It's definitely a mealy. I ended up finding a second one. The plant was a tiny one, in a two inch pot, so not much surface for me to inspect, that's probably the only reason I noticed in the first place! Checked about 10 times since I treated yesterday and haven't seen anything. I treated again today because the weekend is coming up. Moved the plant where it will get less light, but it's a tad cooler and has better air circulation. We'll see if this is effective.

1) How much should I water the first time after I've planted? It is a 10 gallon aquarium so should I try to get the soil wet enough that some drains down to the gravel layer and I can see it? Hi Xiao! Unfortunately there is no surefire answer as it depends in part on what kinds of plants you use, how MANY plants you have in there, as well as the media's ability to hold water, etc. As a general rule of thumb, the soil when you you first put it in should be moist enough to stick together a bit when squeezed into a ball. Begonias tyically do NOT like realy wet soil. Impatients tend to like more moisture then the begonias. This could make this terr a challenge -- what may be nice for the begonias may be too dry for the impatients. Consider this terr an experiment. :) You didn't mention how MUCH soil you have in the tank, but assuming you have the soil at least 2 inches deep -- if you stick your finger into the soil about an inch down and it is dry to the touch then you probably need to water. The impatients will also let you know they are too dry by wilting.(Not that you want to wait that long on a regular basis -- as that is stressful to the plants) Water the plants a little bit at a time. Enough to moisten the soil surface. Let this sink in for a few minutes then if it looks like the water has not penetrated the soil deeper down, add some more. Remember that it is always better to go back to add more than to grossly over water by giving too much. Having a bit of water amongst the gravel will act as a bit of a reservoir so you can water until you see a little bit of water in the gravel area. However it isn't NECESSARY to do so. If I don't have the tank top sealed with saran wrap, will I still see any condensation on the glass? If not, is the water cycle not happening so I will need to just water more often? You might see some condensation on the glass down at the gravel or soil level but don't count on it. And yes you are correct that the water cycle will not be happening so you will indeed have to water more often. If I do need to water more often, how much should I water each time? Like a quart of water or so when the soil is dry? Sorry there are too many factors that will affect this so there is no simple answer for you -- except that a "quart" of water for that size tank with the plants you have will almost definitely be waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much. :) The time of year could affect how much water you need or at least how often you need it. Office air tends to be quite dry -- especially in the winter. But depending on how strong you winter light is and the temp the office is kept at over the winter you may still find you need less water than in the summer when the sunlight coming in the window is a lot stronger. Afraid you'll have to wait and see. Again plan on giving only a cup or two of water and see how that works. You can always add more later. Hope...

Ok so I've thought a lot about it and made some changes. I changed the kitchen quite a bit but it cost me a window. The room will have a lot of windows so I think it's ok? I moved the cooktop off the peninsula and put it on the wall, moving the sink to the 12'x4' peninsula. We prep by the sink so it makes sense I guess, we won't have our backs to everything. I'll just have to work a little harder at keeping the sink area clean and clutter free. The stove is now up against the garage wall, will this make venting difficult? Based on a suggestion in the kitchen forum I moved the door to the pantry/laundry room down so that the pantry cupboards are part of the kitchen now and the laundry room is it's own room. I'm not 100% convinced yet but it's growing on me. Since I don't have a window in the kitchen now there's no reason not to have the garage on that side so now the garage entrance is where you all wanted it :) It's a long garage so there's plenty of room at the end for a bench/closet/etc.. or even a bonafide 'mudroom'. And moving the garage allows me to add another window to the dining/office room at the front of the house. Upstairs I made quite a few changes as well, I wasn't really happy with the bathroom situation, the kids bathroom was much bigger than the master bathroom and there was no room for a tub in the master. I've moved things around a lot, one of the bedrooms got a little smaller but both bathrooms are much roomier now. The master closet is also quite big (too big?). I couldn't figure out a way to make the bathrooms bigger without sacrificing the size of one of the rooms but frankly, they're the kids rooms and they don't need a whole lot of room. By moving the master bathroom though I don't have all my plumbing stacked in one corner anymore and it's actually right over the open part of the first floor, will this mean i'll need a bulkhead for the drains or is there a way around that? Well let me know what you think, I always appreciate the feedback! Thanks PS. What is the standard overhang for a kitchen counter bench to comfortable accomodate seating?

Thanks azt, I love the colors! contrasting cobalt blue from your bonsai pots and the bright green bouncing off your haw! I think David mentioned Haws need DEEP pots for their roots grow downwards. I love the concept, but I might eventually repot this bonsai pot for other succulents, maybe for my jade. I got them off etsy for about $5.99. :D https://www.etsy.com/listing/211039314/bonsai-pot-5-ceramic-pk-only-1-pot-not-a?ref=shop_home_active_23 Stonetreehouse - cute little set up there! love the teapots