Wabi-Kusa Style Another style with roots from Japanese Aquascapers, the Wabi-Kusa style focuses on creating a submersed/emersed garden. Imagine taking a bonsai garden and submerging half of it underwater. The plants in this style are grown and centered on a ball of soil, and then placed in a container. Many Wabi-Kusa aquascapers create an island ball of plants surrounded by open water. Please discuss the techniques involved in creating a Wabi-Kusa Style, and feel free to share your own Wabi-Kusa scape. (Click here to discover other aquascaping styles) -John N.
If there are some underwater plants, it's better to have a filter in order to bring some water movement in the tank... And if you want the tank to have inhabitants, then the filter is necessary (unless you change water very frequently).
I think these are very nice little aesthetic pieces very good for an office, coffee table or a window ledge. I think this style branches off from aquascaping but attaches itself nicely because you can use aquatic plants well known in this hobby. There are many possibilities to explore with these. I for one, am intrigued by them.
Well said! I too get caught up gazing at these setups wondering when I will attempt to tackle one! Reef
I also find these intriguing. Do you hang a light over these or do they depend solely on ambient light? With tall plants like that you would need to suspend a light quite high! Also, unlike a Paludarium, it is not enclosed and if you live in a dry climate (like Phoenix, AZ) I wonder how well the emersed plants do with less or no built up humidity... ???
Some semi aquatic plants do well, even in a dry air, once they are used to it. Plus in this style of tank, you can also use "terrestrial" plants
I agree Chadly, I "need" one to replace my two terrestrial plant pots I have by my office's window. As time and budget permits, I will try my hand on this intriguing style. My nano and a wabi kusa will be a good combo for fighting stress at the office, lol. About filtration....IMO it's a good thing to have water movement. I will try to hide one tiny internal in a "rock shack" in my future setup. Regards
I just finished my first Wabi-Kusa. I used "substrate-material" (clay and dirt) from the forrest outside (hopefully some interestig will start growing) and added in what plants i had.
Wabi-kusa also relies on the "beautiful chaos" of nature--making it different from a half-submerged bonsai garden.
I am a big fan of wabi kusa and have a number of marsh plants now setup on the garden with very moist soil. Need to get the hardy for the open air. I think that the hard thing is to find a suitable container to display then a light. Ada light I very good, but also very expensive. .
I am wondering if you could make a 'wabi-kusa' ball and completely submerge it in a tank that is filled with water. Granted; you could only use aquascraps from you own tanks and plant clippings or someone elses. I have been trying to find info on this but all seem to be the half immersed type. But what if you made one for you actual aquascape? Has anyone tried this?? any information would be appreciated. update...found it!! using the same techniques but completely immersed in water with guppys floating around. filtration is needed etc. but the effect is charming and intriguing.
Hi Luis! You don´t must take an ADA light. Here an example. Is my own creation Wabi Kusa display. Ignore the wabi kusa please, at this time it was fresh planted
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