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[IWAGUMI] Project Scree - New plants and lights

Re: [IWAGUMI] Project Scree

For sure eleocharis looks neat in an iwagumi, I'm just bored using the same plants in my aquariums ... that's why I spend more money on them than on gear :D .. sorry for my comment regarding the eleocharis :thumbup:
 
Re: [IWAGUMI] Project Scree

clonitza said:
sorry for my comment regarding the eleocharis :thumbup:
Click to expand...

nah mate, it's fine. It's an opinion. we've all got one, and actually, to some degree, your right. I just feel that the essence of iwagumi, is the simplicity of the plants. Thats why acicularis lends itself so well
:thumbup:
 
Re: [IWAGUMI] Project Scree

George, not sure if you've seen this or not...rocks are rocks, but this may help with choice of nackground.

 
Re: [IWAGUMI] Project Scree

clonitza said:
Pale for me too George. I'd try Elatine hydropipper as carpet plant, Bacopa sp Japan between the rocks and Rotala rotondifolia geen in the back. Eleocharis for me is so last year :).
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Thanks, clonitza.

Nice plant selection you've suggested but as I've mentioned I'm keeping it real minimalist so the rocks and subtrate form the main interest to the layout; not so much the plants.

It's something to bear in mind for future layouts though, if I choose to keep the rockwork but change the planting.
 
Re: [IWAGUMI] Project Scree

That's a huge improvement George, I think I'd have putten a call into Plantedbox and asked for the dust from the bottom of their rock box. It really does look the part, I couldn't agree more on the planting, I think anything more than two species and you'll take away from the boldness of the hardscape. Accicularis is by far the best choice, it's much much thinner than the daintier versions of hairgrass and the extra length makes the overall impression much softer and dare I fall into the cliché but more natural.

The only plant I'd suggest would be fissidens fontanus on a moss stone, no more than say, 6-8 as accents in the mid-foreground.

Pale background for me too, the drama of the black is good but I think it runs counter to the fish choice and the scape which to me say celebration/positivity, they're not a stromy scape sort of choice, at least not to me. I think a lot of people are trying to over complicate the scape with the planting, it's a common thing, look at collectoritus tanks, especially the american ones, what starts as a good hardscape ruined by adding 40,000 species of everything. I think all those that are secretly craving 20 species of plants will be blown away by the simplicity of the scape and the final outcome, I can imagine a lot of people looking at their own tanks and wondering what the difference between the two is.

The only other change you could make is by using ADA sirayu stone because it's got superior texture ;). (jokes)
 
Re: [IWAGUMI] Project Scree

For the background, how about a shaded one going from white to a shade of grey that is lighter than the rocks.
 
Re: [IWAGUMI] Project Scree

Yeah, I'm fine, I have a tank scaped with Yorkstone that doesn't look that doesn't look so differnt...

I have no issues with it, I think everything is pretty much spot on, I can't really see anything I'd have done differently. With the exception of a clay based substrate, but that's something unimportant from a aesthetic stand point as once you have the plants in it would mostly become invisible. It's more a plant growing thing and if you've got light co2 and ferts then there's no issue there.
Also, 1x24 watts will be plenty of light for the A.a, my last tank had 1 x 24w over it and it grew faster than anything else in the tank... Till it met it's doom in a shed with no power for 2 months.
 
Re: [IWAGUMI] Project Scree

All in good time, mines a Wabi kusa, or will be once I've planted it, I need to figure out how to heat and filter such a small volume of water without using an external filter, it's as good as impossible finding something that will be fine in 9cm's of water internal filters are huge these days aren't they! I'll most likely use a heat mat I think, just need to go and measure them up.

Out of interest what's the reason behind not using a clay based substrate? Speed, ease, how you intend the plants to grow? It's almost counter intuative.
 
Re: [IWAGUMI] Project Scree

Garuf said:
Out of interest what's the reason behind not using a clay based substrate? Speed, ease, how you intend the plants to grow? It's almost counter intuative.
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Aesthetics mainly. The plants will get what they need from the water. We all know that nutrient-rich substrate aren't essential. My main concern is algae but with limited light and liquid carbon I should be ok. I may even bring out my secret weapons; ADA Phyton Git and ADA Green Bacter!
 
Re: [IWAGUMI] Project Scree

I don't think you have to worry with regards algae, allelopathy will keep that at bay.

Jokes aside I don't think you need to worry, no doubt you'll be over filtering, you'll be non limiting on nutrients and you'll be comfortably inside the midlight regions regarding par I'd reckon from my past dealings, co2 will be a factor but if you're misting then that in theory covers that base because you can have more co2 reaching the plant while the level is much lower, you'll be covered there especially as you're dosing liquid carbon. I think you'll just have to dose more leanly in the long run but that said, full EI would still give the same effects long term, it's just making sure there's enough bacterial life to ensure that any spikes are minimised, that and your co2 isn't limiting. Hair grass has a reputation as an algae magnet initially but it's really not with good flow and if you're meticulous with removing any mulm/detritus which we all know you are.
 
Re: [IWAGUMI] Project Scree

George Farmer said:
My main concern is algae but with limited light and liquid carbon I should be ok. I may even bring out my secret weapons; ADA Phyton Git and ADA Green Bacter!
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Hey George, can you tell me the benefits of the above products and how and when you will use them, very interested. :geek:
 
Re: [IWAGUMI] Project Scree

Hi Andy

ADA Phyton Git is an anti-algae product and ADA Green Bacter apparently helps the beneficial bacterial colony, so is useful in newer set-ups.

Of course, I cannot actually prove these products work but my belief is they do help. They're not cheap and I probably won't buy replacements when they run out (they do last a long time as you dose drops rather than millilitres), but as I have them there's certainly no harm in using them.

I'll just dose according to the instructions.
 
Re: [IWAGUMI] Project Scree

Garuf said:
I don't think you have to worry with regards algae, allelopathy will keep that at bay.

Jokes aside I don't think you need to worry, no doubt you'll be over filtering, you'll be non limiting on nutrients and you'll be comfortably inside the midlight regions regarding par I'd reckon from my past dealings, co2 will be a factor but if you're misting then that in theory covers that base because you can have more co2 reaching the plant while the level is much lower, you'll be covered there especially as you're dosing liquid carbon. I think you'll just have to dose more leanly in the long run but that said, full EI would still give the same effects long term, it's just making sure there's enough bacterial life to ensure that any spikes are minimised, that and your co2 isn't limiting. Hair grass has a reputation as an algae magnet initially but it's really not with good flow and if you're meticulous with removing any mulm/detritus which we all know you are.
Click to expand...
Thanks, Gareth.

To help keep algae at bay I thought I'd use nitrate and phosphate removal resins combined with a midday siesta and special plant growth tubes that grow plants but not algae... Also a really low turnover to prevent too much oxygen that also causes algae. Maybe some big plecs in there too. :lol: :lol:
 
Re: [IWAGUMI] Project Scree

George Farmer said:
Garuf said:
I don't think you have to worry with regards algae, allelopathy will keep that at bay.

Jokes aside I don't think you need to worry, no doubt you'll be over filtering, you'll be non limiting on nutrients and you'll be comfortably inside the midlight regions regarding par I'd reckon from my past dealings, co2 will be a factor but if you're misting then that in theory covers that base because you can have more co2 reaching the plant while the level is much lower, you'll be covered there especially as you're dosing liquid carbon. I think you'll just have to dose more leanly in the long run but that said, full EI would still give the same effects long term, it's just making sure there's enough bacterial life to ensure that any spikes are minimised, that and your co2 isn't limiting. Hair grass has a reputation as an algae magnet initially but it's really not with good flow and if you're meticulous with removing any mulm/detritus which we all know you are.
Click to expand...
Thanks, Gareth.

To help keep algae at bay I thought I'd use nitrate and phosphate removal resins combined with a midday siesta and special plant growth tubes that grow plants but not algae... Also a really low turnover to prevent too much oxygen that also causes algae. Maybe some big plecs in there too. :lol: :lol:
Click to expand...

just for a second then you alomost got me! :crazy: :D :D
 
Re: [IWAGUMI] Project Scree

I sense you are getting a little buhuhued by algae. No worries, I don't think you'll have any, but for your peace of mind you can use some hard working Cardinia Japonica along with some cute little snails. Just dose EI and you'll be fine and try to stay away of cladophora 'cause it gets nasty in eleocharis.
 
Re: [IWAGUMI] Project Scree

Oh I'm so living in the past, thank you!

About the snails, you have a huge range to choose from, all colors, more or less willing to eat algae or plants.
I love for example this cute little punk fellow:

Clithon Diadema
clithon_diadema.jpg
 
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