Do we have these type of potted plants here?

[Donut the Donkey]

I came across this video a couple of weeks back and correct me if I'm wrong, I think it's based in Taiwan? I can't read Chinese (Mandarin) so I do not know what was written, but other than that the video is pretty much straight forward.



At the 3:00 minute mark, the aquascaper starts inserting what seems to be HC Cuba during the planting phase. The tub in which the plant was from came with soft, almost 'play-doh'-ish type material mixed with soil (or at least that's what it seems like to me). From what I see, it's squishy, very malleable and easy to work with. Looking at how they were just plonked and squished into position, it was a joy to watch (compared to painstakingly using tweezers, one small piece at a time and having to worry about it floating to the surface later). At 3:38, it was just pressed onto the tip of the rock and it just stayed there. Awesome. This definitely would cut down planting time in half, because it's so easy!

So my question is, do we have these types of "planted tubs" selling in our LFS' here? I haven't seen it. Or could it probably be a local based company that produces this, from whichever country the channel is from? I would love to have them here. Any thoughts? The ones sold here with regards to HC or MC are at best, tied onto lava rocks or SS mesh. Thank you.

[Urban Aquaria]

Looks like a form of wabi-kusa type planting method... Takashi Amano uses it alot in his ADA gallery aquascapes, thats how their tanks can be filled with very high densities of plants so quickly.

You can check at LFS like Fishy Business, they stock similar ready-made wabi-kusa plants too.

Here is a photo of the wabi-kusa retail rack at Fishy Business (from their facebook page):



Source: https://m.facebook.com/FishyBusiness...pe=1&source=48

Even Seaview also occasionally sells wabi-kusa plants too, pricey though. Here was a thread i posted about them a while back:

http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...-Packs-Seaview

You can also check online and follow how-to guides to make your own too.

[Donut the Donkey]

Thanks for the info as always UA. I've seen Takashi Amano use the same technique before, especially so in his latest "Florestas Submersas" video. But aren't they slightly more rigid in structure, as in like a rock of some kind?

I've also seen FB upload pictures from their facebook page too. C328 also have the same Wabi-kusa (i'm sure they're from the same source) as the ones from Seaview. Which is why I've mentioned, the ones we've seen from LFS' here, are all attached to rocks/stones.

The video that I've uploaded, the texture is pure soil, mixed with some kind of material (or not) to make it compact and squishy, unlike rocks/stones. It would be good to know, which company/brand the user in the video uses the tubs from. The tubs are plain, which make me suspect they're produced locally. It would be nice if I could directly comment on the YouTube video, or PM, but I don't know Mandarin. Google translator perhaps?

[Urban Aquaria]

There are various ways to create the planting medium... some use more rocks to provide structure and weigh it down, some only use a mix of soil so its softer.

I guess you can check out how others make it... i've seen guides where people simply mix garden soil and ADA aquasoil together with abit of water to make a sort of mud ball, not sure how well it holds up when submersed though. Have to experiement and see.

It'll be good if you can find out the exact formula for the ones that are used in the video. Do share if you do.

I'm also been keen to try DIYing proper wabi-kusa too... so far i've only done kokedama moss ball via "short-cut" method of using those green foam balls from florist shops.

[limz_777]

Can diy yourself, easier I seen is just Ada soil wrap up in netting then grow it immerse, the aquascaper name is zhang jian feng, one of the top aquascaper from macau

[Donut the Donkey]

I definitely need to do more research on the Wabi-Kusa planting medium. Will definitely share the info if I get to have communication going with regards to the YouTube channel owner.

I'm also been keen to try DIYing proper wabi-kusa too... so far i've only done kokedama moss ball via "short-cut" method of using those green foam balls from florist shops.

I've never heard of 'Kokedama' but a Google image search later, wow they look awesome. Hopefully you will show your "experiment" via your blog soon.

Can diy yourself, easier I seen is just Ada soil wrap up in netting then grow it immerse, the aquascaper name is zhang jian feng, one of the top aquascaper from macau

ADA soil wrapped in netting. Huhh.. very interesting. Will definitely look into this. Thanks for the aquascaper ID bro limz_777. Oh ya, I forgot about Macau. Will try to look more into his works.

[Urban Aquaria]

I've never heard of 'Kokedama' but a Google image search later, wow they look awesome. Hopefully you will show your "experiment" via your blog soon.

The technique i used isn't the "proper" method using soil/sand/clay mix though... but its the easy quick method that creates a similar effect.

I made a few to give away as house warming gifts, people seem to like them.

Here is the online guide that i followed: https://mygreenspace.nparks.gov.sg/m...ma-moss-balls/