heli tank pics

[thez_yo]

Man oh man, my Heli tank is so full that it's over full - I had to put plants inside on a rack in the meantime until I get another tank because I'm still waiting on some AW plants. Planted in 1perlite : 1lfs, sitting in 1/2" water with misting 2X a day (~6am and 6pm by hand), outside on my balcony. White square pots are 3". Here's a pic:

from top left going down the round pots - pulchella Akopan, heterodoxa, heterodoxa minor
top row small white pots from the left - heteroXminor, heteroXminor
second row down from left - pulchella Akopan, pulchella Akopan, heteroXminor
third row down from left - pulchella Akopan, pulchella Akopan, nutans
bottom row from the left - pulchella Akopan, minor, nutans

Some of those small pulchella pots are just pulled-off pitchers, or pitcher clusters, that came w/out roots so hopefully most will get settled in and grow, but I expect some to die.

And here's a pulchella Akopan in its own pot inside:
<a href="http://s817.photobucket.com/albums/zz100/thez_yo/orchids%20and%20cps/?action=view&current=P5270064.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/zz100/thez_yo/orchids%20and%20cps/P5270064.jpg" border="0" alt="heli pulchella"></a>

 

[vraev]

thats a lot of pulchella.

but very nice

 

[thez_yo]

thats a lot of pulchella.

but very nice

Got the pulchella from someone's divisions so it just happened that they got a bunch off

thanks!

 

[Indigo]

Lots Heli What of mix are you using? I see LFS and lots perlit. o.o

 

[jimscott]

The one inside is very similar to the way I had a Tequila,,, only I poked a hole at the top to allow for heat to escape.

 

[thez_yo]

The one inside is very similar to the way I had a Tequila,,, only I poked a hole at the top to allow for heat to escape.

I'm workin' on it ...I usually use tall deli containers right side up, so the heli has water to sit in, walls, and no top, but I've been a bit busy to go hunting for a properly tall one for the 3" and 4" pots. It still has air gaps for air exchange by sitting on the soil like that, but it's definitely not a permanent fix.

 

[Av8tor1]

I bag wistuba helis when they arrive for a bit.... some people say mine are tender too, but bah-humbug surely not

(Crissy will chime in when she sees that LMAO)

Looks like you got quite the collection going Zuzana, congrats!

 

[thez_yo]

I bag wistuba helis when they arrive for a bit.... some people say mine are tender too, but bah-humbug surely not

(Crissy will chime in when she sees that LMAO)

Looks like you got quite the collection going Zuzana, congrats!

I got a heteroXionassi from Wistuba that I'm not sure will even make it - I should have super-bagged-and-let-float-in-water it looks so crispy. His helis are super soft...hopefully I can recover it.

...and thanks, working on catching 'em all! (like the pokemons they are )

 

[Av8tor1]

One trick when they arrive like that is to soak them for a couple hours to overnight before you pot them up...
(you will usually see pics of mine soaking in a trichoderma brew, I do it as part of my normal procedure)
and if they are smallish with no roots then soak them in a weak fert mix over night

gives them some food to build with until they have an established root system to feed themselves

of course ymmv
Av

 

[Crissytal]

Very nice Z! You were not joking when you said you had started collecting Helis! Keep an eye on them. Av's Helis like to melt if the humidity isn't kept high enough and then slowly lowered. His Cephs are worse, they melt to nothingness no matter what! LOL

Good luck!
Crystal

 

[Av8tor1]

omg

 

[thez_yo]

One trick when they arrive like that is to soak them for a couple hours to overnight before you pot them up...
(you will usually see pics of mine soaking in a trichoderma brew, I do it as part of my normal procedure)
and if they are smallish with no roots then soak them in a weak fert mix over night

gives them some food to build with until they have an established root system to feed themselves

of course ymmv
Av

I'm contemplating trichoderma because your plants look good but I'm not sure where to find it - where's your source if I can know?

And which fert do you use at what dilution? I have some more coming in next month I think and I don't want to crispify them too....and can I pour said fert solution into their pitchers during normal growing too?

Av's Helis like to melt if the humidity isn't kept high enough and then slowly lowered. His Cephs are worse, they melt to nothingness no matter what! LOL

Good luck!
Crystal

thanks!

---------- Post added at 03:57 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:56 PM ----------

omg

 

[Av8tor1]

I'm contemplating trichoderma because your plants look good but I'm not sure where to find it - where's your source if I can know?

And which fert do you use at what dilution? I have some more coming in next month I think and I don't want to crispify them too....and can I pour said fert solution into their pitchers during normal growing too?





thanks!

I prefer ampacbiotech.com's products... you can go directly to them (TF member true424 "Kelly") or go to crissy, she is an authorized distributor....

Just start with an 1/8th or 1/4th tsp per gallon, and yes you can apply to the pitchers and to the roots. Once established i like to root feed once a month and use fish pellets or bugs in the pitchers (depending on season) It's always a good idea to start weak and work up...
Just too many unknown and inter-related variables to give a black and white answer Zu

oh Ive used Lowe's orchid food, maxsea etc....

hehehehe I feel so abused

Av

 

[RL7836]

Av's Helis like to melt if the humidity isn't kept high enough and then slowly lowered. His Cephs are worse, they melt to nothingness no matter what! LOL

Whenever I receive plants, I assume that they were grown 'soft' (unless I know differently) and start them in a high humidity environment. From there, I slowly acclimate to my conditions. No issues with plants from Av or Wistuba with this approach ....

 

[thez_yo]

I prefer ampacbiotech.com's products... you can go directly to them (TF member true424 "Kelly") or go to crissy, she is an authorized distributor....

Just start with an 1/8th or 1/4th tsp per gallon, and yes you can apply to the pitchers and to the roots. Once established i like to root feed once a month and use fish pellets or bugs in the pitchers (depending on season) It's always a good idea to start weak and work up...
Just too many unknown and inter-related variables to give a black and white answer Zu

oh Ive used Lowe's orchid food, maxsea etc....

hehehehe I feel so abused

Av

K thanks
Do you mean Crissytal from the U.S. or someone else who I think is named Crissy from some Pacific Island?
And can you give me a brand or product name on a fish food that you've found safe for your Helis? I'd rather not try random stuff on my own and possibly accidentally kill some...I think I've heard of people feeding their plants some koi or betta pellets?

Whenever I receive plants, I assume that they were grown 'soft' (unless I know differently) and start them in a high humidity environment. From there, I slowly acclimate to my conditions. No issues with plants from Av or Wistuba with this approach ....

Oh I did, but this one must've been super extra soft in comparison to anything I've ever bought from anyone

 

[Av8tor1]

Our girl Crissytal.... the domestic variant (ducking hehehehehe )

I use Hikari brand Cichlid Staple fish pellets, medium size IIRC, (green bag not the red bag "Gold" pellets... dunno if it matters)
One bag will last for years

 

[thez_yo]

Good to know... thanks

 

[ElectrCarnvrs]

Very nice!

 

[mobile]

I got a heteroXionassi from Wistuba that I'm not sure will even make it - I should have super-bagged-and-let-float-in-water it looks so crispy. His helis are super soft...hopefully I can recover it.

It really must be soft as I find that Heliamphora hybrid to as tough as old boots I've got one growing on my kitchen windowsill, at whatever the room humidity happens to be. I've been adding L-glutamine to the pitchers as an experimental feed and it's taken on a big growth spurt.

 

[thez_yo]

Well, here's some new growth on some of those pulchellas and a new pitcher on the heteroXionassii:

pulchella:

heteroXionassii:

I might get more pics of the plants when it's sunnier out, but we're having a spate of cloudy lately :-(