[Steven_Chong]

Before I start, I'll admit that this tank totally bites off of ADA's new Wabi-Kusa concept. For those who have never seen a wabi-kusa, the idea is to grow a ball of emersed plants semi-emersed or submersed.

That said, there's a bunch of things going into this idea:

-Wabi-Kusa Style
-Ikebana Style
-Hawaii Biotope

In addition to the wabi-kusa concept, I'm trying some ideas from Ikebana arrangement. I also wanted to make this a "Hawaii Stream" biotope, and all the plants were collected from a local stream. Well, enough explanation-- photos!

The empty tray . . . I mean aquarium. Lighting is an overhead 19w spiral florescent. My friend Long sits working on some of the plants.

Lay out decorative white sand and a pot for the emersed plants.

Fill the pot with some old flourite, and soaking it to wet the florite and sand.

First plants go in-- support "mid-ground" plants. They are not submersable plants, and I don't know the species. They grow semi-emersed, and look sort of like emersed lobelia (but aren't).

Stems. I think they are an ammania species, but not sure.

Finished Planting with Pennyworts, aquatic and terrestrial mosses tied to the rocks in the appropriate locations.

I'll show some more photos when the water clears!

I'm planning to stock the tank with fancy guppies and wild-form cherry shrimp-- both invasive species that have unfortunately taken up permanent residence in Hawaii streams, but are rather conveniant for the purpose of this biotope.

I'll give some explanation on ikebana with photos afte the water clears.

 

[Dewmazz]

Damn Steve! At it again already...
I totally dig the Wabi-Kusa concept, but I've always wanted to do one of the "underwater planter-boxes" myself. I presume you have a 2006 ADA catalog? Page 163, bottom right hand corner...
I love your ability to incorporate Hawaiian environmental elements into your aquascapes. My skills look like crap compared to yours (though I'm a far cry compared to a year ago!). I look forward to this setup. And BTW, I'll probably be attending UH Manoa (or associated mainland college) next year. Do you ever find you have to constantly disassemble tanks? ( I presume you live in the dorm most of the year, or no?) My brother had to move rooms what seemed like every trimester...

 

[gabeszone]

A good style to put medaka fish into your tank or any cold water type of fish.

 

[Craig Tarvin]

I want to see what you're up to Steven, but the pictures are really dark, or is it just me?

 

[redstrat]

Some brighter pics would definately be nice Do you have any idea what that tall stem plant is?

 

[krisw]

Great idea and setup! Make sure to post more pictures as you take them!

 

[Steven_Chong]

Sorry guys, I accidentally set exposure comp to -2 for all the set-up photos. Here it is today.

The ikebana concepts are in the arrangement. While I was studying in Tokyo this summer, we were given a demonstration by an Ikebana Master as part of the program. His assistants taught us some of the basics before the demonstration. The most basic uses a large dish, and placing the spike stone (which is used to hold the flowers in place) in on the right or left side, in the front or back. For this, I had a pot instead, and placed it in the back left. In Japan, the position is decided on the season-- in the summer, the plants are put in the back so that one feels "cooler" by seeing more water in front. In the winter, the plants are brought to the front to create more sense of "warmth." It's hot year-round in Hawaii, so I figured it would be alright in the back. Besides, I wanted to use moss-stones, and in a way, I do bring the plants "to the front" this way.

Thanks for the comments/compliments all!

dewmazz-- I do find myself annoyed by the work of disassembling and re-assembling, but it's not too bad. Thanks for the compliments dude, but I think I'd be embarressed if, after the years of painting and aquascaping I've had, I couldn't do something at least at this level. Really, I still have a long ways to go. You just got to keep going, you know? Everyone can get good at art if they try IMO (at least at execution skils). Yeah, I have a few copies of the catalogue lying around . . . XD

gabe-- come on now, you know there are no medakas in Hawaii. XD Besides, for this tank, I'm actually trying to do something more "Fantasy" than "Natural." I'm making a living ikebana instead of a stream.

davis-- not real sure what any of the plants are. My hunch is I have nabbed a local ammania.

 

[gabeszone]

So are you going add fish? What kind? This style in Japan uses some kind of cold water fish. Anyways its looking good! I kinda figure you werent going to find any medaka lol!

 

[Moody]

I love this concept steven. Im curiouse of a few things.........
The first is have you any idea how this will progress with regards how tall/big the plants will grow?
Will they grow far to large and spoil the arrangement?
How will you controle this? is this is an isue?
Are you suplimenting the lighting, ferts etc?
What is the water you have used RO, Tap ar rain?
How will you control algea on the glass and decrotive sand?
Will there be any filtration?

This Wabi-Kusa is very cool, but is it alot of work to maintain the feeling the concept is suposed to prevoke? Is that the point? Is it on the line of the art of bonsai, with out the time and paitiance you are not rewarded. Or is it a concept that once set up, will tend to its self?

Regards,
Graeme.

 

[Blue_Dolphinvn]

I like this kind of aqua-bonsai set-up, that look very similar to the original nature with emersed, submersed & semi-emersed grow in the same place like the edge of a pond...
Could you tell me which plants & moss you have used?
Thank,

 

[Paul Higashikawa]

Sugei na, Steve-san!

Steve got it going on, man! It looks very refreshing

Just the other day when I was cleaning my tank, I took one look at all the plants I cut out and thought," Why not make'em into a ball of Wabi Kusa!"
The way I did mine was pretty easy. Just take them plants and bunch them into a ball. For added weights to sink, a piece of rock can be inserted in the center. You can also add some substrate inside the ball, but it's not necessary.

Again, a very refreshing look. Definitely give us more updates later!

 

[TNguyen]

Looking good! Make me one to try one later on.

Thanh

 

[Steven_Chong]

Gabe-- I'm planning on mixed fancy guppies.

Graeme-- Amano's original concept seems to be very maintenance free. The catalogue gives the impression of "letting the plants go wild" without much trimming involved (though of course the glass is perfectly algae free). I'm not really sure how this'll work out, but I'll take the measures necessary to keep it looking good. Sand can be replaced, and scrubbing this tank feels like no effort if you can imagine. I was planning on maybe dosing a very tiny amount of ferts, but no CO2. My water changes will be frequent. I'm using the water straight out of the tap (which is not so different from the water in the stream that runs through the forest in my backyard and supplied most of the plants).

I also have the light very high above the tank in hoping to create a low-light setting. I am actually planning on putting in an air stone in the back left corner and running it 24-7. When it comes to these semi-aquatic mosses, I find water movement is more important than great quantities of CO2 to their health.

Well, I only have a month here anyway before I go back to California and set up my real tank.

Blue--I'm just making guesses, and then only about their genus. But here are my guesses:

Ammania sp.
Juncus sp.
Vesicularia/taxiphyllum (the mosses) sp.
Hydrocotyle sp.
+2 Unknown terrestrial plants that hug the river edge

Paul-- Iya, sugei jyanakute. Kantan no darou. (typical Japanese to turn down compliments, right? lol)

I was really curious about how Amano's are heald together. Well, I'm sure the secret will come out soon enough.

 

[turtlehead]

looking good looking good. I like, I have actually started my own too Steven haha. More pictures when the fish go in please.

 

[dennis]

Nice and interesting as always! I think you could do with a little more transition between the underwater rocks and sand but otherwise, very, very nice. One question, where did you get that tank?

 

[ianiwane]

There is medaka in hawaii, we call them mosquito fish.

 

[Steven_Chong]

John-- Sure thing

Dennis-- I bought this tray at Tokyu Hands in Ikebukuro (though there are many locations through out Tokyo). Tokyu hands is a sort of all-in-one store with everything from Travel stuff, to anime models, to appliances, to having a pet store at the top floor that carries hamsters, kabuto mushi (Wrestling Beetles), and some ADA stuff. This, I bought on the office materials floor though. XD

 

[Kelley]

What a fascinating tank! Will someone take over its care when you return to school? Also, what did you do with the lovely fish that you purchased for your previous aquascape? I hope that you found them a good home.

 

[Steven_Chong]

Probably coming down at the end of the break.

The fish? They went to a friend in SCAPE until I get back.

 

[ranmasatome]

Steve... your post always makes my fingers itchy..