[greenman857]

Not sure where to post so I posted here and i journal hope that's OK?
While most of these are not as beautiful as the Japanese versions, I've really enjoyed experimenting with the concept and its great for producing little mini plant groups/habitats. They are grown in an aquarium with very high humidity. And they seem to adjust to full submersed very well.

One that has really started to fill in and mature

Just made

Several weeks later

Getting the hang of it

1 week

The above, grown on and then submerged for 2 weeks

Short cylinder

Coming up the Wabi globe

 

[Kai808]

Very Cool!

 

[algarciajr]

I am a planted tank noob, what is Wabi?

 

[skindy]

This is so awesome! I love how different and unique each little ball of growth is.

 

[greenman857]

oops sorry Wabi-kusa
http://mywabikusaproject.wordpress.com/2011/11/22/what-is-wabikus/
This is a good link explaining it

https://www.google.com/images?um=1&...mozilla:en-US:official&q=侘び草&biw=1145&bih=586
Japanese google search

this one I made by tying plants around a rock with fishing line, some people use thread that will decompose

 

[zachary908]

Nice, I might experiment and make some with my Ranunculus Inundatus. What do you use for substrate?

 

[greenman857]

Yeah it seems to work really well for pushing or coddling plants along. I have one with some Utricularia graminifolia that I'm trying to get going. The high light really gets things growing and you never have problems with algae
Substrate is just muddy dirt I collected, which is part of the trick because you want a substrate that holds together but isn't too dense.

 

[zachary908]

I figured dirt would be a good substrate. However, when you go to place these into aquariums being dirt, does it cause issues? Breaking down and clouding the water?

 

[greenman857]

Well I guess the the trick is to let them grow emersed for a while allow the plant roots and moss to establish creating a "matrix" that doesn't get muddy.
When I first make the Wabi's and set them on thier shelf they do "leak" a little muddy water.

 

[aweeby]

Neat, a lot of people seem to be trying this out lately!
Check out this link.
http://www.rareaquaticplants.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=597&Itemid=220

 

[greenman857]

That's great, too bad I don't speak Italian.
It's interesting I haven't quite figured out the difference between Kokedama and Wabi-kusa. I believe that Wabi was coined by Amano but in fact they are/or could be considered Kokedama ?

And there a stores in Japan that have selling displays of Wabi-kusa!

http://www.thisone.co.jp/common/images/shops/12/blog/1291_image0.jpg

http://remix-net.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/113-011.jpg

 

[aweeby]

oh shoot, wrong link. There's a video in english... but i lost the link...

Yeah, there's a shop here called Aquascapes (I think manini on the forum here runs it) that sells them, or has a display at least. Super cool.

 

[greenman857]

Wabi globe

OK this is it the first step next a aquarium sized globe! Hopefully coming up

Hanging by a thread

From the top
And yes its underwater and has been for 3 weeks.