The Iwagumi aquascaping style is a subset of Japanese Nature aquascaping that requires a significant amount of experience to implement and maintain. The Iwagumi style follows a general layout that requires a balance between open space, hardscape, and scale between each aspect of the design.
The word Iwagumi is used in the construction of Japanese gardens, referring to the layout of the rocks in order to recreate a natural rocky landscape. This kind of set-up must respect some principles, which are fundamental: The Iwagumi (岩組) term itself comes from the Japanese "rock formation" and refers to a layout where stones play a leading role.
The rocks must be all of the same type, color and design, to homogenize and make the layout natural, but of different size. (To know better the types of aquarium rocks see the article dedicated to the stones)
The main rock (the largest) should be placed at 2/3 of the length of the tank, according to the golden section.
The remaining rocks will be positioned near from the highest to the lower, trying to give more prespective and naturalness to the layout.
The rocks must be odd, they balance and give the layout a good armony.
when you positioning the rocks, you will need to look at the veins and orient them all in the same sense because even if of different dimensions will be chained together and accentuate the sense of water flow.
The substrate material must be distributed between the rocks trying to give depth to the layout, and having a thickness ranging from 2 -3 cm in front to over 10 – 20 cm on the background.
In the Iwagumi layouts, though it is a subjective thing and depends on your choice, Takashi Amano always uses a few species of plants, often mixing them together. Eleocharis vivipara or Blyxa echinosperma, for the back area, Riccia fluitans, Glossostigma elatinoides, Echinodorus tenellus and Eleocharis for the front areas around the stones.
The fishes which have gentle and calm behavior and are swift are considered as the best suitable option for Iwagumi. The recommended fishes are Cardinal Tetras, Rummy Nose Tetras, and Harlequin Rasboras which can be used in the aquascape. You can choose also some of the best shrimp that can thrive in Iwagumi tank.
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