# Wabi kusa plant



## ua hua (Oct 30, 2009)

I really like the hardscape on that tank but I would like to know how they can get away with having 2+ ft. of substrate without getting anearobic spots. I love how he has all his minions handing him the plants.


----------



## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

ADA wabikusa are made out of sphagnum moss wrapped around a stone. No soil involved.


----------



## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

This may or may not help. 
But if I have something I want to grow in a "plug" of sorts I use pantyhose, potting soil, and pond soil.
I went out and got a bag of the heavy clay type soil they use for pond. Made a small baggy of sorts with the stockings, create a "shell" of sorts with the clay like pond soil. And then fill the middle with potting soil. I put the plant in and top it with more pond soil.
And tie the top with some thread that wont dissolve. 
Though judging from that video there seems to be a much better solution.
Perhaps you uses a heavy clay based soil... Lays it thins and counts on the roots to hold the plugs together.
I'm sure someone on here knows what they actually are..


Edit...
Lol... the person before me knew


----------



## Centromochlus (May 19, 2008)

Dollface said:


> ADA wabikusa are made out of sphagnum moss wrapped around a stone. No soil involved.


Do you have any links that you can show that demonstrate this?
Not saying that you're wrong, but every wabi-kusa ball that i've seen has been made out of soil/clay. Even the ones in ADA's videos on youtube look like they're made out of some sort of soil.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEHMfLNLp1Y
(0:40)


----------



## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

AzFishKid said:


> Do you have any links that you can show that demonstrate this?
> Not saying that you're wrong, but every wabi-kusa ball that i've seen has been made out of soil/clay. Even the ones in ADA's videos on youtube look like they're made out of some sort of soil.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEHMfLNLp1Y
> (0:40)


Word directly from Frank, who has a couple authentic ADA WK, and this: http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...e/76538-secret-ada-wabi-kusa-they-filled.html


----------



## Centromochlus (May 19, 2008)

Interesting. Thanks for posting that link Dollface.


----------



## aweeby (Oct 1, 2011)

there's apparently a sort of fine clay soil that they sell in bonsai shops that works really well to hold things together. If only I could remember the name...


----------



## zachary908 (Feb 12, 2011)

aweeby said:


> there's apparently a sort of fine clay soil that they sell in bonsai shops that works really well to hold things together. If only I could remember the name...


Akadama powder
and Ketotsuchi

Is what I found


----------



## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

Only there's no soil. 

http://blog-imgs-46.fc2.com/p/x/y/pxyg/20100909205504c70s.jpg


----------



## aweeby (Oct 1, 2011)

zachary908 said:


> Ketotsuchi


That sounds like it. Also, if start them in a humid (not wet) environment you'll allow the roots to grow in heavily and hold things in place better. Then you'd stick them into a bowl with water or completely submerge them and presumably there'd be minimal mess.

Amano can do what he likes... i would rather have soil than just moss.


----------



## zachary908 (Feb 12, 2011)

Thanks for all the info, Dollface.


----------



## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

aweeby said:


> That sounds like it. Also, if start them in a humid (not wet) environment you'll allow the roots to grow in heavily and hold things in place better. Then you'd stick them into a bowl with water or completely submerge them and presumably there'd be minimal mess.
> 
> Amano can do what he likes... i would rather have soil than just moss.


Soil is superfluous though. WK are usually dependent on supplementation of a water column, not a rich substrate. Also, because most hobby WK are erroneously made from soil, they tend to fall apart and cloud the water almost right off the bat. 

Unless you're going to use nothing but crypts, ime aquatic plants just don't establish the kind of root system that would be required to hold a ball like that together. If you're so committed to having a source of fertilization in the WK, use solid root tabs, or something of that ilk.


----------



## greenman857 (Feb 25, 2012)

Check my thread at http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/low-tech-forum/167779-wabi-evolution-lots-pics.html
For pics and my comments.
As I said in that post I just used a clay dirt mix that I collected. I think a dirt/clay mix would work fine, the key is growing them emersed for a while. Check out my Wabi globe at the end of the post


----------



## greenman857 (Feb 25, 2012)

Oops sorry Zach I missed that you posted to my other post already my bad!


----------



## speedie408 (Jan 15, 2009)

I've been wondering about this WK stuff recently as well. So this stuff is able to stay submersed/weighed down due to the rocks embedded into the WK mat... makes sense. 

Zach... hurry up and start farming some WK plant filled mats!


----------



## zachary908 (Feb 12, 2011)

I've got plenty of emersed plants! I just need to get some sphagnum moss, bro!


----------



## greenman857 (Feb 25, 2012)

What you want is unmilled Sphagnum if that's what you are going to use as it will have the structure to hold together. Our local Agway but even Walmart may have it.


----------



## [email protected] (Oct 7, 2015)

ADA uses, Riccia Stone that they have which are flat small stones. They just stick the plant in a bunch on those stones and tie it with moss cotton or riccia strings or Wood tight which are all available with ADA separately and cost less as well.


----------



## Aplomado (Feb 20, 2013)

I use long fibered spagnumn wrapped around a little ball of soil. I tie it together with fishing line. I usually wrap with a sheet of live moss, and then plant.


----------

