Please critique my Mini M layout

[Bubba_Shrimp]

Originally Posted by volatile

How about Parvula between the rocks and then Elocharis acicularis (also known as Dwarf Hairgrass, but longer at 6-7 inches) for your background.

I thought about it but am afraid that Parvula will not be visible very well against Acicularis because they look alike (structure vise)...

Originally Posted by Axelrodi202

I like your second rock arrangement better.

With the smaller stone in the middle or the last post with bigger stone?

[AzFishKid]

Originally Posted by Axelrodi202

I like your second rock arrangement better.

Agreed. I love the little cave that is formed by the 3 rocks on the right. Good job!

[cwinson85]

i like the last post with the bigger stone. Looks GREAT, also like the slope you added! good luck....

[Bubba_Shrimp]

Played with Photoshop today.
Not sure if Stargrass will look good there. But good light and short trimming should keep it low I believe. Do not have a good picture of E. Tenellus so had to improvise Will it look good over there? Or maybe remove Stargrass and put E. Tenellus all across the background?

[blair]

Personally I'd say go with E. Tenellus along the background. A mix of large background plants will detract from your hardscape that you have worked so hard to iron out. The cave you created is interesting, but it will likely be overgrown by the ground cover. Photoshoping is a fun way to try and predict a mature scape, but your HC will have some height to it Don't fret, it will look more natural this way, and in my opinion also make that larger stone currently stacked appear to be one solid entity which helps give the illusion of an actual sanzon iwagumi formation. Well done!

Also, try to shift the central stone back to a middle alignment like on the previous page. Its leaning towards the left side. Reserve that positioning for the left one if you wish to make them pull apart... it will feel more natural.

[Bubba_Shrimp]

Originally Posted by blair

Personally I'd say go with E. Tenellus along the background. A mix of large background plants will detract from your hardscape that you have worked so hard to iron out. The cave you created is interesting, but it will likely be overgrown by the ground cover. Photoshoping is a fun way to try and predict a mature scape, but your HC will have some height to it Don't fret, it will look more natural this way, and in my opinion also make that larger stone currently stacked appear to be one solid entity which helps give the illusion of an actual sanzon iwagumi formation. Well done!

Also, try to shift the central stone back to a middle alignment like on the previous page. Its leaning towards the left side. Reserve that positioning for the left one if you wish to make them pull apart... it will feel more natural.

Agreed. Mixing background plants will not be a good idea.
I also have an area in the middle between 3 stones (circled red). What should I plant there? Also E. Tenellus near stones?

[blair]

You could try it and give it a trim in that area... or perhaps a mixed carpet with glosso at the stone periphery. You will have to keep at it as it will overtake the HC with runners without maintenance about twice a month.

I'll brainstorm some more and get back to you with ideas, gotta run!

[Francis Xavier]

There's something that strikes me as off in the hardscape, but I can't say what for sure yet. I think it might be the angle and positioning of the main stone and the relational positioning of the middle support stone. You think it might be possible to get some photo's of the rocks from each of their respective sides? I've got a thread floating around in general about Iwagumi's that might be helpful to read.

[Bubba_Shrimp]

Originally Posted by Francis Xavier

There's something that strikes me as off in the hardscape, but I can't say what for sure yet. I think it might be the angle and positioning of the main stone and the relational positioning of the middle support stone. You think it might be possible to get some photo's of the rocks from each of their respective sides? I've got a thread floating around in general about Iwagumi's that might be helpful to read.

Will post more pictures tomorrow. I'm currently moving the right set of stones a bit to the right...

Found your Iwagumi Design post - great read, thanks!

[speedie408]

Great setup so far man. Can't wait to see your outcome.

[blair]

Here is a mock-up of the stones a bit closer together. Perhaps a consolidation will make it work better with small pieces, but I am not sure... I agree with Francis, something just feels a wee bit off; but its close to where it should be.

In this mock-up I drafted a taller background (nearly full tank height), a contrasting mid-ground top fill much of the void space between the stones and create a dynamic gesture toward the front to define a separation in the hardscape. Around the periphery of the stones would be a slightly taller ground cover, such as glosso or riccia. Keep this supporting ground cover in three unique sections, separated by the grass and stones. Three keeps it feeling natural. Then the main carpet as HC which would suit the mini m nicely!

Just thinking out loud

[Bubba_Shrimp]

Originally Posted by blair

Here is a mock-up of the stones a bit closer together. Perhaps a consolidation will make it work better with small pieces, but I am not sure... I agree with Francis, something just feels a wee bit off; but its close to where it should be.

In this mock-up I drafted a taller background (nearly full tank height), a contrasting mid-ground top fill much of the void space between the stones and create a dynamic gesture toward the front to define a separation in the hardscape. Around the periphery of the stones would be a slightly taller ground cover, such as glosso or riccia. Keep this supporting ground cover in three unique sections, separated by the grass and stones. Three keeps it feeling natural. Then the main carpet as HC which would suit the mini m nicely!

Just thinking out loud

I think what is off is the left stone - it should be a bit bigger or taller and have a similar angle as the big (right) one. Unfortunatelly, I do not have any Maybe I should buy more...

Like your idea with moving stones and plants between them!
What would be the background plant? I guess Eleocharis Vivipara will be too tall as I have about 7" to the top left.

I like E. Tenellus as it kind of messy but not sure if it can reach 6" across all stones.

Not sure why, but I'm not a big fan of Glosso or Riccia (maybe I'm still young and stupid? )

For the mid ground plant I was thinking about 2 scenarios:

1) If a straight plant (vivipara for example) selected as background plant, then maybe some micro sword or blyxa between the stones?

2) If E. Tenellus selected as background plant, then densely planted
Eleocharis parvula between stones.

What do you think?

[Francis Xavier]

I like Blair's mark-up. I'd make sure the "V" in the layout is at about the 2/3rds ratio and then make the following adjustments:

For the background use something that grows up rather straight, and a little bit thicker than Hair Grass in general. However, keep an area that encompasses where the "V" is in the hardscape bare in the back. Or have the background extend from the right side of the tank to a little bit past the 2/3rds mark in the middle of the V and have the rest of it blank. The idea here is to use open space to emphasize covered space, adding to the idea that it's an endless scene.

Eliminate the double slope, have the left side level off or move downward from where the focal point is, maybe a little bit more slope on the right.

For the center area plant that comprises the area between the stones, use Blyxa.

and for the main body carpet use UG.

This will maintain a thick "flow" feel to the layout, as if the whole thing is moving with the wind. I feel HC won't work all that great for using Blyxa or micro sword in the center area they just don't mesh very well. It's texture and size just clashes a bit too much, you'd have half the tank going for that 'flowy' grassy hill side look, and then the main carpet body having a more stable look to it (lets face it, HC doesn't look like it's flowing).

If you can find some really small stones i'd toy around with using them around the main rock layout, this will add more of a natural feel to it and help bring out the main stone, although if nearly the entirety of the focal point area is covered with blyxa, then this should almost be unnecessary.

[blair]

Glad you like the sketch. I would have to agree with X. If you are wedded to a particular plant, it wont turn out badly and if its what you want, go with it

However, bylxa as the midground, UG as the front, and something like vivapara as the background would keep a consistent progression to the scape. Small supporting stones would be lost in the foilage unless care was taken with their placement and selection, but as you current scape doesn't have a ton of height, it might not show enough and would be uncessary. X is also right about the visual openings and positioning, so try to follow that, it will make this work well

But again, if you are bent on E. Tenellus and HC, use what you wish... but as X disclosed in his article, certain plants just seem as though they are meant for certain hardscapes and compliment each other better than others.

[Bubba_Shrimp]

Blair, Francis Xavier - great suggestions! Many thanks!

Guys, you also tear my heart apart!
I was so in love with HC, BUT I didn’t even know that such plant as UG (I believe Utricularia graminifolia) exists! X's comments on flow make perfect sense. I love this plant, however, after reading about it I'm afraid it will be a bit hard for a beginner. Maybe I'm exaggerating...

See, now I want to make my tank perfect! You’ve created a “monster” and I thank you for this!