2008)

It is definitely worth the visit to adg, even now before its done. You've never seen an aquarium shop like this. Our focus is precisely clean design and aquascaping. You'll never look at an lfs the same again. Just ask for frank when you get here.


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## McGillicutty (Aug 31, 2010)

zeldar said:


> Hey me either *McGillicutty*. I am in Spring. There is a decent one called Fish R' Us or something like that up in Conroe off 249. They specialize in cichlids but have some other freshwater fish as well. They don't have much in terms of plants or anything to do with planted tanks for that matter. They did have CPD's a couple times and some other random rare fish. Prices are above average though in my opinion. If you find any others, please let me know.
> 
> Oh there is a real nice place in downtown Houston close to the Galleria. Its called Fish Gallery I believe. They have tonsss of fish including nano's.


I've been to Fish R' Us (which is on 242 about 2 miles off I-45) and it's pretty lacking, to say the least. Yeah, they have a nice selection of Cichlids but most of the fish look rather sickly. Also the people I spoke to there (while in search of Excel) had never even heard of Excel. I haven't bought any fish from them but I have bought some Texas Holey Rock and a bit of substrate. Most of the stuff is pretty dirty as well.

They do have a nice selection of driftwood, but like everything else it's extremely dirty and they don't really know what type of wood it is either so it's hard to figure out if you're gonna have to weigh it down or do a nice bit of tannin boiling.

Last time I was up there was about two weeks ago and I didn't see any CPDs there but they may have gotten some since then. And yes, their plants are rather run-of-the-mill and I can get most of them from the tubes in PetSmart.


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## Francis Xavier (Oct 8, 2008)

It's planted and filled now, I think this may be one of my best works yet, provided it grows in the way I intend it to!




On a side note - I have a close personal friend of mine in the hobby that told me once: You're a very talented aquascaper, but I'm sorry to say, driftwood just isn't your thing. Stick to the Iwagumi.

So you could call this my attempt to prove that person wrong


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## deleted_user_7 (Jul 7, 2003)

I usually don't like it when both rocks and wood are present. I usually like one or the other, but I like how you have integrated the two so that it looks as if the wood is from a tree that was growing lithophytically.


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## Francis Xavier (Oct 8, 2008)

Thanks Clint, I appreciate the critique!

Updated shot of the ugliness of the first stages of things adapting to new planting:


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## sherryazure (Feb 10, 2008)

I actually liked it with the original larger rock to the right...btw older (Dr. Innes books read as a child) and many hikes in Oregon wilderness - and believe me many streams, rivers where rocks and wood go perfectly together. (the flow of water depending on if white water or eddy pool creates a "grading" of different sized rocks/pebbles so on - down to silt.) Often nestled in crooks of branches so on. I have many collected photos from decades to use as inspiration for scaping.

To help create balance for some rocks I "float" them up off the floor (and have created rocks cascading down from the back - I do sculpture and figured out a way to attache them to black plastic and "hang on back") that way for instance although the rock to the right (original) was larger you could have set the smaller ones up a bit (any thing inert and dark or even another smaller rock) and this minor adjustment can make a difference (or not, lol)

Looks great mho. Sherry


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