My New Venture into Iwagumi!

[teij_tseng]

After marvelling over the works of Takashi Amano and many others on the internet, I've start my own planted tank. This is my first planted tank and for the venture, I've decided to try the iwagumi layout. I've always admired planted tanks but the iwagumi layout has been most captivating for me.

I'm on a student budget so I'm trying to make as nice of a looking tank as possible without breaking my wallet. As such, you can probably expect the photos to be taken with a camera phone . Now, a list of my tank components:

Tank: 20 gallon long (30"x12"x12")

Lighting: 1 AquaMedic 24w T5 Plant Grow, 1 Current USA 24w 10,000k T5, 1 20w Hagen Aqua Glo; approximately 3.4wpg total

Substrate: 100% Flourite Black Sand

CO2: DIY CO2 Injection

Fertilizer: API Leaf Zone once every 2 weeks (looking into getting ADA fertilizer once I can afford to spend a little more )

The plan for the layout of the rocks. The white stuff on the bottom of the tank is styrofoam.

Added the substrate and mounded it best as I could.

Any input/critique is appreciated so give me your best shot ! Also, I'm planning on putting dwarf hairgrass around the rocks and HC in the middle and along the front, basically where there's more open areas. As far as fish goes, I'll prob be going with a shoal of rasbora heteromorpha and perhaps some crystal red shrimps or amano shrimps.

 

[alan j t]

i like it!
though the rock on the left is a tad too big fort me.

 

[jpappy789]

Definitely look into dry ferts (http://www.aquariumfertilizer.com/) as it's much, much cheaper than liquid ferts since they last longer and you aren't paying for a brand name or water.

 

[chonhzilla]

Definitely look into dry ferts (http://www.aquariumfertilizer.com/) as it's much, much cheaper than liquid ferts since they last longer and you aren't paying for a brand name or water.

Thats where I got mine! I love it!:thumbsup:

 

[MGDMIRAGE]

Looks like an excellent start, it's too bad that left rock isn't a couple inches shorter though.

 

[teij_tseng]

Definitely look into dry ferts (http://www.aquariumfertilizer.com/) as it's much, much cheaper than liquid ferts since they last longer and you aren't paying for a brand name or water.

Thanks for the link and yes I totally agree with you, that's some expensive water they're selling in those small bottles lol. Gonna have to look more into dry fertilizers.

 

[geekpryde]

Very pretty. Can you tell us more about the rocks? What type of rcok are they and where did you pick them up?

 

[teij_tseng]

What type of rcok are they and where did you pick them up?

To be honest, I'm not really sure what kind of rocks they are. I found the rocks outside my house and thought they would look nice in a tank so in they went (hopefully I'm not making a rookie mistake n they end up messing up my tank :huh. Sorry I couldn't be more informative lol.

 

[dundadundun]

Definitely look into dry ferts (http://www.aquariumfertilizer.com/) as it's much, much cheaper than liquid ferts since they last longer and you aren't paying for a brand name or water.

:headbang2::headbang2::headbang2:

the tank looks good but seems too balanced. i think the rocks on the left may need to come more towards the center, especially the larger one.

also, what's the substrate?

 

[myswtsins]

Looks great! I agree the left rocks is a little too big, great shape and texture just a little too big. But I think dundadundun's suggestion should be just the thing to make the large rock fit a bit better.

Go for dry ferts!

Dundadundun - Substrate is Flourite Black Sand