# Iwagumi - Dragon's Land DSM



## JapanBlue (Mar 12, 2009)

Hey ppl,

Want to share my new project with you...

Hope you enjoy! Any criticism and comments are welcome!



I am using Nature Soil by Oliver Knott for this Dry Start and I can see first progress with the plants.


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## doubleott05 (Jul 20, 2005)

what kinda stones are you using?
lighting?
plants?

tell us everything...please


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## JapanBlue (Mar 12, 2009)

I use Ohko or Dragon Stones.
Lighting: 13W + 15W PL Bulb 3000K and 6500K
Plants: only Hemianthus callitrichoides but I will add Eleocharis species


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## JapanBlue (Mar 12, 2009)

A quick update!

Feel free to comment!



Click on the picture to enlarge!


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## doubleott05 (Jul 20, 2005)

not much change..


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## goldier (Feb 13, 2010)

Konbanwa. I like all Iwagumi rock arrangement. And this one reminds me of an asteroid blast happened not too long ago, making the rocks open as a blossom


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## barakainus (Jun 11, 2009)

Love the stones. their placement too.


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## JapanBlue (Mar 12, 2009)

Hey there,

today I filled it with water!

I would appreciate to here some critics from you!!!



Please click on the picture to enlarge it!


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## doubleott05 (Jul 20, 2005)

now theres some growth.. what size is your tank?
actually give us all the stats fo your tank

ferts
co2
lighting
filter

the works


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## SirKappa (Apr 19, 2010)

The stones are beautiful. I used these in a nano before and noticed that the stones are very soft and will in a sense deteriorate in the water. I am not sure if they raise the KH or GH though.

If I may say, the layout of the rocks looks too even or symmetrical. Personally I think the Iwagumi is one of the hardest things to hardscape. It's very simple yet very complex..... just like chopsticks. LOL


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

SirKappa,

I got 2 funny things to say to you:

1. You can learn how to do an iwagumi here:
http://www.aquajournal.net/na/iwagumi/index.html

I don't entirely enjoy doing things by following what many people before me have done. I also don't understand iwagumi, the japanese notion that the rocks maybe living creatures that interact and things like that. To a successful iwagumi is to try real hard to fit within certain rules. No matter what you do with your tank (iwagumi or not) you will always revert back to their rules - they cannot be really broken. I must be wrong but I don't find that too hard if you have a picture showing you how to place the rocks. Follow the link I gave and see if you disagree with me.

2. The rocks don't need to be Japanese.
In Lancaster county, Pensilvania I saw tons of grey rocks with white veins just like the ones ADA uses in some of their tanks. Particularly iwagumis like this:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2009/9/freshwater_album/iwagumi_small.jpg

The stones with holes are something else though. Nice! You will have to order them from ADA probably. Then follow the iwagumi placement pictures and enjoy. 

--Nikolay


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