I started my 12 Gallon Long as an Iwagumi setup, because I loved the simplicity and elegance of the aquascape.
Here are several shots of the tank as it grew in.
January 2013
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February 2013
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March 2013
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April 2013
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However through the course of scaping my 12 Gallon I couldn't resist buying a new plant on a weekly basis. (An addiction I'm sure many of you on APC also have a problem with).
I started IE Dosing along with my Seachem Products and my plants were growing uncontrollably. It kinda looked like a messy jungle and no longer had the clean look of an Iwagumi tank.
So I had the itch a month ago to go full dutch on the tank. Which suits my plant purchasing style. =)
Here's a quick run down of my setup.
Hardware:
12 Gallon Long - Mr. Aqua
Oddysea T5HO - 39W light - 1x6700 bulb and 10K bulb
EHeim 2213 Canister with DIY spray bar that extends the length of the tank, to avoid dead spots.
2 xDIY CO2 (Don't judge me, it works great for me :icon_lol
with a the line feeding into a drill holed in the output pipe. Works like a reactor since the spray bar is so long it gives the CO2 time to mix with the water.
Hydro in line Heater
The dimensions of the 12 gallon long are 35.4L x 8.3W x 9.4H, which small and not ideal for a dutch aquarium. Which is probably why after going through over 70 pages of the 12 Gallon long club I didnt see one single attempt at a 12G dutch.
However there are so many mini versions of plants around I figure it would just take a bit of research to find the right plants to create the same illusion of a 125G dutch aquarium (I enjoyed this part)
I want to achieve this look or get possibly very close to it.
![]()
Not my photo, wish it was =)
I had my work cut out for me since Dutch Aquariums require so many plants to give it that full and lush look. So in the pass 2 months I've been buying plants from every where and everyone.
Local auctions, Aquabid, TPT, ebay, craigslist, even Viet Wah (which is a local asian grocery store).
**Mini plug to Sean and Han for supplying my with great looking plants.
Two months later here's my species list:
Not all of them made it into the tank of course.
Im still in search of Rotala pearl mini type 1
The tank is about 97% planted now and today I received my center piece plant from sjb1987 (Sean). Eriocaulon Cinereum
Freshly planted.
![]()
I'll post more photos and eventually a full tank shot once I can get the Rotala Mini Type I planted.
Here are several shots of the tank as it grew in.
January 2013
February 2013
March 2013
April 2013
However through the course of scaping my 12 Gallon I couldn't resist buying a new plant on a weekly basis. (An addiction I'm sure many of you on APC also have a problem with).
I started IE Dosing along with my Seachem Products and my plants were growing uncontrollably. It kinda looked like a messy jungle and no longer had the clean look of an Iwagumi tank.
So I had the itch a month ago to go full dutch on the tank. Which suits my plant purchasing style. =)
Here's a quick run down of my setup.
Hardware:
12 Gallon Long - Mr. Aqua
Oddysea T5HO - 39W light - 1x6700 bulb and 10K bulb
EHeim 2213 Canister with DIY spray bar that extends the length of the tank, to avoid dead spots.
2 xDIY CO2 (Don't judge me, it works great for me :icon_lol
with a the line feeding into a drill holed in the output pipe. Works like a reactor since the spray bar is so long it gives the CO2 time to mix with the water.Hydro in line Heater
The dimensions of the 12 gallon long are 35.4L x 8.3W x 9.4H, which small and not ideal for a dutch aquarium. Which is probably why after going through over 70 pages of the 12 Gallon long club I didnt see one single attempt at a 12G dutch.
However there are so many mini versions of plants around I figure it would just take a bit of research to find the right plants to create the same illusion of a 125G dutch aquarium (I enjoyed this part)
I want to achieve this look or get possibly very close to it.
Not my photo, wish it was =)
I had my work cut out for me since Dutch Aquariums require so many plants to give it that full and lush look. So in the pass 2 months I've been buying plants from every where and everyone.
Local auctions, Aquabid, TPT, ebay, craigslist, even Viet Wah (which is a local asian grocery store).
**Mini plug to Sean and Han for supplying my with great looking plants.
Two months later here's my species list:
- Alternanthera reineckii mini
- Ammania Gracilis
- Anubias nana
- Bacopa
- Blyxa
- Cabomba
- Cardamine
- Chain swords
- Crypt wendtii
- Dwarf Sag
- Downoi
- Elatine Trianda
- Eriocaulon Cinereum
- Fissidens
- Glosso
- guppy grass
- HC - Dwarf Baby Tears
- hornwort
- Hydrocotyle SP Japan
- Hydrocotyle Verticillata
- Java fern
- Lace Java Fern
- ludwigia inclinata var. verticillata 'pantanal'
- Limnophila Aromatica wavy
- Loebalia Cardinalis Dwarf
- Ludwigia Acruata x repens
- Ludwigia sp Red
- ludwigia senegalensis
- Marsilea Minutia
- Micranthium Umbrosum
- Micro Swords
- Mosses[censored]
- Needle Leaf Ludwigia
- Pellia
- Pennywort
- ranunculus inundatus
- Riccia
- Rotala Indica
- Rotala Indica True - Ammania Bonsai
- Rotala Wallichii
- Star Grass
- Staurogyne repens
- Subwasertang
- SYNGONANTHUS SP. 'BELEM'
- Tiger Lilly
- Trident Java fern
- Utricularia graminifolia
- Water Wysteria
Not all of them made it into the tank of course.
Im still in search of Rotala pearl mini type 1
The tank is about 97% planted now and today I received my center piece plant from sjb1987 (Sean). Eriocaulon Cinereum
Freshly planted.
I'll post more photos and eventually a full tank shot once I can get the Rotala Mini Type I planted.
