# Emersed growth trial....wabikusa



## manini

I just wanted to share some photos of my attempt to do wabikusa. Most of them are 2 weeks old.


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## TNguyen

nice!


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## TNguyen

Are you using any kind of soil (ada?) and ball it up? 

How much does that top cost? ound: ok, my bad, I just want to use the pound smilie.


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## manini

Ball is made up of peat/ada soil center and sphagnum moss wrapped around it with cotton thread. So far working good. As for the cover.... saran wrap...


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## manini

Update....

Here are some new photos of my wabikusa set up. From terrarium style (tank covered with cellophane)to acclimating them into an air conditioned atmosphere (open tank). As you can see, they are starting to acclimate well. There are some dried up leaves on some of them but the newer leaves are doing fine.


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## ombcat

what type of lightning are you using?
wilma


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## hooha

very cool - are these going for sale or for a specific tank?


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## manini

ombcat - I am using a Tek 24x4 with 2 midday and 2 aquaflora by giesemann.

hooha - They were just experiments but finding that people are showing some interest in them. We will see how it goes.


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## Texex94

That is sooooo cool! I want to do something with some cool tanks I have, but my cat is a pest when it comes to stuff like this. Maybe I can do this at work. Can you describe how much of each component you use to put this together? Any type of fertilization?

Texex94


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## Zapins

Nice! 

How are you keeping them moist enough? Is there water flowing past the soil over the shelves?


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## manini

Thanks. Yes, water is flowing from the top of the shelf down to the bottom. Moisture is absorbed from the balls.



Zapins said:


> Nice!
> 
> How are you keeping them moist enough? Is there water flowing past the soil over the shelves?


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## fishlover

Great project!! I was wondering if you could post a picture of the "ball" of substrate so that I (& we) may better understand how it is done? Also, I'm guessing the ball cannot be submersed, as can the ADA ones?
Thank You


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## manini

fishlover said:


> Great project!! I was wondering if you could post a picture of the "ball" of substrate so that I (& we) may better understand how it is done? Also, I'm guessing the ball cannot be submersed, as can the ADA ones?
> Thank You


I am currently submersing the balls to see what will happen. I must say so far so good. The ADA balls from what I have seen can be submersed.


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## ombcat

I wonder how coconut fiber would work
wilma


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## hedson_25

peat moss, ada, cotton trhead? mmmm


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## chadly

Thats pretty neat! great idea. I'd like to see one with hydrocotyle verticillata...


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## armedbiggiet

is that an ADA wabikusa tank??


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## manini

Its a Do!Aqua 60cm waterfall made by ADA. Cool kit tank. It comes with a glass spray bar and glass intake.


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## MartialTheory

Thats amazing. I never heard of that tank from ada before. Is it only for japan?


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## armedbiggiet

I know ADA have it but I never know DO!Aqua also have it.


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## snail_chen

Do you do this for sale or just for fun?


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## Shad0w

how did you keep the plant leaf from drying? do you need to spray water regularly? I bought 1 ball from Japan but after a while the leaf start drying.


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## hedson_25

one of the best things i have seen on this forum.


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## simwiz

Please, more info about how to set up those beautiful balls of nature!


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## xx123j

I have no real knowledge of growing emersed, but I've heard that the current trend is the grow the plants in moss as the substrate.

I'm interested if anyone has ever tried to grow emersed plants in a marimo ball (I know they aren't moss, but I think the effect could the same).


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## ragus1965

that emerged is very good greetings from Argentina


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## Reginald2

It does look like the nicest display I've ever seen. This is a really cool project. I don't think I would have looked twice at anything like this before. You've really pulled off something neat here.


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## manini

Wow, cool to see this thread is being viewed! Thanks for all of the positive response. I have been busy lately but I do have a few photos of other wabikusa displays. Hope you guys enjoy them.


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## niko

NICE!

--Nikolay


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## Shrimp

Beautiful!


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## simwiz

Manini, these new ones are beautiful!!!!!


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## foofooree

Wow! Simply amazing. I think I'll go make one now...


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## GotTanked

Maybe these are dumb questions, and if so please forgive me...

Are you fertilizing only via the substrate of the ADA soil/peat and moss? Is the water just dechlor'd tap water, RO/DI, or some special mix? Any additives?

Looks great


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## Crispino Ramos

are the brown leaf tips caused by low humidity? is it labor intensive?


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## manini

Thanks for all of your kind comments! Yes everyone should try it.



GotTanked said:


> Maybe these are dumb questions, and if so please forgive me...
> 
> Are you fertilizing only via the substrate of the ADA soil/peat and moss? Is the water just dechlor'd tap water, RO/DI, or some special mix? Any additives?
> 
> Looks great


I also use Do!Aqua Be green for fertilizing. Normal dechlored tap is used.


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## manini

Crispino Ramos said:


> are the brown leaf tips caused by low humidity? is it labor intensive?


Yes. Acclimating them into a dryer environment slower will reduce the problem and no, I do not think it is labor intensive. I don't have to deal with algae blooms!


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## wearsbunnyslippers

hey manini,

these are awesome!

do the hide sides of the glass containers help keep the humidity up, coz i tried this in a shallower container and my plants keep going crispy...


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## manini

wearsbunnyslippers said:


> hey manini,
> 
> these are awesome!
> 
> do the hide sides of the glass containers help keep the humidity up, coz i tried this in a shallower container and my plants keep going crispy...


Yes, I think so. Just an fyi, all of these photos are of specimens in an air condition room.


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## ata326

They look amazing... Good luck! Did you success in growing HCs?


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## BradH

These Wabi kusa look great.


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## hedson_25

now, you see. you should make a blog aout of this im sure you will have many followers...


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## drongo12

if you have a large environment, to maintain humidity you can put an old aquarium heater in a bowl of water and set it for 90 degrees, that will ensure humidity and raise the temperature!


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## asukawashere

Shiny.... now I kind of want to give it a shot...


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## JustLikeAPill

I was wanting to make a wabi-kusa display with one of the do!aqua vases....

but where could I get one like this in America? 

Would it be rude to ask how much something like this would cost?


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## helgymatt

What plants can grow on driftwood that is sticking out the top of an aquarium. I want to put some plants there, but worry they will get scorched from the light. Are some plants adapted to this well? They will not be misted.


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## Michael

Try fig ivy, _Ficus pumila_. It doesn't mind having its roots in water and leaves in the air with high light and lower humidity.


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## justin182

Simple stunning （・◇・）/~~~


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## manini

helgymatt said:


> What plants can grow on driftwood that is sticking out the top of an aquarium. I want to put some plants there, but worry they will get scorched from the light. Are some plants adapted to this well? They will not be misted.


Many aquatic plants can grow out emerged naturally in your tank. Try by just letting the plant reach the top of the tank and not cutting it. They acclimate themselves naturally ...e.g polygonyums. good luck.


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## manini

justin182 said:


> Simple stunning （・◇・）/~~~


Thanks.


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## m3177o

i like how its organized like steps. did you custom make that or purchase it somewhere? i was thinking of making one also, but out of plexi glass. gave up because it was too expensive to buy the thicker one.


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## manini

It is a ADA product. It is called a Do!Aqua 60P waterfall. Comes with a glass spray bar and intake.



m3177o said:


> i like how its organized like steps. did you custom make that or purchase it somewhere? i was thinking of making one also, but out of plexi glass. gave up because it was too expensive to buy the thicker one.


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## joshvito

any update on these Wabi-Kusa ?


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## AzFishKid

Updates!
If you don't mind me asking, how much did the Do!Aqua Waterfall tank cost you? I haven't been able to find a price tag anywhere on the internet. I'm sure it was a small fortune...


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## manini

Sorry, no updates. Took the tank down to test out my wabi-kusa to see if they would break down submersed. So far they are doing fine. Others that I've kept emerged look more like a ball of roots.


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## Coralite

Great stuff, thanks for sharing Mani.


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## -Mitch-

Any updates?!?


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