# Custom Wabi Kusa



## bacarlile (Nov 6, 2005)

Here is my attempt in Wabi Kusa. Should I put an air stone or any other type of filtration? How often are people doing water changes on these?


----------



## Calavera (Dec 3, 2006)

Wow! That is really original! 
Personally I haven't had mine for so long but when the water starts to smell or look bad I guess - since you have no animals to worry about.
Some circulation might be good but the question is if it destroys the look of it...how big is that "tank" btw?


----------



## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

bucket and airtubing mouth to siphon.........


----------



## bacarlile (Nov 6, 2005)

The tank is 22" x 11" x 8"tall. It is made out of 1/4 acrylic. I made the stand after I decided on the aquascape and made the support lopsided. The light is an Osram 13w PC that came stock in the fixture that was purchased from IKEA for $15. All of the plants were collected from Shoal Creek in Austin, Texas. With acception to A. frazeri and A. nana "petite". 

I understand Anubius will lose its aquatic leaves and grow new emergent ones?


----------



## John P. (Nov 24, 2004)

Purty.


----------



## DonaldmBoyer (Aug 18, 2005)

Bacarlile--

That's an awesome Wabi Kusa!! As turtle mentioned, you can siphon off some water if it smells bad, but ideally, you really shouldn't get much of an odor. It should smell like an aquarium; just a VERY SLIGHT "pond" smell....it shouldn't smell rank, or like sulphur.

Otherwise, you could just scoop some of the water out with an old plastic cup, and top it off with clean water. Don't bother with the airstone; it shouldn't need it! Also, the anubias leaves should look the same as the submersed form, but you will get very nice flowers from it! Another good plant for a Wabi Kusa is lobellia cardinalis, as the emmersed form will send out a beautiful scarlet flower! It's very cool!


----------



## FelixAvery (Mar 29, 2007)

great looks really nice! i will put it in the gallery on my website when i get it working


----------



## david lim (Mar 30, 2004)

Don't encourage this guy. He licks salt for a living. Kidding. looks good, man. You going to put fish in it? 

David


----------



## DonaldmBoyer (Aug 18, 2005)

I agree with Dave (not about the "salt" part): I think that you should at least put a few Amano shrimp in there to keep the submersed growth free of algae......maybe some microrasboras too? Just a thought!


----------



## FelixAvery (Mar 29, 2007)

wow i just realised 22 inches is massive!
i just finished my new product "wk-start"
it is substrate plus pot in one packadge , do you mind telling us how you arranged the substrate here and what you used
also can we have a closer fts?


----------



## freakmonkey1423 (Jan 21, 2007)

I really like this one, it is so clean. It is good to see more people from central Texas too!


----------



## FelixAvery (Mar 29, 2007)

yeh its really nice, i would like to know more so i can write about it for my site
i think it might have been done the same way as steven chongs?


----------



## FelixAvery (Mar 29, 2007)

oops dp


----------



## bacarlile (Nov 6, 2005)

*DonaldmBoyer* Thanks for the info, I love Lobellia Cardinalis. I tried putting 2 amanos, and 2 cherry shrimp in the day after I set it up, they died. I guess I jumped the gun a little, I'll try again soon. The tank runs at 70 degrees so it is a little cool, but can't amanos live down to 65 degree temps?

*FelixAvery* Putting a pic on your site would be great. I followed your thread and Steven Chongs as well as a little inspiration from the 2006 ADA catalog. As for substrate, I used a Dupla fert. tablet and some Dupla laterite mixed into my local river mud. In central Texas, we have limestone in pretty much everything, so I added a small piece of wood to soften the water.

*Davidlim* Yes, I am coming over to the "greenside". I have such a love hate relationship with reefs, so I'm going to stay green for a while. Keep a look out for a thread on my new ADA tank, It will sit on a custom walnut stand and have all of the ADA accesories (lilly pipe, CO2 beatle, Solar 150) etc.

*freakmonkey1423* Thanks for the kind words.

I didn't know there would be so much interest in this little thing, I'll take some more pics and post them. I have been looking for an excuse to use my new D40x.


----------



## bacarlile (Nov 6, 2005)

Eye Candy


----------



## david lim (Mar 30, 2004)

Is Jeff and Mike hooking you up with ADA stuff? I'd like to see your ADA setup once you get good pictures of it. I've only got a 58g now, and am too busy to really maintain it anymore. How thick is the plexi 1/4"?

Let's see some progress pics over time. I'd be interested in how things turn out.


BTW... brian is one of the best saltwater guys in Austin. Not to cause trouble or anything, but he knows his dooey when it comes to SW. 

David


----------



## bacarlile (Nov 6, 2005)

Is this cheating? I made another wabi out of a little acrylic tank and drilled holes in the back of it and glued two pieces of ridgid airline tubing. I attached a Tom aquatics "aqualifter" and installed an inline fuel filter that I got at Autozone. Before attaching it, i filled it partially with some carbon and a little Seachem purigen. This may be going a little over board, but I thought it would be fun. The hard scape isn't done yet, as i hate the stones that I bought. I am going to look for some tomorrow.














































Your thoughts, criticisms?


----------



## zQ. (Dec 15, 2006)

nothing to think ! Its just fantastic !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## DonaldmBoyer (Aug 18, 2005)

The latest WK seems to be a bit "overwhelming" for the tank it's in. I would suggest something other than bamboo......I'll hold off judgement on the second one until you finish it  The first one you did remains my favorite WK, though! You did an excellent job on the first one, and I would assume the second one will be fine too once it is redone.


----------



## bacarlile (Nov 6, 2005)

Donald, Thanks for your thoughts. Maybe I'll save the bamboo for a longer flatter tank. I just discovered a new pond store here in Austin that i am going to visit this weekend to look for those perfect plants, and rocks.


----------



## taoyeah (Aug 8, 2007)

great!!!


----------



## Mellonman (Nov 2, 2005)

bacarlile said:


> Eye Candy


Hi Bacarlile,

Great work.
Can you tell me what this little "hill" is made of ?
Doesn't it melt down a little in the water ?


----------

