WABI WORKSHOP

Many aquatic plants will thrive on your Wabi ball, but here's a short list of plants I personally use regularly. Look for plants that stay fairly small and have small leaves.

How to Plant Your Wabi Ball

Soak your Wabi Ball in distilled, spring, or dechlorinated tap water for about 20 minutes. Make sure to use distilled water if planting carnivorous plants or Sphagnum moss.

There are two main ways to plant your Wabi Ball: wrapping with string and planting into small holes. You can combine both methods for a lush, natural look.

1. Wrap with String

Best for stem and rhizome plants. Cut stems into 1–2” segments with leaves or nodes. Mix different plants if you’d like a wilder, more varied look.

Place the plants in a single layer over the ball (a little overlap is fine) and gently press them in.

Wrap the string snugly around the ball to hold the plants in place, leaving a small “tail” at the start so you can tie it off securely at the end.

2. Plant into Holes

Ideal for plants with larger roots or when you want precise placement. Use the included wooden dowel or another small tool to make a hole in the ball.

Tuck the plant’s roots into the hole and press the surface around the base to secure it. Be careful not to bury the stem above the roots, as that can cause rot.

For best results, wrap first, then plant individual rooted plants for the most control over placement.

Terrarium & Aquarium Setup

Once your Wabi Ball is planted, the growing method depends on which kit/ball type you have.

Aquarium: Grow your Wabi Ball fully submerged in water.

Terrarium: Keep your Wabi Ball in a humid environment or sitting in about half an inch of water with regular misting.

The key for both is consistent light and moisture.

1. Add the soil to the bottom of the vase. It may be most aesthetically pleasing to give the substrate a bit of a slope, such that the substrate layer is thickest at the back of the container.

2. Arrange the large rocks to your liking. For a natural look, place them in a half circle slightly to the front of center of the vase with the largest rocks towards the center and smaller rocks towards the outside closer to the glass.

3. Position the planted Wabi Ball in the center of the enclosure.

4. If you have a terrarium kit, you're almost finished: mist the ball and substrate thoroughly, then cover with the acrylic lid (lid should be completely clear; make sure to remove protective film).

If you have an aquarium or ecosystem kit, SLOWLY add spring, distilled, or dechlorinated tap water by carefully pouring it on the top of the Wabi Ball to minimize murkiness.

Fill the aquarium to about ¼ inch (if not using floating plants) or 1 inch (if adding floating plants) below the top of the vase.

5. Optionally, add floating plants to your aquarium. I recommend duckweed, frogbit, or red root floaters. Including floating plants is highly recommended.

6. Cover the top with the acrylic lid. You may need to first remove the protective film from both sides of your lid. The lid should look clear!

7. As your aquarium matures it will become bioactive and, if you look closely, you will start to see infusoria swimming around.
If you'd like to add additional inhabitants, you can add Bladder Snails (Physella acuta) at setup or anytime after. Bladder Snails are readily available at aquarium stores and in nature. Once the tank is mature, you can also add a small Ramshorn Snail (Planorbella duryi), and/or Hydra.
Add only a few of any one species and allow them to multiply to obtain a balance within the ecosystem. Make sure to acclimate them before you add them.
One way to acclimate is to place the animals in their original water in a container that still has some room to add water, then add a little bit of your aquarium water and wait 5 minutes, then add a little more and wait 5 more minutes.
Once your animals are mostly in aquarium water, you can add them in either by pouring or netting them out and transferring into your aquarium.
It is best to wait about a month before adding animals besides Bladder Snails to allow water chemistry to stabilize and bacterial flora to become established and stabilized.
These kits are not for fish, as they are too small.

Aquarium Care

Light:
Provide 8–10 hours of light per day, or a little less if your tank gets natural light. A bit of algae is normal, especially in the beginning, but if you see it building up quickly, shorten the light time by one hour.Water Changes:
About two weeks after setup, do your first water change—remove 50–80% of the water and refill it.How to Do a Water Change:
1. Remove the floating plants, Wabi Ball, and rocks.2. Pour off the water through a small net or container to catch any snails or shrimp. Keep these aside in some of the original water.3. Wipe the glass with a paper towel to remove algae. For stubborn spots, use a Magic Eraser, but never use soap or disinfectants.4. Reassemble, then slowly pour new water over the top of the Wabi Ball to avoid disturbing the substrate.Refill with spring, distilled, or de-chlorinated tap water. Add the animals back in.Once the plants take root on your ball, water should stay clear, algae should be non-existent/minimal, and water changes can be infrequent and done as-needed. You'll just top off the water as it evaporates.

Terrarium Care

Light:
Give your terrarium about 8–10 hours of light each day. If it gets some natural sunlight, you can shorten this a bit. A little algae or biofilm is totally normal, but if it starts growing fast, try reducing the light by about an hour.Water & Humidity:
Keep the moss and plants consistently moist. Mist daily if you have the lid off. If you have the lid off extensively or notice leaf yellowing, you can place the Wabi Ball in a bowl of water for 20 minutes to soak. Then place it back in the terrarium. You can also create a The goal is humidity, with. If you'd like, you can create a paludarium by having a pool of water at the base of your ball. This water will need to be changed periodically: gently pour it out and replace it with spring, distilled, or de-chlorinated tap water.Environment:
Keep the terrarium in the 70s°F range. Within about a month, the plants will grow in to cover the ball and string and start to spread and become lush.