# Planted Tanks > Aquascaping >  Iwagumi reborn

## Fujisasuke

Hi fellow AQers,

It's been a while since i started a new tank again and decided to restart one of my tanks using some old rocks. Firstly, I will need advise on which placement of rocks would be best looking to you for iwagumi scape before i continue. Thanks! 

Best regards,
David

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

----------


## Dazdaniel

3

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

----------


## Fujisasuke

> 3
> 
> Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk


Thx for the input bro  :Smile: 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

----------


## Dazdaniel

> Thx for the input bro 
> 
> Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk


 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

----------


## Saint888

2nd one looks better for me

----------


## Cardinal Tetra

1st pic is the only scape that gives a sense of depth.
2nd pic is not considered iwagumi I think
3 & 4 rock is too high, giving it a mountainous outback look. Not considered iwagumi also I think.

----------


## Fujisasuke

> 1st pic is the only scape that gives a sense of depth.
> 2nd pic is not considered iwagumi I think
> 3 & 4 rock is too high, giving it a mountainous outback look. Not considered iwagumi also I think.


Thanks for the input bro, so which pic do you like best if not taking the factor it must be iwagumi?

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

----------


## sfk7

I like how the main rock is placed in second picture. Although more work has to be done with the supporting rocks

Just my 2 cents

----------


## qwerty84

I like 2nd pic

Sent from my ASUS_Z012D using Tapatalk

----------


## Fujisasuke

Thanks for all the input, i have decided to go with the 2nd layout. Just planted the tank last night, hopefully the plants will grow out well. I was wondering tho, when is a good time to start the fert dosing regime? 



Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

----------


## Saint888

Hi hi I'm also starting my tank around same time as yours. Similar setup. Currently I think I will post phone the fert until the plants are more establish. I think the plants and substrate itself might already come with the necessary nutrients. I think I will only start minimal dosing after the plants start growing maybe 2 weeks later. But I think will do water changes like every 3 days to avoid aglae bloom. But not sure if this is correct.

----------


## Fujisasuke

> Hi hi I'm also starting my tank around same time as yours. Similar setup. Currently I think I will post phone the fert until the plants are more establish. I think the plants and substrate itself might already come with the necessary nutrients. I think I will only start minimal dosing after the plants start growing maybe 2 weeks later. But I think will do water changes like every 3 days to avoid aglae bloom. But not sure if this is correct.


Hi Saint888, thanks for the advice! I guess i will observe and dose fertilisers accordingly as I'm growing UG and am not sure what's the best method. As for the water change, I'm planning to do 50% WC today followed by 25% for the rest of the week to avoid algae bloom. 

Good luck with your setup too bro! Would love to see pictures of your tank when it's established too  :Smile:

----------


## Saint888

Cool.. what is UG?

----------


## jackychun

Very nice Iwagumi layout!  :Smile:  Can't wait to see the plants spreading around...  :Grin:

----------


## Fujisasuke

> Very nice Iwagumi layout!  Can't wait to see the plants spreading around...


Thank bro! i hope my plants will strive like yours, hope you can give your guidance regarding fert dosing  :Smile:  




> Cool.. what is UG?


*Utricularia graminifolia* http://tropica.com/en/plants/plantdetails/Utriculariagraminifolia(049BTC)/4480

----------


## jackychun

Hi bro, I strongly believe your tank will be lush and beautiful.  :Smile:  
For fertilizer dosing, I have not done any Iwagumi and hence not really sure about the fertilizer requirement. 

As per my experience, for a good start, I dose fertilizer from Day 1 since the roots system have not been developed well to take nutrients via roots, but through leaves and stems. 
Potassium and Iron are the most important one at the beginning period. I dose it daily to make sure they have sufficient. Water change 50% by end of the week. For the start, you may need to do water change more regularly to keep the tank clean and avoid algae outbreak. Seachem Excel and Flourish can be also supplemented as well. 

For Nitrate and Phosphate, I don't think it is really needed at this time. And one of my tank dose None of those still very lush and well growth. So I guess those macro nutrients are already well provided by tank's fauna.

Hope to see more of your updates to come!  :Smile:

----------


## j.c.koh

Hi fujisasuke,

If you are using ADA Amazonia the SOP is no need to dose for the 1st 2 weeks because the substrate is nutrients rich. 

But I myself follow bro jacky's path when setting up my tank, the idea is to ensure the plants have maximum nutrients coverage at initial stage. if you are using this method you have to be extra hardworking on the water change. those are slow growing plants so it's 100% guaranteed that there will a lot of excess nutrients not used up everyday. 

Not sure which is the better method though as I only tried 1 lol. Just sharing with you what I know.

----------


## Thieverycorp

> Hi Saint888, thanks for the advice! I guess i will observe and dose fertilisers accordingly as I'm growing UG and am not sure what's the best method. As for the water change, I'm planning to do 50% WC today followed by 25% for the rest of the week to avoid algae bloom. 
> 
> Good luck with your setup too bro! Would love to see pictures of your tank when it's established too


Hi bro, UG quite sensitive to ammonia so new tanks need to watch it. They get burnt easily 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## Fujisasuke

Hi Everyone, 

Thanks for all the useful tips i will definitely take note of them and observe the tank carefully. Currently i have done a 50% wc on the first day and plan on doing 20% wc daily now while dosing seachem excel, potassium and iron. Yes i know ug is a tough plant to get going at the start during its conversion stage, fingers crossed ammonia wont affect it too much. 

Think am gonna do a photo journal of sorts and see the growth progress of the tank. Will update progress as it goes by, wish me luck! 

Here's the most current photo taken yesterday.



Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

----------


## jackychun

The plants seem like growing quite well, bro! 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## Saint888

Nice!!! CO2 is great, how long do u turn on your lights? My growth very slow  :Sad: 




> Hi Everyone, 
> 
> Thanks for all the useful tips i will definitely take note of them and observe the tank carefully. Currently i have done a 50% wc on the first day and plan on doing 20% wc daily now while dosing seachem excel, potassium and iron. Yes i know ug is a tough plant to get going at the start during its conversion stage, fingers crossed ammonia wont affect it too much. 
> 
> Think am gonna do a photo journal of sorts and see the growth progress of the tank. Will update progress as it goes by, wish me luck! 
> 
> Here's the most current photo taken yesterday.
> 
> 
> ...

----------


## Fujisasuke

> Nice!!! CO2 is great, how long do u turn on your lights? My growth very slow


Thanks bro! Yes i'm currently flooding my tank with CO2, hopefully it will assist in the process when Utricularia graminifolia converting to submersed form. i on my lights 3 hrs during the morning, and another 3 hours at night for a total of 6 hours.

----------


## Bracehero

Wow! Awesome layout! May I know where did you buy your tank? Looking to buy abt a 20 gallon Long to house German rams, what are your dimensions?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## Saint888

I'm looking to buy german rams too? Do you know where to get quality ones?

----------


## Fujisasuke

> I'm looking to buy german rams too? Do you know where to get quality ones?


Can try check out C328, saw them selling some pairs just last weekend. Quality wasn't too shabby either.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

----------


## Fujisasuke

> Wow! Awesome layout! May I know where did you buy your tank? Looking to buy abt a 20 gallon Long to house German rams, what are your dimensions?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I got my tank 2nd hand from another bro in this forum 3 years ago.. i believe he custom made it, crystal tank. Sham i scratched it a little while cleaning it  :Sad: . Its 2by1by1 feet

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

----------


## Fujisasuke

Day 3: Today i did another 20% water change and added some monster root tabs into the soil, hopefully it will help ug establish roots faster. In the process, some ug was uprooted but i planted them back. Noticed some of the stems plants at the back turning abit pale, should i be worried of some deficiencies ? 



Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

----------


## Saint888

Still looks pretty good

----------


## Fujisasuke

> Still looks pretty good


Thanks bro, but think still too early to gauge.. as you know the battle haven't started yet haha. will take another pic next week to show the change.

----------


## golfball

> Day 3: Today i did another 20% water change and added some monster root tabs into the soil, hopefully it will help ug establish roots faster. In the process, some ug was uprooted but i planted them back. Noticed some of the stems plants at the back turning abit pale, should i be worried of some deficiencies ? 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk


Fingers crossed for the UG, but looking good so far. Good luck! 

Sent from my Redmi Note 3 using Tapatalk

----------


## Fujisasuke

Hi all,

Just would like to provide a quick update. I been busy doing water changes for two weeks now, think i will now progress to bi weekly wc instead now that the background plants has grown slightly taller. 

Sadly, most of the UG i planted had started to melt after day 5 of setting up the tank, but i decided to just leave most of it in the tank. Luckily i chose to do so as i could start seeing its submerge form started emerging out from the mush after day 10 like a zombie plant! As you can see the tiny new growth, hope they survive and spread. 

Fingers crossed! 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

----------


## Fujisasuke

Update - Day 30
Most of the plants doing well, UG has bounced back but has not yet started to spread. 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

----------


## TTerry

:Well done:

----------


## TTerry

You changed light fixture to twinstar, color a lot nicer

----------


## Fujisasuke

Yup got it from a bro brand new for cheaps. Loving the color rendition, it really brings out the reds in plants tho it doesn't seem as bright as the chiros

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

----------


## Saint888

Wah.. very nice now!

----------


## Fujisasuke

Just a quick update on how the tank is doing now. I did a 2nd trim for the plants last week and took a photo yesterday, it is offically been 2 months since i setup the tank!

Utricularia Graminifolia have started to send runners, but its still a slow progress for this plant after 2 months. There was also quite a major bloom of pink ramshorn snails which i bought to control algae too, luckily it is more or less under control now.

Overall quite happy with the tank for now, just waiting for ug to spread.. it is indeed a challenging plant to grow for me!



Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

----------


## Saint888

Bro, what is the plant on the left side?

----------


## Fujisasuke

> Bro, what is the plant on the left side?


Which?

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

----------


## Saint888

First plant behind on the left, and the red plant beside it

----------


## Fujisasuke

Hmm forgotten bro, they are from tropica 1-2 grow.. one of the rotala family no doubt. Maybe one of the bros here can identify them?

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

----------


## jackychun

Looks like Rotala Rotundifolia green to me. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## Saint888

Hi jackychun and fujisasuke, thanks.

Is it the same as Rotala green? This is not tissue culture right? How about the red one?




> Looks like Rotala Rotundifolia green to me. 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## Fujisasuke

About 3 months since i started. Tank looking so far so good !

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

----------


## Saint888

Wow! So bushy and healthy!




> About 3 months since i started. Tank looking so far so good !
> 
> Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

----------


## NanoScaper

> About 3 months since i started. Tank looking so far so good !
> 
> Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk


Hello, Fujisasuke

I was initally shocked when I saw the photo of the melting UG.

It's nice to see that the UG bounced back after it has initially melted very badly.

Hope it will continue to spread and cover the rest of the substrate.

Cheers!

----------


## Fujisasuke

Thanks for the comments guys, too bad this aint no longer considered iwagumi setup which i originally planned now haha.
Also can anyone help me identify the bushy green plant in the middle thats beside the Rotala red ?

----------


## jackychun

> Thanks for the comments guys, too bad this aint no longer considered iwagumi setup which i originally planned now haha.
> Also can anyone help me identify the bushy green plant in the middle thats beside the Rotala red ?


That plant is Pogestemon Erectus. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## Fujisasuke

Absolutely Brilliant. Thanks bro!

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

----------


## Fujisasuke

By the way, i am selling my trimmings over at the market place from this tank to finance my ferts. Feel free to take a look  :Smile:

----------


## Fujisasuke

Looks like it has been almost 1 year since i setup this tank, just a quick update on how it is looking now. 
Clearly, it's no longer looking like an iwagumi setup now but I still like it nonetheless haha






I have recently started another tank, this time trying out a bonsai scape. Do check it out as well!

http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...onsai-Escapade!

Thanks for viewing and happy aquascaping!  :Smile: 
Dav

----------


## Fujisasuke

Update - 14/10/2018












Also started another project recently.. Lamprologus ocellatus species only tank!  :Very Happy:

----------

