Nano Iwagumi Planted "serene".. That's The Goal!

fishmad135 · Apr 30, 2016

Hey Guys!

Got another new project starting today! My goal is to make a nano iwagumi tank using dragon rock (Can't get enough of this stuff!). This is my first venture into iwagumi style tanks, anybody got any tips?

My tank and hard set up is:
- 22Litre Aquanano
- JBL Pro Scape Plant Soil
- Dennerle DeponitMix Nano (For capping the soil)
- 3 Dragon Rocks (The Oyaishi, Fukuishi and the Soeishi rocks)

I'm not sure how to layout my rocks so I'll have a play about..!

cooledwhip · Apr 30, 2016

Awesome. Sounds cool. I suggest using a carpet plant, I am using glosso for mine. (It's still carpeting though). Where did you get the rocks and the tank? I'm a noob at this.

fishmad135 · Apr 30, 2016

Thanks cooledwhip! I'm thinking a hemianthus carpet with some taller plants in the background. I went to Ings Lane garden centre, a store near my student house! Me being the muppet I am, left the bagged plants on the counter of the store when I left so I'm going to have to collect them later..

Here's the pieces of dragon rock (and Hemianthus pot and DepontiMix..)

And heres some pictures of the setup I'm thinking, the difference between the two photos is the orientation of the front smallest rock. Excuse my face in the reflection.
Setup one:

Setup two:

What do you guys think?

Munroco · Apr 30, 2016

After summoning my fen shui spirit guide, we agree that the smaller rock at the back should be moved to the left, almost to the bottom of the hill

cooledwhip · Apr 30, 2016

I agree. If you are putting a background plant, have it to from largest rock to smallest rock. Also try to make the grain (thats how I refer to it, I'm sure it's just the direction of points of the rock) all face the same way. Some of the edges face up and some are left/right in this pic.

fishmad135 · May 1, 2016

cooledwhip said:
I agree. If you are putting a background plant, have it to from largest rock to smallest rock. Also try to make the grain (thats how I refer to it, I'm sure it's just the direction of points of the rock) all face the same way. Some of the edges face up and some are left/right in this pic.

Hi, thank you for your reply! I wasn't aware of the rock grain and I've tried to get it all facing the same direction, what do you think of the new layout?

Munroco said:
After summoning my fen shui spirit guide, we agree that the smaller rock at the back should be moved to the left, almost to the bottom of the hill

Wow thanks!! I clearly need to get one of those guides! I rearranged the rocks earlier before I realised you replied and put the water and plants in, I have attached a photo!

I'd love more guidance, thanks guys!

BeckyCats · May 4, 2016

I don't have any guidance but I am intrigued and will be following this thread with interest. I have to thank you for introducing me to the term "iwagumi". I have seen this style, but did not realize it had a name. I can research it properly now that I know what it is called. Thank you!

Robbo85 · May 4, 2016

this looks really cool, never knew this style had a name.

tunagirll · May 6, 2016

I would put these closer together, and I think it needs some smaller rocks at the base as 'detritus' to give it a more natural look <3

cooledwhip · May 6, 2016

I am trying to do a small micro scape with glosso, I have seachem flourite now and i'm growing emerssed with a dry start right now, the glosso hasn't really grown or spread at all. Should I take out the substrate and add some dirt? I tried using a T5 for lighting now I am using window light.

I figured I might as well ask here instead of make a new thread.

fishmad135 · May 12, 2016

BeckyCats said:
I don't have any guidance but I am intrigued and will be following this thread with interest. I have to thank you for introducing me to the term "iwagumi". I have seen this style, but did not realize it had a name. I can research it properly now that I know what it is called. Thank you!

I'm relatively new to the concept too (And I must admit I'm nut sure how true my tank will be to the iwugami design!).. Its an attempt at one anyway!!

Robbo85 said:
this looks really cool, never knew this style had a name.

Yeah its a pretty cool design, not sure I'll ever get it look like theyre meant to though! There's heaps of information on it on the internet! I think this is the best website I have found on it so far: http

/fish-etc.com/aquascaping-main/create-an-iwugami-aquascape

tunagirll said:
I would put these closer together, and I think it needs some smaller rocks at the base as 'detritus' to give it a more natural look <3

Thanks for your input - thats a good idea, I'm all for a more natural look! By the base do you mean at the front? I have a couple spare pieces but they will need bashing with a hammer to get smaller fragments!

I'll add a new picture of the tank later tonight (There's more plants now!!) <3

cooledwhip said:
I am trying to do a small micro scape with glosso, I have seachem flourite now and i'm growing emerssed with a dry start right now, the glosso hasn't really grown or spread at all. Should I take out the substrate and add some dirt? I tried using a T5 for lighting now I am using window light.

I figured I might as well ask here instead of make a new thread.

Hey, I'm not 100% sure why that might be - does glosso need CO2 and if so, are you using it? At the moment I'm using Seache Flourish excel at the moment and the Hemianthus is loving it!
How long has yours been growing?

fishmad135 · May 15, 2016

Here's that update I was going to give you - this is a picture from wednesday its grown so much more since then, I'm loving it! I really can't wait to get shrimp in when its all grown!

It's all pearling - everything!!

This is another tanks Hemianthus carpet (it's being cut here!) - so dense and spongey!!

Hope you're all having a good day!!

cooledwhip · May 15, 2016

Do you use CO2?

fishmad135 · May 15, 2016

cooledwhip said:
I am trying to do a small micro scape with glosso, I have seachem flourite now and i'm growing emerssed with a dry start right now, the glosso hasn't really grown or spread at all. Should I take out the substrate and add some dirt? I tried using a T5 for lighting now I am using window light.

I figured I might as well ask here instead of make a new thread.

Hey Cooledwhip, after doing some reading I've found that glosso is considerably more needy than hemianthus and therefore needs CO2 and will need two T5 lights rather than one alone (depending on your water depth!)! If by window light you mean sunlight I don't believe the light the tank will be getting sufficient light intensity/duration! Thats my tip! Good luck!

cooledwhip said:
Do you use CO2?

Indeed, i use liquid CO2 - Flourish Excel to be precise! Although I have been looking into pressurised CO2 systems - they seem pretty nifty!

fishmad135 · May 19, 2016

The plants this week have gone crazy! I'm so excited to actually get some fauna in here when I get home from uni!
Can anyone suggest any tall plants to go at the back? It's looking a bit sparse!!

Any suggestions on plants/fish would be fab!! Thanks!

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