# My Wabi kusa journey



## Samjpikey (22 Jan 2014)

Well yea as per the title ....
Giving the old wabi kusa a go . I haven't actually done a lot of research on the different methods but I have briefly read through the ones on ukaps and decided to give it a shot , another project involving aquatic plants !! Why not  

I found a glass bowl at home bargains for £2.99 
190mmx 170 mm (not the biggest but big enough) 

I made the light from some offcuts of wood from work , mitred them and glued it together, stained in a medium oak. 

The bulb is a gu10 4 watt 4200kelvin 45 degree lense - £2.99 home bargains. I wired it up and it works brilliantly. 

The plants I've used are from underwatergarden (eBay seller) 
 Echinodorus tenellus
Hydrocotyle Sp. Japan
Cryptocoryne Beckettii
Hc Cuba 
Anubias nana 

I've used java moss and spagnum moss for the wabi ball .






The wabi ball is made with garden soil ( the soil is like a clay where I live) with a cat litter core , 
I was going to use Ada Amazonia but I didn't want to open the sealed bag just for a little bit . 
I'm hoping that the cat litter will absorb the nutrients from the water and then sufficiently provide the plants with what they need .




Once the ball was made I wrapped it in spagnum moss with fishing line followed by a some java moss





I then planted all the plants with tweezers , made a nice hole and pushed them straight in . 






I really don't know how I managed to get all the plants that I did onto the ball but wabi kusa are meant to be wild so at least I'm on the right track  

I poured in some sand and placed a few lava rocks into the bottom for my wabi ball to sit on.
I'm hoping the moss will slowly creep over the lava rocks (hoping)  
The ball just about fitted through the opening hahah, I added some dry ferts into some water and poured in so the bottom of the ball is slightly submerged .
I have no idea how much ferts to mix Into the water I just dosed Ei as per 500ml . Also not entirely sure how often to change the water . 
Misted the plants with water then covered with cling film
I'm planning to spray about 3 times a day for the 1st week then reduce it over 3-4 weeks along with slightly opening the cling film untill it completely acclimatized. 
I've also set the light for 10hours a day, and again I'm not sure if this is the norm .
















Cheers  

I have no idea how this is going to turn out or if it fails miserably. But I'm hoping it grows in nicely . 


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## Michael W (22 Jan 2014)

Sam it is looking very nice! I really recommend getting Pogostemon Erectus, their purple flowers are just amazing!


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## Lindy (22 Jan 2014)

That looks brilliant, I'm really impressed how good it looks. Makes me want to have a go.

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## Samjpikey (22 Jan 2014)

I really don't know how I would fit any more plants in there but I'll take note of that one  

I think there should be a dedicated section for wabi kusas 
They are only small and I guess they don't take up much time at all so I recommend doing one. 



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## Deano3 (22 Jan 2014)

wow very impressed mate and thanks for sharing how you done it, like you say I think I will watch yours and off works out give it a go lovely on kitchen bench or small living room table , will  be watching progress mate and I hope fills in nicely, obviously they all low light plants ?

Dean


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## Samjpikey (26 Jan 2014)

Well there has been no sign of any die off yet  


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## Michael W (26 Jan 2014)

Looks sweet in a top view. Wabis do make it feel like you have took a piece of nature into the house and in my opinion more so than aquariums.


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## Antoni (26 Jan 2014)

Looking lovely! It's brilliant to see more of those small gems around the UKAPS  I think this one will turn to be a real winner


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## Samjpikey (8 Feb 2014)

Just an update pic ,

All seems to be growing fine , give it a month or 2 and this will be a bushy interesting thing to look at  


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## Samjpikey (9 Feb 2014)

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## tim (9 Feb 2014)

Looks good Sam, roll on spring so I can get some windowsill wabi's on the go


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## Samjpikey (9 Feb 2014)

This is my window cill version , it's been completely sealed for over a month, it has some soil ,10ml of water and I've glued the cap on , it's actually an old tequila bottle from Mexico. The plan is to leave it forever  


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## Samjpikey (2 Mar 2014)

Just an update pic , at the moment I spray this twice a day , I haven't changed the water in the bottom for a few weeks and it actually has a surface scum and smells funny hahah I'm just lazy and won't change it or clean the glass , but all is growing well  


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## Mats A (2 Mar 2014)

Nice. Love it


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## Samjpikey (2 Mar 2014)

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## faizal (2 Mar 2014)

Wow,....that's looking magical mate. And this being your first attempt at it makes it even better. Congratulations Sam on an amazing wabi kusa....you are a natural


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## aliclarke86 (2 Mar 2014)

Careful of bga in the water mate it creeps in out of sight. Looks great dude

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## Samjpikey (4 Apr 2014)

My new Uk plant bowl 




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## Samjpikey (4 Apr 2014)

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## faizal (5 Apr 2014)

Settling in very nicely mate. I am  imagining your house with so many little green corners set up at strategic places . Such an eye candy to return to after a hard day's work.


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## Mats A (5 Apr 2014)

How often do you spray it? Haven't tried tripartita emersed yet


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## aliclarke86 (8 Apr 2014)

Hydrocotle tripiartita will grow emersed super easy, I left some in the shed over winter and it survived 

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## jarcher1390 (11 Apr 2014)

That looks great! Interesting concept I've never come across. Makes me wanna buy a glass bowl and give it a shot.

Regards Jonny


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## Samjpikey (15 Apr 2014)

Here is my non aquatic plant glass bowl 


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## Samjpikey (15 Apr 2014)

faizal said:


> Settling in very nicely mate. I am  imagining your house with so many little green corners set up at strategic places . Such an eye candy to return to after a hard day's work.





Very true . 

I love plants and the way they thrive and grows, So any excuse to get some growing is always a good thing. 

The wabi is pretty much growing out of the bowl now , will upload a pic soon . 
Cheers 


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## Samjpikey (28 May 2014)

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## ADA (28 May 2014)

Wow that Tripartita has taken over lol I found its great in lower wabi bowls as it tends to grow more to the sides that way, how are the plants underneath it?


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## Samjpikey (28 May 2014)

Ive just trimmed it actually as it was creeping on the surface of the cabinet ! 

If you look closely there is some staurogyne repens making an appearance at the top .
And surprisingly there is some life still on the wabi ball  


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## ADA (28 May 2014)

Oh yeah I see it now lol


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## Samjpikey (8 Oct 2014)

The previous wabi kusa overgrew and went mad then dried out and died when I was holiday hahaha  

So here's a new one


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## REDSTEVEO (10 Oct 2014)

Hi Samjpikey,

It seems we are all getting the Wabi Kusa bug. Since you and others have posted about their Wabi Kusa experiences I decided to have a go, although I am not sure they are true Wabi Kusa's, more like miniature indoor gardens.

I had some left over plants when I planted the Full Monty and plenty of aqua soil, Powersand and other bits of wood ans stuff, so i nipped out and bought some jars to have a go.





There is a mixture of tropical plants and some moss and stuff I found in the garden some, Staurgyrene, Rotal Macranda and Monte Carlos in both jars.








Thanks for the inspiration!!

Steve.


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## Samjpikey (10 Oct 2014)

That looks Awesomes  
They do look great and add a great addition to evening lighting .


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## REDSTEVEO (10 Oct 2014)

You are not wrong, I think my missus likes them better than my tank!


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## Samjpikey (31 Oct 2014)




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