Kauai - Iwagumi

[ian]

We od the ferts on planted tanks anyway. Ime hc does best with C02, it tends to just linger and not do much without.

 

[JenCliBee]

Thats it James, i totally agree. I have used it before and not had much luck. With this one running C02, it might stand a chance! Thats why i didn't buy anymore pots, as it's just a waste of money if it just stays as it is.

Interesting to see how yours gets on, I've just planted mine in my tank. Cheeky tip- My mate told me the way to get it to grow really quickly is to overdose the ferts

As ian has mentioned the plant will thrive better in a high CO2 environment, overdosing ferts will only act as a fail safe to make sure ferts arnt lacking, the plant will only take what it needs for the environment it is kept no matter how much is dosed.



Nice looking tank Ian, i would of used smaller clumps of HC personally and laid over a bigger area, you will find the HC will carpet faster and nicer this way. I also agree with llj that a larger tank would be better suited to a traditional iwagumi setup with the rocks situated in the centre as it's main feature like the traditional iwagumi setup.

 

[ian]

cheers for that Jake, like i say i have tried HC in the past on CO2-less tanks and not had any success, it was lower light, but it didn't die, it just didn't grow much lol.

I'm going to try and source the same rocks for the main tank, i think i may check out the more central main rock, i'm not sure about doing it to symmetrical though.

 

[lljdma06]

Thats it James, i totally agree. I have used it before and not had much luck. With this one running C02, it might stand a chance! Thats why i didn't buy anymore pots, as it's just a waste of money if it just stays as it is.

Interesting to see how yours gets on, I've just planted mine in my tank. Cheeky tip- My mate told me the way to get it to grow really quickly is to overdose the ferts

As ian has mentioned the plant will thrive better in a high CO2 environment, overdosing ferts will only act as a fail safe to make sure ferts arnt lacking, the plant will only take what it needs for the environment it is kept no matter how much is dosed.



Nice looking tank Ian, i would of used smaller clumps of HC personally and laid over a bigger area, you will find the HC will carpet faster and nicer this way. I also agree with llj that a larger tank would be better suited to a traditional iwagumi setup with the rocks situated in the centre as it's main feature like the traditional iwagumi setup.

That's not what I said. I said to do a concave scape which implies two sets of rocks that forms a valley. The lowest part of the valley should be at the golden ratio, and the relatioship of the rocks should also follow that patter with regard to height. One formation should be higher than the other, I think the distance of "a" with regard to the golden ratio. Ah, I remember, second rock formation should reach the golden ratio of the first rock formation. The dip of the valley is what forms the "concave" shape. If Ian is confused, he can PM me...

What you describing is a more traditional Iwagumi with one rock arrangment. This typically follows a convex pattern, where the highest part of the rocks is at the Golden ratio.

Liz

 

[JenCliBee]

Thats it James, i totally agree. I have used it before and not had much luck. With this one running C02, it might stand a chance! Thats why i didn't buy anymore pots, as it's just a waste of money if it just stays as it is.

Interesting to see how yours gets on, I've just planted mine in my tank. Cheeky tip- My mate told me the way to get it to grow really quickly is to overdose the ferts

As ian has mentioned the plant will thrive better in a high CO2 environment, overdosing ferts will only act as a fail safe to make sure ferts arnt lacking, the plant will only take what it needs for the environment it is kept no matter how much is dosed.



Nice looking tank Ian, i would of used smaller clumps of HC personally and laid over a bigger area, you will find the HC will carpet faster and nicer this way. I also agree with llj that a larger tank would be better suited to a traditional iwagumi setup with the rocks situated in the centre as it's main feature like the traditional iwagumi setup.

That's not what I said. I said to do a concave scape which implies two sets of rocks that forms a valley. The lowest part of the valley should be at the golden ratio, and the relatioship of the rocks should also follow that patter with regard to height. One formation should be higher than the other, I think the distance of "a" with regard to the golden ratio. Ah, I remember, second rock formation should reach the golden ratio of the first rock formation. The dip of the valley is what forms the "concave" shape. If Ian is confused, he can PM me...

What you describing is a more traditional Iwagumi with one rock arrangment. This typically follows a convex pattern, where the highest part of the rocks is at the Golden ratio.

Liz

Apologies lol, i misread what you wrote... it was late and thought you wrote convex which is what i meant as traditional iwagumi style... teach me to read better even if it's late at night will also teach me to read the whole post not just bits

But... yes that sort of scape would be nice but considering the tank is only is a cube and only 120 litres?, getting that look may be harder than it sounds.... that particular setup is better suited to a longer shallower tank.

Either way if he can pull the concave scape in such a small cube then going by his own attempts it should look pretty good however i still think the single rock formation is better suited .

 

[ian]

The larger cube is going to have to have a massive bank of substrate, this will add depth to a cube. I haven't so much banked in this, there is a slight bank from right to left, but it's going to have to be massive in the larger tank.

 

[Carlovel1]

Thats it James, i totally agree. I have used it before and not had much luck. With this one running C02, it might stand a chance! Thats why i didn't buy anymore pots, as it's just a waste of money if it just stays as it is.

Oh sugar, my HC died. Don't know what I did wrong I'd rather get rid of it though, I'm going to be using Glosso instead, I've had loads of success with that.

 

[Carlovel1]

This post has been edited by ianho: Today, 06:28 PM
Reason for edit:: swear filter-behave Carl!

Changed

 

[ian]

which tank did you use Glosso on? IME it's harder to carpet than HC.

 

[Carlovel1]

which tank did you use Glosso on? IME it's harder to carpet than HC.

The 50 litre, havent used it yet but I will get to it...thing is...it grows upwards rather than sideways, but it doesnt die off like HC does

 

[Carlovel1]

Anyway Ian, how is your HC doing?

 

[ian]

the HC is doing OK thanks, Carl.

Weekly update time!

things are going slowly, but they are going. The HC is covering, be it very slowly!

a few macro pearls.

 

[Carlovel1]

Looking good Ian. My Glosso is doing very well too but...its growing upwards
Forgot I needed more light in the tank for it to grow sideways. Its a very demanding plant.

For the 4th time, I will be using HC cuba...again
Last time it just turned yellow then melted, I'm guessing iron deficiency?

 

[lljdma06]

Looking good Ian. My Glosso is doing very well too but...its growing upwards
Forgot I needed more light in the tank for it to grow sideways. Its a very demanding plant.

For the 4th time, I will be using HC cuba...again
Last time it just turned yellow then melted, I'm guessing iron deficiency?

Good growth, Ian. we've been discussing Hc in other threads. Pesky little plant.

You know what I'd like to see? HC growing in its native habitat. From the little research I've done, it's found near fast-moving streams in Cuba, which for me, implies flow and rich in nutrients, as you're getting run-off from the streams. Rich in gas exchange as well? Those are my guesses.
Liz

 

[ian]

you're right llj. It has really nothing to do with light as the same as Glosso, Carl. Again new thought to this is that plants grow high due to gaseous build up in the plant.

to quote Clive from the Barr report

Upward growth and increased inter-nodal distances occur in response to hormones in the plant. The particular hormone responsible for this behavior happens to be a gas called Ethylene. Poor flow to the substrate suppresses the ability of the plant to rid itself of the gas and results in a buildup of this gas. Just about all aquatic plants respond in a similar fashion, which is actually an ingenious adaptation to being flooded.

very interesting as it is commonly thought to be the light that causes this high growth of a small plant.