# 10g Freshwater Iwagumi Tank



## Jon in SW Ohio (Oct 19, 2008)

I've posted pics of this tank on here before, but figured it deserved it's own thread since it's a work in progress.

Iwagumi is an aquatic landscaping style focusing on simplicity and balance, and gives a nice "clean" look I always liked. I originally tried doing the carpeting in Java Moss, but it is just too "wild growing" of a plant to pull off the clean turf look I wanted.

Here it is before I pulled up the moss carpet and switched over to a 70w metal halide.







And here it is now with the beginnings of a Hemianthus callitrichoides carpet that should completely fill in over the next couple months


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## smartie2000 (Oct 19, 2008)

:clap: my fresh water tanks don't look as good!

I wish they sold glo-fish here. Do they reproduce for you?


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## Jon in SW Ohio (Oct 19, 2008)

Nope, and according to one of my fish guru friends they are irradiated when they hatch to make them sterile 

I'm hoping that isn't the case, because I'd love to see the progeny of the different colors breeding together. They might end up in a different tank once everything is grown in and replaced with Cardinal Tetras.


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## Yoyo_Jo (Oct 20, 2008)

Sweet! :clap:


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## NYEric (Oct 20, 2008)

I think the newer plants will achieve the 'look' better, but I still can't believe adults keep glow-fish!! oke:


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## Jon in SW Ohio (Oct 20, 2008)

In all fairness I still get carded for cigarettes...


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## NYEric (Oct 20, 2008)

OK, then. We're all kids to someone anyway. 
PS, stop smoking! oke:


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## practicallyostensible (Oct 20, 2008)

Is that HC!? Good luck, I've only had luck wth this on 3-4wpg and CO2.


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## Jon in SW Ohio (Oct 20, 2008)

Yup, that's HC.

The people on the planted tank forum think I'm nuts for running a 70w MH, but I'm guessing a lot of people have trouble with it because they don't have enough light. It's a plant that doesn't just grow underwater, and to me that says good light. Now if I could just find a local source for Pogostemon helferi to replace that Anubias on the rocks I'd be set!

And Eric you'll be glad to know, once this tank is settled in I plan on keeping Cardinal Tetras in this tank. The only problem is this tank is maintaining a pH of 8.2 and a KH of 17...which is insanely high.


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## NYEric (Oct 20, 2008)

Why yes pH sounds redunculous!!


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## swamprad (Oct 20, 2008)

Looks great Jon!


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## biothanasis (Oct 21, 2008)

The new look seems better to my eyes!!!! Lovely!!!


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## dave b (Oct 21, 2008)

Jon in SW Ohio said:


> Yup, that's HC.
> 
> 
> 
> And Eric you'll be glad to know, once this tank is settled in I plan on keeping Cardinal Tetras in this tank. The only problem is this tank is maintaining a pH of 8.2 and a KH of 17...which is insanely high.



What type is the substrate? As im sure you know, substrates and decor rocks used can contribute to high pH and hardness. Whats you plan for the water?

Cant wait to see the Cardinal Tetras. One of my favorite small fishes. 

Many years ago, a friend set up a 75 ish gallon tank. It was custom and square in shape. He put one very large piece of driftwood in the center, then added a big school (25-30 / half lot) of Cardinal or Neon Tetras. I dont remember which. It was an awesome display.


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## Jon in SW Ohio (Oct 22, 2008)

I'm using Eco Complete for substrate and have no idea what the rocks in the tank are, I just liked the looks of them at the pet store.

A former forum member and fish guru seems to think Cardinals will do fine in these conditions, they just probably won't breed without soft water. The main thing is to acclimate them slowly. I'm still doing all my water changes with RO water to see if that makes a difference.

I think now I need to spruce up my moss farm tank and get some Fundulopanchax gardneri nigerianus since I keep catching myself Googling them....maybe a Dutch style planted tank is in my future...


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## practicallyostensible (Oct 22, 2008)

Jon in SW Ohio said:


> I'm using Eco Complete for substrate and have no idea what the rocks in the tank are, I just liked the looks of them at the pet store.
> 
> A former forum member and fish guru seems to think Cardinals will do fine in these conditions, they just probably won't breed without soft water. The main thing is to acclimate them slowly. I'm still doing all my water changes with RO water to see if that makes a difference.
> 
> I think now I need to spruce up my moss farm tank and get some Fundulopanchax gardneri nigerianus since I keep catching myself Googling them....maybe a Dutch style planted tank is in my future...



Argh, HATE dutch style. No offence, it's too planned and orderly for me, stick to Amano. oke: I love Fundulopanchax and was planning on a pair but ended up with Pseudomugil furcatus. Nice choice though. That rock will for sure make your water harder, and if Eco Complete is anything like ADA Amazonia then it will soften the water, so only time will tell what the PH will be....and then if you ever dose with ferts and add CO2 then the PH will change again. I'd say add some hair grass to the back. I've only had cardinals breed in a tank with RO water and peat in the filter, no rocks, and lots of plants and driftwood. You need some shrimp. CRS all the way! I'll post some pics of my little jems when I get home. Good Lord we're addicts. :noangel: Great start by the way, I love it, as long as I get to see updates of your tanks maybe I won't need to get another!


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## Jon in SW Ohio (Oct 23, 2008)

We're on the same page 

I just got my order of CRS (Crystal Reds for everyone else) this morning. Most are the red and white, but I got a couple black and white "normal" ones as freebies. Tomorrow night is the local bar crawl for Halloween so I won't be near a computer to post pics until Friday.

The HC is already sending out new roots on the outermost growths and creeping towards the substrate from the slight mound they are growing from. Lots of people on the other forums say they don't see any growth the first couple weeks so hopefully this is a good sign and my thumb is still green when it's under water 

Maybe the next tank for gardneris will be another one I've been envisioning with a very branching piece of driftwood or manzanita with weeping moss tied to the tips to give a bonsai or weeping willow tree look. I've seen a couple done similar with spectacular results...guess the dart frog addiction will have to wait to get started.


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## TyroneGenade (Oct 24, 2008)

Hello,

Have you considered using Echinodorus tenellus as a lawn plant? Very easy to grow, and under good lighting the leaves go a nice red.

If you like "neon" looking fish, you may want to consider Endler's livebearers. they are a striking neon green and bright orange. Best of all, they feast on algae like other livebearers which helps with algae control. They also breed like rabbits so need to worry about ever restocking your tank.

there are other neat growing mosses you could use for a lawn. visit http://www.killies.com/forum and browse the planted tank section. Taiwan moss is apparently very useful for what you desire.

Regards

P.S. its nice to meet more fishy folks on this forum. I besotted with killifish, but am re-setting up my planted tank soon...


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## Jon in SW Ohio (Oct 24, 2008)

Here's one of the new shrimp, they all look pretty much the same.

Cardinia sp. 'Crystal Red'


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## Heather (Oct 24, 2008)

They're so cute! I want some. Sigh....haven't had the cash yet to re-start the tank yet. I miss my fish!


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## biothanasis (Oct 25, 2008)

Lovely photos of the shrimp!!!! Beautiful colouration!


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## Hien (Oct 25, 2008)

Jon in SW Ohio said:


> Nope, and according to one of my fish guru friends they are irradiated when they hatch to make them sterile
> 
> I'm hoping that isn't the case, because I'd love to see the progeny of the different colors breeding together. They might end up in a different tank once everything is grown in and replaced with Cardinal Tetras.



Irradiated,such inhuman treatment to control profit , Is that why the fish seem to glow?
The shrimp look awesome.


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## streetmorrisart (Oct 25, 2008)

This is going to be a beauty. It already is really. I love the Hemianthus callitrichoides and the Cardinals are going to look great in there!!! Anubias nana is a great plant, but there's nothing "nana" about it in the end (at least in my experience). Mine are monsters--gorgeous, almost ever-blooming monsters.


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## Jon in SW Ohio (Oct 26, 2008)

Hien said:


> Irradiated,such inhuman treatment to control profit , Is that why the fish seem to glow?
> The shrimp look awesome.



No, the glowing is from a protein that makes other creatures glow naturally. The irradiation is because there was a big stink about these "Frankenstein Fish" when they were first created and one of the conditions of being able to sell them to the general public was to sterilize them so they couldn't escape into any local waterways. They're still illegal in some states as far as I know because they are genetically engineered.


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## Heather (Oct 26, 2008)

streetmorrisart said:


> Mine are monsters--gorgeous, almost ever-blooming monsters.



Have we seen pics of this Robin? oke:


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## streetmorrisart (Oct 26, 2008)

No, I don't think so, and no this isn't a good photo I just snapped in a slapdash fashion, but you get the idea. (Hope you don't mind, Jon--this doesn't need its own thread!) Peony, the Telescope Eye in the lower left, is about 6" long. The three Anubias (which were about 4" tall when I got them three summers ago) are potted up because I refuse to use gravel in the bottoms of my goldfish aquaria anymore; if you look closely, you can see roots all over the place.


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## likespaphs (Oct 26, 2008)

why don't you gravel?


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## streetmorrisart (Oct 26, 2008)

After some pretty heartbreaking losses over the years and discussions with people who are a lot more serious about keeping goldfish than I am (as in, selling and showing very expensive ones is all they do--mine are "only" pet-quality), I came to the conclusion that pulling up the gravel would greatly reduce my chances of dealing with bacterial dropsy again. A single layer of pea-sized gravel is probably fine, but with anything deeper you're asking for pockets of things you don't want your goldfish rooting around in...no matter how thoroughly you vacuum your tank, there will be pockets of anaerobic bacteria producing gasses that are toxic to your fish in a small space. It doesn't matter for fish that don't take as much joy in hunting nasty morsels of who-knows-what by overturning mouthfuls of rocks; I still use them in my tetra tank. Madness or not with the goldfish, so far so good.


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## Jon in SW Ohio (Oct 26, 2008)

Very well grown Anubias!! I can understand not using gravel on a goldfish tank, especially since that tank looks cleaner than anything I've kept!


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## streetmorrisart (Oct 26, 2008)

Thanks, Jon! Whatever though... Your tanks always look great.


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## cnycharles (Oct 28, 2008)

streetmorrisart said:


> ... It doesn't matter for fish that don't take as much joy in hunting nasty morsels of who-knows-what by overturning mouthfuls of rocks; I still use them in my tetra tank. Madness or not with the goldfish, so far so good.



when I was in college last time, I had two koi in a 20 gallon tank and man those fish would thrash around in the gravel especially at night and make a lot of noise


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## Jon in SW Ohio (Nov 10, 2008)

Update time:

In an effort to get the HC to grow and carpet the tank a bit faster, I drained the tank and moved the fish/shrimp to my overflow guppy tank. It is growing much faster, and I'm guessing in a month or two it will be ready to be filled back up. I also removed the Anubias for the time being, and am wanting to replace it with Downoi, Pogostemon helferi, once the water is back in it.










The Guppy tank, since I don't think I've posted it before:





And lastly a close-up of the Crystal Red Shrimp


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## biothanasis (Nov 11, 2008)

Nice shots of the guppy tank!!! I love it!!!

Robin, these anubias are really huge!!!!


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