# 20 long iwagumi



## skewlboy (Jun 9, 2006)

Trying out some new stone... Hows it look? Starting w/ emersed HC setup - Ideally plan to fill in 3-4 weeks.


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## eco-mod (Oct 19, 2007)

Good start! I like the uncommon stones you are using. Only con I see is the highest rock on the left, the markings are too distracting. Draws the eye much more with the deeper thicker lines. And on a smaller note, maybe another small rock on the right of front stone on the right side, balance seems slightly off.

Can't wait to see it progress!


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## skewlboy (Jun 9, 2006)

Sad part was that I really only had the same size stone for all of it, no major difference. Stone chosen for the focal point was due to the interesting markings. Turning or leaning the stone didn't work out so well so I gave it height instead. 

Thinking of having this setup w/ CRS only or just CPD's and a hillstream loach or two.


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## SueNH (Jan 17, 2005)

I like those rocks.


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## jmontee (Feb 7, 2008)

I really like the stones. They remind me of the Easter Island heads, very interesting. Have you seen the Microrasbora erythromicron for this tank. The are really nice and I think there colors can be even more striking than the CPD's. Maybe even like 5 or six of each would be pretty interesting.


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## Pinto (Mar 22, 2008)

Awesome stones.
Interesting tank, can't wait to see how it goes.


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## skewlboy (Jun 9, 2006)

thank you all for the comments - how big are those rasboras??


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## uglybuckling (Jun 28, 2004)

Very cool stones, where in the world did you get them? I've been to multiple landscapers, seen all of Amano's rock line, and seen...5 years of planted tanks now on this and other forums, and have never seen that type of rock before.


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## skewlboy (Jun 9, 2006)

ahhhhh hahaha - supposedly from ADA - hakuso stone. Sweet stuff, awesome lines. Try the ada distributors.


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## NowMed (Feb 10, 2009)

I really like your hardscape


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## skewlboy (Jun 9, 2006)

tanks comin along


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## eco-mod (Oct 19, 2007)

Got some good growth filling in! Looks good!


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## skewlboy (Jun 9, 2006)

thanks, trying to think of what to plant in my background - may end up w/ an interesting foreground w/ sibthideroides over the HC or try to moss up my stones.


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## vtchef (Jan 27, 2009)

Looks great. I wish i cold get my 20g to look something like that.


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## Travis.808 (Apr 2, 2009)

Looking good! Keep the pics coming!op2:


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## jay973 (Aug 14, 2007)

:clap2: Looks great looking forward to seeing how it matures!!!


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## flowerfishs (Mar 26, 2009)

the stones look good!


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## jmontee (Feb 7, 2008)

Sorry for the late answer but I thiink that both the CPD's and the erythromicron rasboras are about 1 inch long full grown. Pedro and Niko have them available at Invertz Factory. I am also sure they would know more about them.

About your background, maybe some eleocharis acicularis or toother taller eleocharis. Being grasses I think it would keep with the iwagumi style. If your not set on grass then a few stands of rotala indica (Ammania sp Bonsai) would look great in there IMO. It has really small leaves, adds some color and grows fairly slowly.


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## foofooree (Mar 11, 2007)

woaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh
Incredible.
aqua journal worthy.
that looks like a 75 gallon tank.
wow.
I love it.
where did you get those rocks? (nevermind, I see that they are from ada) They look like the type of rocks that I carve for terrariums out of foam and grout. 
wow.


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## foofooree (Mar 11, 2007)

skewlboy said:


> or try to moss up my stones.


don't put moss over those stones!
(imo)


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## skewlboy (Jun 9, 2006)

It is still filling in well - tempted to jump the gun and flood it now but think I'll let it grow emersed another week or so. 

I have more stone just not sure if I want to add more or take some away... Pics to come.


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## PapaLoc (Mar 5, 2006)

Looks really good! Very nice rocks, and your hardscape looks great. Here in denmark we only have som fairly boring granite and the selection in shops is lacking too.

If I had to (which I don't, but will anyway) make an observation about your hardscape it would be to maybe remove one of the rocks from the left side. Maybe even the number two from the left. They seem a bit too evenly distributed compared to the rocks on the right in my opinion. 

But that is just subjective, it might look exactly as you intended


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## skewlboy (Jun 9, 2006)

Pictures from today - changed the stones a bit.


















thinking about either some small leaved colorful plants around base of stones - can do erio australia (blood *****) or some Rotala mexicana goias for some color - whatcha think?


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## Gordonrichards (Apr 28, 2009)

Very nice, I hope I find stones as good as yours for my tank!


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## catfishbi (Sep 4, 2008)

I like your rock, what kind stone are they ?


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## foofooree (Mar 11, 2007)

That hc is growing in great!


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## MedRed (Jun 3, 2008)

looking great. have you had any issue with keeping your hill moist? I thought capillary action would keep my hill moist... but it dries out over the course of the day and I have to mist it everyday.

Goodness... i just noticed your first post was 3/31 and then the difference in your 4/04 post. Was there really only a 4 day period of time between those pictures? You've also had a tone of growth between 4/04 and 4/16. Less than a two week period. crazy. Can you give details on what you're doing? lighting duration? misting? fertilizing? etc.


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## BenBOMB (Apr 25, 2009)

I've always wanted to do a planted tank in a longer tank, I have a 20G long aswell, only problem is now it's in use for a yellow shrimp breeder, and don't have the money for new lighting.


Really love your rock work though, can't wait for the HC carpet to grow in.

Are you planning on adding any other plants?


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## skewlboy (Jun 9, 2006)

Update 4/30 pic










The lighting is the 4 x 24 T5 sundial fixture - was going overboard when I had it emersed - lighting was 14 hrs a day. Had some clado and some hair algae growing in the low spots and the hill wasn't growing well emersed. Next time I run it I will do a mister I think or grow it out flat then build hills once I have a nice carpet and cut out chunks for the rocks.

When I filled it I still had the slight ammonia spike but allowing it to semi cycle w/ some mulm while the carpet grew I think helped wipe out most of the early peaks. I have yellow shrimp, 3 amano, 1 oto and a flag fish in there now for algae patrol. Getting some green spot algae and few hair algae. Rocks are now getting the "aged" look with the algae on them.


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## BenBOMB (Apr 25, 2009)

Looks good, your plants are really growing in well. You planning on adding any small plants around the rocks?


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## MedRed (Jun 3, 2008)

that's interesting skewlboy... my hills are growing much better than my low areas. I'm running 12 hours of 150w Metal Halide. I will pass the 3 week mark this Friday. I think I'm going to grow it out for 2 months or more.

Your tank is looking nice. Kind of reminds me of stonehenge or Easter Island


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## skewlboy (Jun 9, 2006)

got some rotala goias growing as a carpet in between some stones right now - looks amazingly red. took out the rotala green on the right. Have some elatine triandra around the main stone on the left (larger leaf w/ a lighter green color really makes it pop  )


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## MARIMOBALL (Jun 20, 2007)

I know everyone said those are awesome stones, But now its my turn. Those are some awesome looking stones :hail:! Ok got that out of the way. You say they are ADA stone but where did you get them ADG AFA? Are you here the U.S.? The tank is looking great. CPD's don't really school. I always say to go with green neons, but in this small tank I will recommend blue axelrodi or the green Kubotai. They are both small fish and school together pretty good. Please PM the info to where to purchase the stones...


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## skewlboy (Jun 9, 2006)

Got them local through my LFS and he got them as a trial from his ADA source. Scavenged as many of the good ones as I could.. 

I'll definately look into the small schooling fish as I'm likely going to make this a CRS tank over the winter (too hot upstairs for the summer but will be wanting to isolate out some of my different graded CRS and play mad scientist for breeding purposes) 

Need to trim down my HC as it is getting THICK. 
Elatine triandra is filling in well. Goias is going nuts. Ahhh wonders of high light, co2 and ferts... of course the AS doesn't hurt...


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## MARIMOBALL (Jun 20, 2007)

You still did not answer my question. Where is this LFS? PM me the details please.


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## skewlboy (Jun 9, 2006)

Store is called Aquatouch in Phoenix, they are out of the stone and don't know when it will be available again. They have a website and you can email them if you like... aquatouch.com (they do salt and freshwater)


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