Grey Mountain Valley is our flagship Iwagumi aquascape and the planted aquarium that got us connected within the aquascaping community. Planning for this large Iwagumi layout took nearly eight months, largely due to finding and selecting stones that matched in texture, scale, and proportion.

In total, 150+ pounds of stone were used for the final layout, paired with three 9L bags of Tropica Aquarium Soil. In order to maintain stable substrate slopes, large, flatter stones were placed at the base of the main hardscape to prevent collapse as the substrate settled over time. Structural integrity was super important with this scape!

We planted 17 cups of Micranthemum ‘Monte Carlo’ tissue culture. Each portion was carefully divided and planted in half-inch increments across the layout. Thanks to the “high-tech” nature of the planted aquarium (strong lighting, heavy CO2 injection, and nutrient-dense substrate), we were able to grow a full aquarium carpet within a months time.

This Iwagumi planted aquarium was designed with long-term success in mind and remained running for several years before eventually being dismantled. While it is no longer active, it remains one of our favorite aquascapes to date and we still receive questions about it!