Please critique my Mini M layout

**Bubba_Shrimp** · 06-26-2009, 04:13 AM

After I broke big Ryouh stone into smaller pieces this is what I have so far. It will be plain iwagumi setup. Any suggestions?

Hardware

Tank: ADA Mini M
Light: ADA Solar Mini
Filter: Eheim Pro 2222 with CAL Nano pipes
Substrate: Aqua Soil Amazonia normal
CO2: GLA Ultimate CO2 Regulator, 2.5 LB Aluminum CO2 Cylinder, Pollen CO2 Diffuser 1000
Drop Checker: CAL AQUA "Double Check" Drop Checker
Heater: Hydor ETH 200W In-Line External Heater

Flora:

Hemianthus callitrichoides - carpet
Eleocharis parvula - a few touches near and between rocks
Eleocharis Vivipara - background (I'm afraid it will be too tall as I have around 6" between the top and AS left). If it will be too tall than maybe E. Tenellus ?
Heteranthera zosterifolia - I just love this plant but not sure where is a good spot for it...

Fauna: Galaxy Rasboras + CRS/CBS

Before:

After (my final, I hope, hardscape):

Played with Photoshop today...

ldk59 · 06-26-2009, 04:37 AM

Hardscape looks like a winner to me... if anything the stones may be
just a bit small, but if it were me I'd roll with it as is.

Substrate depth is fine as well... I have 4" in one corner of mine.

Are you starting the tank emersed?

What plants will you be using?

What are your plans for fauna, lighting, filtration... give us the details

Larry

dougiefresh · 06-26-2009, 05:34 AM

I think the rocks are a bit too understated/small and may get lost in the plantings. Nice start though.

cwinson85 · 06-26-2009, 05:37 AM

dont have much experience but i think that left rock would look good offset to the front a little more. love that rock on the right, looks great! good luck!

**blair** · 06-26-2009, 05:39 AM

Looks good

. The small stone in front of the large one on the right will vanish in your carpet; its useless. A good chance of the one on the right getting buried exists, but I think it balances the concave side nicely enough at present. Too bad you don't have one more about the size of the left stone to use on the right. Iwagumi like you are making should be three stones altogether or odd numbered groupings. I realize you have 1 and 3 respectively, but in such a small tank it doesn't read as natural when it blurs as 4 in close proximity.

The soil depth is good. It helps buff up your stones to appear more befitting of the space

Just my $.02

Aside from those technicalities, great job!

Beautiful stones I might add... This should be a spectacular tank.

I'd agree with the offsetting if they are in a true line when viewed from the top. That should not occur. Can't tell from the pictures.

Down_Shift · 06-26-2009, 07:44 AM

looks ggood

sandiegoryu · 06-26-2009, 08:11 AM

I suggest you move the right stone more to the middle. It seems off right now. You might also try to go for a softer, mountain like look.

Edit: Also try to slope your aquasoil a bit more. You can never have it sloping too much. A shallower depth of soil in the front is also more aesthetically pleasing. At least to me.

**Bubba_Shrimp** · 06-26-2009, 03:05 PM

Wow, thank you for very much for suggestions and comments!
I'll update the hardscape after work as per your suggestions and post more pictures. I can raise smaller stones up as I buried them in AS to much

Maybe I should convert this post into a journal? Kind of nervous about it as I never post any journals before...

Axelrodi202 · 06-26-2009, 03:10 PM

I would add another rock so that an odd number of rocks are visible when planted.

volatile · 06-26-2009, 04:33 PM

I would push some of the AS gradually towards the back so you have more of a slope, to give the impression that the tank is bigger.

**Bubba_Shrimp** · 06-26-2009, 08:23 PM

Made adjustments based on our suggestions. Please let me know if I did it right and if there is anything you would change.

Thanks for all your help!

volatile · 06-26-2009, 09:07 PM

I think you will probably have even less than 7" to work with, because you won't be able to fill the water to the very top.

From experience, I had some jumpers (shrimp + fish) when I did that

.

**Bubba_Shrimp** · 06-26-2009, 09:15 PM

Or maybe this?? I do have another rock, so I moved the left one closer to the right and placed an new rock on the left. What do you think?

volatile · 06-26-2009, 09:19 PM

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

Axelrodi202 · 06-26-2009, 09:40 PM

I like your second rock arrangement better.

06-26-2009, 04:13 AM	#1 (permalink)
Bubba_Shrimp Shrimpin' boat captain (View User Tanks) PTrader: (12/100%) Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 169	Please critique my Mini M layout After I broke big Ryouh stone into smaller pieces this is what I have so far. It will be plain iwagumi setup. Any suggestions? Hardware Tank: ADA Mini M Light: ADA Solar Mini Filter: Eheim Pro 2222 with CAL Nano pipes Substrate: Aqua Soil Amazonia normal CO2: GLA Ultimate CO2 Regulator, 2.5 LB Aluminum CO2 Cylinder, Pollen CO2 Diffuser 1000 Drop Checker: CAL AQUA "Double Check" Drop Checker Heater: Hydor ETH 200W In-Line External Heater Flora: Hemianthus callitrichoides - carpet Eleocharis parvula - a few touches near and between rocks Eleocharis Vivipara - background (I'm afraid it will be too tall as I have around 6" between the top and AS left). If it will be too tall than maybe E. Tenellus ? Heteranthera zosterifolia - I just love this plant but not sure where is a good spot for it... Fauna: Galaxy Rasboras + CRS/CBS Before: After (my final, I hope, hardscape): Played with Photoshop today... Last edited by Bubba_Shrimp; 06-27-2009 at 04:33 AM.

06-26-2009, 05:34 AM	#3 (permalink)
dougiefresh Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (7/100%) Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Cypress, TX Posts: 168	I think the rocks are a bit too understated/small and may get lost in the plantings. Nice start though. __________________ def jbj 24dx red sea paintball co2 ada mini m

06-26-2009, 05:37 AM	#4 (permalink)
cwinson85 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: May 2009 Location: Beaverton, Or Posts: 141	dont have much experience but i think that left rock would look good offset to the front a little more. love that rock on the right, looks great! good luck! __________________ O 2 9g pl ant ed journal O o 10g Betta tank__o

06-26-2009, 07:44 AM	#6 (permalink)
Down_Shift Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (11/100%) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Beantown Posts: 828	looks ggood __________________ www.mattwan.net // www.slayerzinc.com cRSX krew #1

06-26-2009, 08:11 AM	#7 (permalink)
sandiegoryu Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (9/100%) Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,444	I suggest you move the right stone more to the middle. It seems off right now. You might also try to go for a softer, mountain like look. Edit: Also try to slope your aquasoil a bit more. You can never have it sloping too much. A shallower depth of soil in the front is also more aesthetically pleasing. At least to me. __________________ XD

06-26-2009, 04:37 AM	#2 (permalink)
ldk59 Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (11/100%) Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Jackson, MI Posts: 206	Hardscape looks like a winner to me... if anything the stones may be just a bit small, but if it were me I'd roll with it as is. Substrate depth is fine as well... I have 4" in one corner of mine. Are you starting the tank emersed? What plants will you be using? What are your plans for fauna, lighting, filtration... give us the details Larry

06-26-2009, 05:39 AM	#5 (permalink)
blair iwagumi aficionado (View User Tanks) PTrader: (5/100%) Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 325	Looks good . The small stone in front of the large one on the right will vanish in your carpet; its useless. A good chance of the one on the right getting buried exists, but I think it balances the concave side nicely enough at present. Too bad you don't have one more about the size of the left stone to use on the right. Iwagumi like you are making should be three stones altogether or odd numbered groupings. I realize you have 1 and 3 respectively, but in such a small tank it doesn't read as natural when it blurs as 4 in close proximity. The soil depth is good. It helps buff up your stones to appear more befitting of the space Just my $.02 Aside from those technicalities, great job! Beautiful stones I might add... This should be a spectacular tank. I'd agree with the offsetting if they are in a true line when viewed from the top. That should not occur. Can't tell from the pictures.

06-26-2009, 03:05 PM	#8 (permalink)
Bubba_Shrimp Shrimpin' boat captain (View User Tanks) PTrader: (12/100%) Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 169	Wow, thank you for very much for suggestions and comments! I'll update the hardscape after work as per your suggestions and post more pictures. I can raise smaller stones up as I buried them in AS to much Maybe I should convert this post into a journal? Kind of nervous about it as I never post any journals before...

06-26-2009, 03:10 PM	#9 (permalink)
Axelrodi202 Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Morris County, NJ Posts: 612	I would add another rock so that an odd number of rocks are visible when planted. __________________ O o /¯/___________________________ __________ \|IMA FIRIN'MAH LAZAR BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!! \_\ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

06-26-2009, 04:33 PM	#10 (permalink)
volatile Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (18/100%) Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 363	I would push some of the AS gradually towards the back so you have more of a slope, to give the impression that the tank is bigger.

06-26-2009, 08:23 PM	#11 (permalink)
Bubba_Shrimp Shrimpin' boat captain (View User Tanks) PTrader: (12/100%) Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 169	Made changes based on your suggestions! Made adjustments based on our suggestions. Please let me know if I did it right and if there is anything you would change. Thanks for all your help! Last edited by Bubba_Shrimp; 06-27-2009 at 02:22 AM.

06-26-2009, 09:07 PM	#12 (permalink)
volatile Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (18/100%) Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 363	I think you will probably have even less than 7" to work with, because you won't be able to fill the water to the very top. From experience, I had some jumpers (shrimp + fish) when I did that .

06-26-2009, 09:15 PM	#13 (permalink)
Bubba_Shrimp Shrimpin' boat captain (View User Tanks) PTrader: (12/100%) Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 169	Or maybe this?? I do have another rock, so I moved the left one closer to the right and placed an new rock on the left. What do you think?

06-26-2009, 09:19 PM	#14 (permalink)
volatile Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (18/100%) Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 363	How about Parvula between the rocks and then Elocharis acicularis (also known as Dwarf Hairgrass, but longer at 6-7 inches) for your background.

06-26-2009, 09:40 PM	#15 (permalink)
Axelrodi202 Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Morris County, NJ Posts: 612	I like your second rock arrangement better. __________________ O o /¯/___________________________ __________ \|IMA FIRIN'MAH LAZAR BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!! \_\ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

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