Rise of the Iwasabi-Kusa

[jack-rythm]

OK everyone,

After speaking to lots of people about wabi-kusa style set ups I wanted to give this a shot.. This is more a fast track journal.. Photos and updates, just to run along with my triptych when I'm waiting for things to do..

I started off getting a lovely bowl from my local store for 6.00 pound! So went with that. I must absolutely stress that my method is my own, it may work it may not, it may be pointless, it may not, this is a test and I thought it was about me trying something new .

I decided to throw some driveway pebbles in the bottom of the bowl, two reasons I guess.. One was to raise the level of the overall wabi without piling to much together and second was to allow movement under the substrate, I know there is no flow so may be pointless but it made sense in my head lol .

Then I went for peat as a second very thin layer, I have now realised this was not really required, but no harm done.

Then I finished it with some ADA amazonia

I then scaped with some left over mini landscape rock I had

And then I took some excess Cuba that had been growing in my triptych since AL and placed it around the scape. When this takes off and spreads it will look amazingly hopefully

I hope you can all leave your advice and tips and comments .

Sent from my Nexus 7

 

[MARKCOUSINS]

Very interesting like it mate.Cheers mark

 

[jack-rythm]

Very interesting like it mate.Cheers mark

Thanks mate, its all a new thing so just going for it. At the moment I'm covering it in cling film and spraying it, my aim is to acclimatise it and allow it to adapt nice and slowly

Sent from my Nexus 7

 

[Aron_Dip]

Nice looks cool.. Might have to make me one of these.. Yours if the first iv seen with stone ( I prob ain't looked properly lol ) ...

Keep us posted


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[nayr88]

Good on you for getting stuck in haha

I have a bad feeling about the standing water though, I think if you had a big clear tuberwere type box over the set up(just to cover it) nothing huge, you could start a kind of DSM thing...

I

 

[jack-rythm]

Good on you for getting stuck in haha

I have a bad feeling about the standing water though, I think if you had a big clear tuberwere type box over the set up(just to cover it) nothing huge, you could start a kind of DSM thing...

I

Yeah I mean I'm using clingfilm to try a DSM just for the moment.. I'm hoping the water level will drop over time so should allow me to make frequent top ups to keep it fresh, I have put it near a radiator and under a desk light so both emit a little heat. I hear what your saying though! Only time will tell no qualms if something happens, I just start again

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[clone]

Very nice Wabi mate used to have similar. I love the rocks in it good choice of plant. A bit too much water for DSM but will evaporate. I have seen somewhere in the net that if you over fill with water in DSM the plant can melt down and rot no matter they are aquatic plants. There are more experienced people in this forum and they can say if that is true or not. I am currently doing DCM and just spraying RO water on, The HC is spreading nicely without yellowing or melt. Looking forward for update...

 

[jack-rythm]

Very nice Wabi mate used to have similar. I love the rocks in it good choice of plant. A bit too much water for DSM but will evaporate. I have seen somewhere in the net that if you over fill with water in DSM the plant can melt down and rot no matter they are aquatic plants. There are more experienced people in this forum and they can say if that is true or not. I am currently doing DCM and just spraying RO water on, The HC is spreading nicely without yellowing or melt. Looking forward for update...

Thanks mate all advice greatly received maybe I should take a little water out. I figured it would evaporate eventually.. I cant see it melting for being partly submerged, I started the planting at the top of the mound so non is fully submerged below the water. Its only been a day so time will tell

Thanks, Jack

 

[nayr88]

Yeah I mean I'm using clingfilm to try a DSM just for the moment.. I'm hoping the water level will drop over time so should allow me to make frequent top ups to keep it fresh, I have put it near a radiator and under a desk light so both emit a little heat. I hear what your saying though! Only time will tell no qualms if something happens, I just start again

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

The beauty of it being such a small scape is the ability to start again fairly quick of it does fail. IME standing water is a no no, but Im happy to be proven wrong haha

 

[jack-rythm]

IME standing water is a no no, but Im happy to be proven wrong haha

haha ok im on it.. I have been building walstads for about 7 months now, probably had over 6 in total with no filtration or movement and these never had issues with standing water, so I think once it begins to evaporate I can additionally add fresh water every week to keep it topped up..

But I have never tried anything like this before so im with you. If I can prove anything during this then it will be fun. Its like when I was told I couldn't grow Cuba in my triptych because I did not have co2 injection... 3 months down the line im cultivating the stuff

 

[jack-rythm]

Morning after photos when things have settled and cleared...


1358157233282Jack Dicker


1358157254360Jack Dicker


1358157282298Jack Dicker

 

[dean]

Great little project I can't wait to start mine, as soon as I get some plants

 

[jack-rythm]

Photo updates a few days later.. Not expecting spreading growth but wanted to see how the cubs leaves have reacted. Everything seems fine and roots are shooting and bacopa in the background is growing nicely. The Cuba leaves are infact rising above the water now so its looking promising so far. fingers crossed...


DSC_0073Jack Dicker


DSC_0069Jack Dicker

 

[MARKCOUSINS]

Well done Jack good signs in a short space of time!Cheers mark

 

[rolexbene]

Is that a halogen light?

 

[jack-rythm]

halogen

yeah its just a 6 quid argos light mate emits some heat to which is good in these situations

 

[rolexbene]

yeah its just a 6 quid argos light mate emits some heat to which is good in these situations

Yeah I suppose you don't need much light for wabi-kusa, but you know halogen put off one of lowest PAR ratings, prob speed things up a little if you used a CFL.

 

[jack-rythm]

Talking of speeding things up, I was thinking about that but the growth of the cuba already is amazing.. Its mostly all out the water now and is growing big new leaves, I also keep the clingfilm off for about 3 hours a day to start my acclimatising. The bulb is fine for the progress its making. I simply cannot be bothered to change something that already works. the light is only about 6inches from the bowl anyway. Ill get some photos up asap.

 

[jack-rythm]

I will try to update the photos weekly for everyone .

Cheers! Jack

 

[Deano3]

looks great jack will love to see how this turns out

Dean