DIY Wabi Kusa ball.

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Wabi Kusa

Now days Wabi Kusa is the latest aquascaping style introduced by ADA. This style of aquascaping first time appeared in the catalogue of ADA in 2006. I want to apply this unique style since a long. After reading about about this, I have make a ball.

To make a Wabi Kusa, we need to design a ball to hold all the plants.

Making of a ball

Material needed: Latarite, Soilrite, Earthen pot (to shape the ball)

1. Mix Latarite and Soilrite.

A_LatSol.jpg

2. Put it into an earthen pot and mix some water.

B_earthern pot.jpg

3. Now put the pot in sunlight to dry the stuff.

4. After 24 hours, remove the ball from pot carefully.

5. Now shape it using a knife according to the space available in aquarium.

6. Take some grass. Boil it so that it will not leach in the aquarium water.

C_wetgrass.jpg

7. Wrap it around the ball using a thread.

ball.jpg

8. Wabi Kusa ball is ready.

9. Take some moss or any other plant you want to grow. I have used only moss.

D_moss.jpg

10. After plantation.

E_wabikusaball.jpg

Comments, Suggestion and Advice most welcome.

[marsaiko]

wow very very interesting

congratulations on the new setup

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wow very very interesting

congratulations on the new setup

Thanks Brother. Enjoying summer vacations doing some practicals in the hobby.

[asheesh]

very nice rajiv Ji

[parthapratim22]

How you will place in aquarium??? it will not leach laterite???

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How you will place in aquarium??? it will not leach laterite???

Placed in a pico tank.

Grass has been boiled before wrapping around the ball. So grass in not leaching.

Latarite ball is covered by two layers 1. Grass (from inner side) 2. Moss (from outer side). Both are preventing latarite to leach or leak . Till now water is clear as I filled.

[nash81]

Hi,

Just for knowledge, why would you want to do this for moss, dosent moss take its nutrients from the water column so what benefit will this rock provide as compared to regular rock or wood.

Also wont the laterite and soilrite mix eventually give away in sometime to form a mud/muck and leech out ?

The Wabi kusa method that i have seen in Hong kong and thailand is more to do with a kind of fertile base rock itself or laterite baked blocks that i have seen, wont using a mesh be better than using grass? one it wont leach and two will help hold the Laterite mix together.

This would be good for those who dont want to have a complete fertile base and keep some basic plants in certain areas of the aquariums. In HK i have even seen people tying stem plants on wood using Coir rope, they say coconut coir ropes have fertilization properties to somewhat similar to coco peat and as long as you have good lighting and dosing in the water cloumn, the plants will do well.

Regards
Nirav Shah

[parthapratim22]

some terrestrial plants???

[marsaiko]

I think to implement Nirav's comments we can just bake the balls and they would be sturdy enough to hold up water and still leach enough nutrients for your moss.

and also coir pith of coconut I checked http://coirpith.co.in/

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some terrestrial plants???

I am also going to grow some immersed aquatic plants on the upper area of ball. A stem of Ammania gracilis is ready to put on the ball. I am also growing some HM in immersed state.