Bunbuku

They finally fixed my DSL after a week!

The hardscape was simplified considerably compared to before. I tried to imagine 2 main stones from which smaller pieces might have crumbled off after years of weathering by elements (Thanks to Diana K for the hint!). In contrast to the more centrally located focal point in the earlier version. The revised hardscape has the focal point at the "golden ratio" of the 60-P.

The last 2 pics were taken 1 day after planting. So far all I have is HC, but I left some room in the back for some taller grass type background plants.

CO2 supplied via CalAqua in-line diffuser.

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TNguyen

The rock looks cool. Too bad you can't hand pick them yourself.

I think the rock size is too small for this tank. Might work better in a smaller nano tank. Once the HC grows in, most of the rock will be hidden. Adding plants in the back will definitely fill the open space.

Cheers,
Thanh

Bunbuku

Those were the largest rocks that AFA had. Apparently the Yamaya stones don't come much bigger. I am hoping a high light setting (130 watts for the 60P) keep the HC low. That seemed to have been the case my the previous tank.

Any suggestions for the background? I am debating between E vivpara or C helferi. I concerned that the vivpara may be invasive with the runners though.

AaronT

I would go with the E. vivipara. C. helferi is too large for an 18 gallon tank. It gets over 2 feet tall.

Bunbuku

Yes, looking through this photo gallery http://akuatic.no.sapo.pt/Nature%20A...Gallery/a.html
I see that Amano uses tall hairgrass in the background immediately behind the rock arrangements. I probably do the same.
There are also some plants that look like Blyxa that he plants between rocks on some of the scapes.

Bunbuku

Update at the end of 2 weeks!

1st week - anmmonia spike, bad case of green hair algae (REALLY bad on the rocks), almost pulled everything but was too busy so I did daily 50% water changes and sucked out the clumps of algae on the AS. Then added 8 Amano shrimp. That along with the water changes did the trick! They even cleaned of the rocks!

2nd week - still doing daily water changes ~30% now and adding Stability daily. No problems with algae. Lost virtually my live stock in my holding bucket! . I did not have new media on hand during the routine water change so I added a bag of REGENERATED Purigen to the HOB filter (I followed Seachem's instructions, did the treatments with Prime and Acid Buffer and washed extensively) Within 2 hrs all the cardinals were dead as well as 3/4 Oto's. Lesson learned - before you use regenerated Purigen, soak it in a container of water for a few hours and check for chlorine even when there is no chlorine smell.

Quickly, I netted the 2 rams and the remaining Oto and put them into the 60P earlier than I wanted to with fingers crossed. The remaining livestock survived and are thriving. Now NH4 is not detectable but now NO2 at 1.8 mg/l going down to 0.8 mg/l the last 36 hrs. HC seems to be taking off.

Picassa web album http://picasaweb.google.com/bunbukup...ey=NY2QpAmQ3nQ

In a couple of weeks I will add the mid and background plants! Decided against vivipara bec I read how out of control it can get. I will likely go with Cyperus helferi and Blyxa in the back, plus a small group of E. cenerum in the mid ground.

Appreciate any feedback you might have

rountreesj

might I make a suggestion. I have found that with rocks that may be just slightly too small, give the tank an extreme slop and place the biggest stones as high as possible on the slop. Sinse the slope will be very steep, the plants won't grow up around the rocks and more rock will be visible. Slope is very inportant for iwigami tanks as it gives a great sense of depth without the use of tall plants...
hope this helps

Bunbuku

Some of the people in this forum just have an amazing gift for spatial perspective in their layouts. A skill I have to learn to see in my mind's eye....

Currently, the AS is ~3 cm in the front sloped to ~6.5 cm in the back. Should the whole back area have this extreme slope or should it just be a "hill" where the stones are sitting now?

BryceM

In response to your first post, your concern seems a bit overcautious. I regularly uproot even enormous plants and the result is a mini hurricane full of debris. Sometimes you can't even see the fish. It generally doesn't bother them at all and the water will clear in a few hours with no ill effects. Plants and fish in nature experience high sediment loads with every passing storm. They can deal with it easily enough.

Bunbuku

guaiac_boy:

You are positive . It turns out I killed more fish with my actions that the dust storm......
In regards to your second point, the aquarium is a closed system and besides don't you get a big ammonia spike afterwards and its nasty consequences, esp with Amazonia soil? I had just finished a battle with GDA few weeks prior did not feel like rematch ! Do you just do a large water change after the storm and hope for the best?