[daworldisblack]

Won this thing at a local event this year but finally getting round to getting it set up! I wanted to go with an Iwagumi layout but figured it'd be kind of a waste if I don't get more plants in haha. Still undecided on flora and fauna but heres the details on equipment:

- ADA 60-p
- ADA Aquasoil with magic dust
- Ecoxotic E-Series LED Light Fixture
- Eheim 2213 Classic Filter
- 5lb/10lb Aluminum CO2 Tank
- Dual Stage Stainless Steel Regulator
- Parkher-Hannafin Metering Needle Valve
- Up-Aqua inline diffuser
- Glass Lilly Pipes from Ebay

First task is hardscape - decided to go with just rocks. I dont have enough Dragon Stone to do a proper scape in this tank but I did have some fossilized rock on hand. I would still have liked one BIG piece and smaller complimentary pieces but I have used what I've got for now: http://imgur.com/a/tHtPS

Thoughts on the hardscape? I want to get that out of the way and then move on to adding more soil at the back.. sloping down from the left back corner a little more then would like to move on the plant acquisition, planting and running it till i get the ammonia leaching business out of the way so I can get livestock in.

 

[MaxLaf]

Just like you said only thing missing is one bigger rock. Other wise I love the scape !!

 

[daworldisblack]

Decided to switch it up!:

I wish I had smaller rocks but don't so going to have to make do with these.

 

[AquaAurora]

You can always grab a jack hammer and resize them ^_~

 

[MaxLaf]

Smaller rocks? these are awesome!!! The size is just perfect and it already look fabulous!!

 

[talontsiawd]

I personally like tall rocks so I like the second scape better. In general, I like the rocks to be around 2/3 of the tank in height, sometimes taller. I think with some tweaking the second version will be very nice. IMO, this size tank is hard for Iwagumi due to it's height vs depth.

 

[daworldisblack]

Ok some updates Here's how it looked when it was freshly planted:

I ended up going with L. Arcuata on the back left corner, P. Helferi for the left foreground, Dwarf Hairgrass Belem for the left midground, M. Monte Carlo for the 'valley', R. sp. Bonsai for the right corner and S. Repens for the right mid and foreground.

Here's what it looks like 2 and a half weeks later:

Sadly, something happened with the S. Repens - major melt. Looked like some disease or something. I hope they bounce back to the glory in the first pic:

The MonteCarlo was from a Tropica 1-2-Grow pot. Major melting of the emersed growth as well but some new growth coming along:

Surprisingly, after a daily water change in the first week and one every other day in the second, the notorious Ammonia Spike had dissipated. I did have trace Nitrite levels and some nitrate levels but decided to let some shrimp and a snail loose in there to keep the diatom algae at bay and to munch on the dying leaves so that the new growth on the plants could be optimal. Heres an inhabitant in his new home:

The Ecoxotic light has been awesome so far - my L. Arcuata is actually pretty red. You can't really see from this pic but notice the reddish new growth and the general red tint in the first pic.

Heres hoping, that the carpet of Monte Carlo will happen slowly but surely and the S. Repens kicks back with a vengeance!

Album updated for higher res pics: http://imgur.com/a/tHtPS

 

[scx]

Let us know what happens with the repens cuz the same thing happened to me

 

[FlyingHellFish]

That melting is common, it should bounce back with new growth. One thing I rarely see people discussing is if the stem is damage when planting. I find that weaken plants plus the burden of adapting new submersed leafs might be too much for them, and even with perfect water and fertilizers, the process can take some time.

PS - I thought that snail was a shrimp that got impaled!

 

[daworldisblack]

Let us know what happens with the repens cuz the same thing happened to me

Will do!

Bump:

That melting is common, it should bounce back with new growth. One thing I rarely see people discussing is if the stem is damage when planting. I find that weaken plants plus the burden of adapting new submersed leafs might be too much for them, and even with perfect water and fertilizers, the process can take some time.

PS - I thought that snail was a shrimp that got impaled!

Yeah I hope so - i've had them before and did not see this happen so its new to me. Some of them had roots already but even those melted - even new growth had yellowing on them. Some stems are completely dead down to the roots. Still... fingers crossed!

Lol.. the snail goes get stuck in the in-flow periodically - always need to rescue it. Probably need a ss mesh or something in the long run.

 

[exv152]

Yeah I hope so - i've had them before and did not see this happen so its new to me. Some of them had roots already but even those melted - even new growth had yellowing on them. Some stems are completely dead down to the roots. Still... fingers crossed!

The staurogyne dying off may be related to trauma caused by cutting it from its root/rhizome system. Check out this thread. It appears to be fairly common... http://www.barrreport.com/showthread.php/12112-Weird-staurogyne-repens-melt-need-help

PS if you need more let me know.

 

[daworldisblack]

The staurogyne dying off may be related to trauma caused by cutting it from its root/rhizome system. Check out this thread. It appears to be fairly common... http://www.barrreport.com/showthread.php/12112-Weird-staurogyne-repens-melt-need-help

PS if you need more let me know.

Thanks for the link Eric! I'll keep my eye on the ones I have. I planted some in the 60P and the rest in my 40G - the ones in the 40G are faring better so we'll see how it goes. Thanks again!

 

[Xiaozhuang]

I like the stone work in both scapes, think both arrangements are very pretty. Would have preferred a deeper V though, as in with the left and right raised more.

 

[daworldisblack]

I like the stone work in both scapes, think both arrangements are very pretty. Would have preferred a deeper V though, as in with the left and right raised more.

Thanks! Yeah i know what you mean about the V - I tried maintaining what little i had in the final scape but once you put water in, it changes a bit haha. I also felt banking all that soil up that high was a waste as its not going to be a strictly iwagumi scape with low plants. My corners have stem plants and when they grow out, they'll be used to accentuate the V is what I'm thinking

 

[daworldisblack]

Quick Update time - things are looking good so far.

FTS

The Staurogyne Repens Bounced back thankfully and is looking good- letting it grow out a little more before trimming to shape. Also added some Rotala Macandra sp. Japan to break between the greens of the S.Repens and the R.Indica.

Moved the P. Helferi to the back and introduced the Blyxia there - itchy hands syndrome! I dont know if i like it just yet but we'll see - might switch the two up.

Monte Carlo carpet trying its hardest to spread over as well still