classic terrarium

[elandolf]

I'm new to growing CP's and I started out this classic terrarium. Basicly all I wanted was an aestheticaly pleasing tank of drosera forests, with a couple nepenthes on a raised level and a tiny utric pond. I ended up with this.

The setup's really bad, but i plan to improve it. its 20x10x18 in aquarium with tin foil on the sides. it has a glass top lid with a single 15W GE F15T8-C50 CHROMA 50 light about a foot away from my plants (only 5 inch off the n.) ther'es no circulation and the temp/ humidy is 65ish degrees F / 100% humidity at night and about 75ish 85%+ humidity during the day. the plants seem to be doing alright, just way on the green side. anyone know what kind of other lights i should combine with the one i have?

So far all I have are two nepenthes madagascanasis, a drosera aliciae, and about 16 drosera nidiformis (orignaly one, but i trimmed off all the what i thought were dead leaves and ended up with about 15 seedlings lol). anyones welcome to PM me if they have any drosera they don't want

also I don't know much about utric's so does anyone know what kind would do good in 2 in of water with an in of sedement under it?

thsi wierd moss stuff just randomly started growing on the empty right half of the terrarium, and I wasn't sure if i should remove it, but since its not near any of the plants i just let it grow. i figured its some sort of decorative thing, anyone know?

only other problem i've encountered are these tiny black thin bugs, that i think are thrips, but they're everywhere. not sure if they're doing more damage than being food though.

So tell me what you think about it or what I should do to make it better, criticism is highly appreciative

 

[Clint]

get a small pc fan and pack as many pc's in the top as you can.

very cool stump

 

[chloroplast]

It looks good. Yeah, I also like the stump, and the pond is a REALLY interesting and natural-looking addition! Very nice.

Quote[/b] ]get a small pc fan

Agreed. Good air circulation is a must in an enclosed terrarium.

Quote[/b] ]anyone know what kind of other lights i should combine with the one i have?

Well, you should have a little more light than you are providing. For that size tank, you should have at least 80W of fluorescent lighting.

Quote[/b] ]and about 16 drosera nidiformis, orignaly one, but i trimmed off all the what i thought were dead leaves and ended up with about 15 seedlings lol).

Not bad!

Quote[/b] ]thsi wierd moss stuff just randomly started growing on the empty right half of the terrarium, and I wasn't sure if i should remove it, but since its not near any of the plants i just let it grow. i figured its some sort of decorative thing, anyone know?

Well, it's not sphagnum. I have something similar growing in one of my non-CP pots. You can leave it in, but make sure it doesn't get near your small dews--it could smother them and removing the moss at that point could disrupt their shallow roots.

Quote[/b] ]only other problem i've encountered are these tiny black thin bugs, that i think are thrips, but they're everywhere. not sure if they're doing more damage than being food though.

They're probably thripes and they're usually harmless (and sometimes serve as food for small dews and pings).

Quote[/b] ]also I don't know much about utric's so does anyone know what kind would do good in 2 in of water with an in of sedement under it?

You could get U.gibba. It's probably the toughest aquatic utric and can act like a weed! Along with roaches and D.capensis, it would probably survive a nuclear bomb!

Quote[/b] ]So tell me what you think about it or what I should do to make it better,

You probably want to keep just tropical CPs (those not requiring dormancy) in the tank.... if you want to fill-in the soil, D.capensis and/or terrestrial utrics (sandersonii, livida, subulata) would do this well and spread like weeds.

Nice setup...good luck with it.

 

[LLeopardGGecko]

Great looking classic terrarium! I love the Nepenthes stump.

I'll just second what Chloroplast said and say you should just stick to tropical CPs, since they'll grow year round without any problems.

 

[elandolf]

thanks for the input, its incredibly helpful, now I know exactly what I need to get. I'll be on the hunt for weedy tropical drosera's and utrics, as I want to look at it and not be able to see any soil

 

[LLeopardGGecko]

Quote[/b] ]I want to look at it and not be able to see any soil

Ah, the words of a man with good taste! There needs to be more fans of weedy CPs in this forum

 

[Dimka]

Whoa!
Very very nice one. I've been thinking about making a mini pond in my 10G classic... now that i see you did... I think I might...

 

[*Barracuda_45*]

Very cool setup ya have there, i agree more air flow and more lights, the moss looks like some kind of hair/fern moss, what you could do is get some kind small chunk log or branch thats non toxic to the plants and place it next to where the moss is growing and it should grow all over that for a very cool effect. Im working on getting sheet/carpet moss, also fern moss for my 50 gal terraium woodland side and get it to start growing on wood. I love your stump!!!!

You could also put some nice live carpet moss or moss pillows around and partly over your rocks by the water area for a more natural eye pleasing effect.

 

[elandolf]

ok well i've been looking around for a light fixture for a while that can hold at least two 18" fluorecent tubes, but I can't find any. I checked home deopt and fred meyers. I looked into making my own but it looks like the stuff gets really hot and i don't want to set my room on fire. what should I do??

 

[Drosera36]

When in doubt, use compacts. Go to petsmart and look in the reptile section. Chances are, they'll have a double light fixture for incandesent lights, but compacts will work in any fixture incandesents do.

-Ben

 

[chloroplast]

Compacts are good. If you don't have a Petsmart nearby, you can get the compact bulbs and fixtures at a Home Depot or Lowes.

Alternately, you could buy two 2' long fluorescent fixtures (each holding 2 20W bulbs). Your tank is 20" long, so there would be a little overhang, but all of the light would be going into the tank since the fixtures are a bit longer than the bulbs. You can also buy these at HD/Lowes.

All said, you should have at least 60-80W of fluorescent lighting over the tank.

 

[elandolf]

small update: moved stuff around, added D. scorpiodes, and made a tray for cuttings. going to get new lights soon too. I know cook's carnivorous plants is in Eugene OR so thats about an hour and a half away so I was thinking of going for a visit, anyone ever been there? Ahh and I really want some U. Gibba or another type of aquatic U. anyone have some?

 

[LLeopardGGecko]

Great looking classic terrarium elandolf! I love that tree stump for the Nepenthes. Very cool looking

 

[ImWindPlant]

Im amazed i stole u idea of the pond!, im goint o have one of those!!!!, but urtics dont got frozed?, well anyway is a cool terrarium, i hope mine look so cool, it relax i mean is so natural, congrats!!!!

 

[elandolf]

big update, still lots to do but its getting there!

 

[ImWindPlant]

Cool, the flowering droseras are great!, please tell me wich light u use?

 

[elandolf]

some 4,000K compacts and a GE Chroma 50 fluorecent

 

[LLeopardGGecko]

Looking great Eric! Those D. spatulatas seem to be very happy in your tank

 

[nepenthes_ak]

Man i like it, Classic Terriums are great if you can get a set up nice, like what you have.

IM convertingmine into a Potted cause... i dont have control of watering like i used to...

Glad it worked out for you! and it looks great

Chers

 

[glider14]

if anything i would be VERY careful with all of your plants....dont forget they need a dormancy(ping,VFT, and maby some of the Droseras. just a thought for you. and its coming along great!
alex