Jagged Mountain is a 44-gallon Iwagumi aquascape in the ADA 90P rimless aquarium. This layout was our first venture into large planted tanks. Large setups are incredibly rewarding, but they also demand time and patience. We spent weeks adjusting the position of our Seiryu Stone before committing to the final scape layout.

From the start, the goal was to follow rules of a traditional Iwagumi. Scale matters a lot in large aquariums, so stone selection and positioning were critical to creating elevation and depth. Once the hardscape layout was finalized, everything else was built around supporting the structure rather than competing with it.

Aquatic plant choice was intentionally minimal. Dwarf Hair Grass (Eleocharis sp.) and Hemianthus callitrichoides ‘Cuba’ (HC) were planted for the classic greenery without taking focus from the stones. Patience and consistency are key with large tanks. Given enough time, carpets eventually form, the aquascape matures and the results are clean.