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My first wabi kusa w/ step by step pics!

14K views 46 replies 15 participants last post by  rocksmom 
#1 · (Edited)
Earlier this week I won an extremely generous RAOK from pweifan which included everything needed to make a wabi kusa. Here you can see all the supplies he sent. My only contributions were a few stems, thread, and some black flourite I had leftover.



Then I just followed his steps he posted in his wabi kusa journal. First was forming the ball and covering it in sphagnum moss. I only used about 2/3 of the clay because I was afraid it wouldn't fit in the bowl. I think it turned out to be a nice size:



Next was the moss, tied with cotton thread:



All planted:



In it's home, misted, and watered:



Sorry for the glare. I'll have to put something dark under it the next time I get a picture. Right now I have it sitting next to my 12 long with my reading lamp above it (13w cfl):



I'll post pictures in a week or so to show how the plants are doing. For those curious, here's the list:


  • Peacock moss
  • Hydrocotyle sp. Japan
  • Glossostigma elatinoides
  • Ludwigia sp.
  • Bacopa Caroliniana
  • Rotala Mini Butterfly
 
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#6 ·
#9 ·
Here ya go:





The hydrocotyle and the glosso have a ton of new growth. The moss is starting to perk up too. It's not all flattened out like it was when I first wrapped it. The stems looked terrible so I trimmed them pretty much flush with the surface. Hopefully they'll send out some new growth, but if not I'll wait until I get some emmersed growth popping out of the top of one of my tanks and add that instead.

I've been misting twice per day and am still using the 13w light. Maybe that's not enough for the stems? Should I use a 26w instead?
 
#10 ·
This is looking great so far!

I used a 13W light but not for very long. It didn't under-perform, it was just easier to use a different light fixture. So I really can't say :( I bet you'll be OK with it.

I also have used the emersed growth from a tank and those stems do a LOT better.

Thank you for posting the updated pics. I promise to post some to my thread this weekend :)
 
#16 ·
Hmm, I did plant a couple ludwigia stems, but they were more on the side. I guess a side shoot could have grown straight up from inside. At some point I guess I should actually try to learn some names instead of relying on everyone here. Haha.

Yeah, it's definitely growing a lot all of a sudden. The glosso is really reaching though, so I think I do need to increase my light after all. My desk lamp says 13w max, so I need to find a new fixture first. Maybe one of the smaller Zoo Med domes or something.
 
#18 ·
you inspired me, but I flooded mine.

I have a bad feeling the ball of clay under there is going to explode! lol! keeping my fingers crossed I am wrong!
 
#20 ·
Time for a picture update. This thing is seriously growing. I don't know if I should trim the glosso or not.





The ludwigia has grown a lot, but it's actually reaching down and has lots of sideshoots. The backside has a "bald spot" so I added a couple nodes of marsilea minuta and a little clump of dhg belem. I want to add another stem or two, but I don't have any emersed growth right now to use.
 
#21 ·
yes it flares, I found both vessels at the local thrift shop for 3 bucks each :proud:

the growth you've had is wonderful
 
#24 ·
Thanks guys :)



I haven't used any ferts at all, so just whatever was mixed in the clay. I think you said you added some osmocote? I think my flourite I have in the bottom was used, so there might have been some goodies in that too. I just mist twice a day with straight tap water and add a little extra water when the bottom looks dry. It gets some sun in the morning and then I run the light for around 12 hours. And yes, I'm still using the 13w cfl, but I keep it about 2-3" from the top of the glass.

I wish my tanks had growth like this! Haha.
 
#26 ·
I think you lied, I think it was STEROIDS. This is less than a week after the last photo:




The empty spot in the back is almost filled in with no assistance from me (the mm and dhg I added hasn't taken off yet). I'm so in love with this thing. I need to keep an eye out for a cool container to start another one or maybe just ask my husband for a little low iron cube or a Do Aqua plant glass for my birthday.
 
#27 ·
I want one so bad :( I tried to buy one off the guy who RAOK'd yours. He is extremely nice, but ran out of materials lol.

Someday I'll do a little glass just like this :)

Yours is so beautiful. I find it much neater than struggling with ferts/co2 in a full on planted aquarium.
 
#29 ·
If you're not lazy like I am it wouldn't be that hard to put together your own materials. Our soil here doesn't have the red clay like Scott sent me, so I'm thinking of trying the powdered clay you can buy at health food stores and then adding some dry fertilizer and enough water to make it the right consistency. Everything else is pretty easy to get together.

Awesome progress! The stems you used, we're they being grown emersed? Or did you just pull them out of your tank?
The ones I added that didn't make it were just straight from my tank. The ludwigia that's growing I think hitchhiked in with the glosso, and unless I'm mistaken I think they were emersed.
 
#30 ·
Stacy, this is beautiful! I'm very impressed with this. Keep up the good work :) I didn't THINK I sent you steroids, but maybe I did by mistake ;)

Mark, I'm going to be redoing one of my wabis. I can get enough supplies together for both of us if you're still interested. Just send me a PM :)
 
#31 ·
I gave my wabi kusa a pretty severe haircut today. I made the mistake of adding some ferts to my mister bottle which resulted in a lot of burnt looking leaves, especially on the glosso. They're hard to see as much in the picture, but they looked pretty bad in person.

Before:



After:



I'll get another picture in a week or so. I'm guessing it will grow back pretty fast.
 
#33 ·
There was like literally no room left in the little bowl, the plants were packed up against the glass. Yeah, I left some ludwigia. I did trim it pretty low, but there is still quite a bit in there. You can kind of see the reddish stems peeking through the glosso.

You definitely need to update yours! How many do you have going now?
 
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