Coincidental Success: Kiran's Do!Aqua 20cm Wabi Kusa Cube

[Geniusdudekiran]

Most recent photo:

Story
Hey everyone. As many of you know, I've been making lots of Wabi Kusa lately and selling them, but I've also been keeping many for myself. I've wanted to do this for a while now, so when my dad told me he would be going to San Francisco on a business trip, I made sure he could go to AFA and pick up a Do!Aqua 20-C for me. He was in a rush, so I called AFA and placed my order over the phone so they could have the tank ready as soon as he got there. Props to the AFA people for being so organized and easy-going.

Scape
This tank is going to be comprised simply of four Wabi Kusa and water. I already have the Wabi Kusa on hand, so once I get the tank I'll be in business.

Most recent shot:


Here are the photos of the Wabi Kusa I will be using and the way I'll be arranging them in the 20-C. Let me know what you think, I want to hear your opinions!

















I'm psyched to get the tank here, I'll post a photo of where the tank will sit soon. Enjoy!

[tropicalmackdaddy]

Sweet wabis, are they going to be submerged or emersed? Should be awesome....

[Geniusdudekiran]

Thanks! This will be an emmersed Wabi Kusa display. Should be awesome indeed.

The tank is getting here on Wednesday.

[mythin]

What do you use in the middle of your balls? I attempted one a while back with sphagnum moss that I had left over from some carnivorous plant stuff, it kind of worked but there was a lot of debris, maybe the moss was too cheap a quality. Those look really nice though, I have a bunch of floating stems in one of my tanks and this might be my next project.

[Geniusdudekiran]

Originally Posted by mythin

What do you use in the middle of your balls? I attempted one a while back with sphagnum moss that I had left over from some carnivorous plant stuff, it kind of worked but there was a lot of debris, maybe the moss was too cheap a quality. Those look really nice though, I have a bunch of floating stems in one of my tanks and this might be my next project.

It is sphagnum moss. It's taken much experience to get them to this point.

[windfish]

Originally Posted by mythin

What do you use in the middle of your balls? I attempted one a while back with sphagnum moss that I had left over from some carnivorous plant stuff, it kind of worked but there was a lot of debris, maybe the moss was too cheap a quality. Those look really nice though, I have a bunch of floating stems in one of my tanks and this might be my next project.

I managed to reduce the amount of debris coming off my wabi-kusa by submersing my sphagnum clumps in a bowl of water and shaking them out both before and after wrapping them with thread. It was also helpful to wrap them again once they'd been planted and sitting in water for a week or so.

[Da Plant Man]

Hey! Those plants look familiar!

This is going to be amazing. Is it just going to be these balls or is there going to be a hardscape included?

[Geniusdudekiran]

Originally Posted by Da Plant Man

Hey! Those plants look familiar!

This is going to be amazing. Is it just going to be these balls or is there going to be a hardscape included?

Indeed they should, my loyal supplier!

At least for now, it will be just the Wabi Kusa.

[Geniusdudekiran]

The tank is in -- enjoy this teaser shot while I take the rest of them.

[Geniusdudekiran]

I'm already loving this setup. The only thing I might change is I might move the Wabi Kusa (all four of them) upwards and a little to the right some. I'm all for empty space but I think this is a bit too much. Either I'll move it, or place another Wabi Kusa in the front right.

As you can see, it's covered some right now. Because my plants come in used to high humidity, it can take some time to acclimate them to an open-top tank. I will be covering the tank and slowly peeling it back over the next 1-2 weeks to acclimate it. That said, my plant suppliers are working on lowering the humidity of the plants before they even get to me. This setup will be misted 1-3 times per day.

[somewhatshocked]

Great little setup!

Now it's time for you to buy one of those automatic reptile/amphibian misters made by ZooMed and the like so it can be put on auto pilot.

[nerdariostomp]

I vote that you just track down one of the do!aqua waterfall tanks Looks very nice though. I need to get some wabi kusa to keep on a HOB filter

[Geniusdudekiran]

Originally Posted by somewhatshocked

Great little setup!

Now it's time for you to buy one of those automatic reptile/amphibian misters made by ZooMed and the like so it can be put on auto pilot.

Thanks Jake!

I'm actually trying to keep this as simple as possible, just as a proof-of-concept type thing (hence the title). The only wire I plan to have associated with this setup is the light. If I were to set up an automated Wabi Kusa setup though, I'd most definitely be using a mister!

[@marko@]

you may get some algae on the submerged glass, but it looks really nice as long as you can keep it clean.

[tropicalmackdaddy]

I would get some la plata sand, that would look really sick and good against the plant