The Planted Tank Forum banner

Please Critique this Iwagumi Scape

6K views 41 replies 23 participants last post by  walluby 
#1 ·
New Scape here on this 20 gal. Long tank. The Substrate ( AquaSoil ) is not finished.
I will most likely add more around the back/ sides etc...
Not sure if I'll keep the Powerhead in there as well. I made a Spraybar across the back to try out. Just want the Pressurized CO2 to flow throughout..
Inline GLA Diffuser.. Eheim Canister, Hydor inline Heater, 150 watt ADA Green Halide Bulb
which will be a min. of a foot off of the Water Column. Will most likely start off with low hrs.
and then gradually ramp up ...
New to the Scaping here so, wouldn't mind some comments here on this scape.
I've been reading about the 1/3rds etc.. Seiryu stones here is all I have to work with. Might have a few more to work with but from what I've heard. Odd Numbers go with ?
 

Attachments

See less See more
2
#4 ·
I like it! One thing to keep in mind though - in an iwagumi scape the rocks should look as if they were shaped by the flow of water in the tank. Since you have a powerhead in there, I would re-position those rocks such that the majority of rock is angled with the flow of the powerhead. Switching the two rock outcroppings and angling the large rock that is currently on the left with the flow of the powerhead would achieve that look.

Keep in mind, though, my criticism is really splitting hairs! That's really the only criticism I could come up with and it's perfectly fine to leave it as is since it looks great. Up to you.
 
#6 ·
Re did this Scape, suggestions please..

I am trying different things out here and re did it.. Do both sides need to be balanced
out or can there be variation as indicated here ?? I know that the plants are going to obviously change this somewhat depending on the species.. I have a ton of HC that I just pulled up so, most likely, going with that in some areas.. I also am going to use some
"Staurogyne Repens" that I have..
 

Attachments

#13 ·
Jeez, thanks for the kind words here for starters. I'm rackin' my brains out here on this.
SO much to learn !! I wanted to try and achieve some sort of "Peaks" on that 2nd one.
Not sure if I should try "On the Left Side" to duplicate ? I only have these rocks to work with but I might have a good source here locally that has a ton more of them...
I was looking at getting one or 2 LARGE rocks as more of focal points ?
The "SprayBar", Actually, I got an Acrylic Tube at the local Plastics Place here "Tap Plastic"
which they have online as well to order up goodes. I just drilled the holes out and put an end cap on.. Pretty easy actually and I know of others that have tried it. The Cleaning is
a Pain most likely but heck, thought I would experiment .. I think using that GLA Inline
"Reactor" though is going to be pretty benificial overall.. I'll need good CO2 here since I'm going with a 150 watt Metal Halide Ada Green Bulb .....
 
#14 ·
Sorry to go against the grain but I don't like the second scape anywhere near as much as the first. Having said that I LOVE the RHS of this second scape I think if you can have the LHS of #1 and the RHS of #2 you will have a beautiful layout.

I just think the LHS of this is flat and lacking. It tends to look like a separate layout because the orientation of the rocks is horizontal whereas the RHS is vertical.

Besides that when you plant you will loose so much rock.

I'm scaping a tank at the moment and I was pointed in the larger rock direction and it improved the tank no end. I reckon that you should at least try it. Take plenty of photos of this so you can go back to it if you change your mind.

But I think it's looking good mate.


Linds
 
#16 ·
Yes, I agree here the more I look at it. It's not balanced out .. I am actually getting some more stones here shortly and will have the chance to experiment more on this...
Really appreciate all these comments. Just what I was looking for !!! Please keep up the comments here everyone !!
 
#17 ·
Finally had a little time to switch a few things around here using the Current Rocks I had.
I think the Left side is a bit better now even though, I know it doesn't coinside with that right side. Should it though in this particular type of scape ?? Still going to get some additional rocks here to work on this. On the front Slopes, maybe some rocks sloping
downwards ?? I forgot to mention here that I will be top dressing the substrate here as well to fill in a bit more etc.. I'll probably be adding some more around the Right side here as well ....
 

Attachments

#25 ·
I like the last one. The only addition I would do is adding some smaller rocks around the base of the tall one on the left. Are you going to be adding any wood. If so a branchy piece in front of the left stone would look cool I think.
 
#30 ·
I am not a fan of that much substrate in the back. If you are going to plant tall stem plants they will not have much room to grow. I would remove some of it and drop the rocks down a bit otherwise it looks really cool.
 
#33 ·
Yes, I have taken that into consideration. Nothing real tall on the plants plus, once the water get's in on this, things will def. be settling / sinking .. I have a ton of HC so, that will be used in a fair portion of this... Mostly lower growing plants basically.
Lighting is a 150 watt Halide on this ADA Green bulb..
 
#31 ·
Keep the substrates level high! You'll soon find out that things are going to level out as you plant. After filling/planting is done you're going to see that all the soil levels have dropped maybe an inch. Also the high soil level adds much better depth to the tank. Looks excellent. You're on your way. The great thing about nice stable rock structures is that when you're bored of the plants you can pull up the plants and try new combinations without messing up the hardscape very much.

The plants are totally your call. I'd throw some staurogyne porto velho (all time favorite plant) and hair grass in the back and do the rest with a mixed hc, hair grass, riccia carpet.
 
#40 ·
Keep the substrates level high! You'll soon find out that things are going to level out as you plant. After filling/planting is done you're going to see that all the soil levels have dropped maybe an inch.
Really? I didn't know that. That would be so bad. Putting all that work into a hardscape and the substrate sinking. I was going to say that I wouldn't go any higher in amongst the rocks because the plants will hid a lot of them as it is.

Linds
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top