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Nepenthes Hamata Help!

Hey fellow growers!:-D I just wanted to ask a question that seems to be on a lot of peoples minds- how do you have a Nepenthes Hamata grow good and healthy? I have a terrarium in warm texas with the following-

55 gallon with 2 t12 dual bulb fixtures sitting a good length from the plants (and reflectors)

humidity about 60-65 percent (Terrarium uncovered- i mist daily.)

some other plants (Nepenthes Veitchii, Ephippiata and a good ol' Jac.

And, finally, ABSOLUTELY NO PRACTICAL IDEAS TO COOL....THE....TTTTAAAANNNKK!!!!!! :censor:
(the only thing i can do is place the plants in and out of a small plastic cooler with ice every night)

i dont know if this is gonna work... but i am going to grow a Hamata, dagnabit!

Any ideas? what should i change? have any ideas to fit a nepenthes hamata based on my conditions? keep in mind i have a 10 gallon empty terrarium sitting around and, if required, can purchase one of those exo-terra glass terrariums and t5 light.

PLEEAASSE! Help! AAAANNNNYYYBBBOOODDDY! I found some really nice specimens of nepenthes hamata i really want! thanks.
 
In my opinion, the only way to successfully and economically grow highland Nepenthes in a hot climate is to bite the bullet and invest in a nice air conditioner.
 
Ultra-sonic humidifier poped into the tank, top with few vent holes, one or two PC fans inside the tank for evaporative cooling. I have two hams and a lowii along with several other neps in a 55 gallon with six t8 sunlight bulbs. Granted my house is cooled here in SC.
 
In my opinion, the only way to successfully grow highland Nepenthes in a hot climate is to bite the bullet and invest in a nice air conditioner.
Agree - it's probably inevitable that a refrigerant-based solution is in his future.

Swords has a good thread somewhere where he explains his setup. There are also a few on cpuk. Some use air conditioners, some have used small refrigerators to cool water & cool a tank, some modify a small frig and use it as their enclosure and at least one uses a modified chest freezer. Many ways to solve the puzzle. If you have dry air, a swamp cooler may work....
 
I have found from friends, who are successful with the species in warmer climates, that offering the plant a drop in nighttime temperatures is far more important than the actual numbers . . .
 
It gets much hotter where I am so I feel your pain with the highlands. I've had my little hamata over three weeks now. He goes in here every night.


Nepenthes Fridge by Thagirion3, on Flickr

It's a pain but worth it. I can't wait for him to start getting big. I think he's happy because he's put out a new pitcher for me and is making two new leaves now. Temps in the day get as high as 83 and humidity with a humidifer is 70-95%. Fridge is between 47-51 degrees. Lamps are T8 cool and day time blubs. Will be upgrading to T 5's soon though. Just got a 55 gallon tank too. Right now everyone's in a small 20 gallon but will be upgrading to the big one for my highlanders. I have no windows in my living room for a portable AC system but I have also considered running a tube from one of the vents. Will look terrible but it might work. For now my little fridge is the way to go.

OH I have a question I've been wondering. I may start another thread but how do you get PC fans to work in a tank when they are CD and outlets are AC? I bought two personal fans but and trying to figure out how to hang them in my tank. Still haven't figure that out so I set them on top of the screen.
 
Thag, what are the night temps in your regular setup? N. hamata can actually take relatively warm night temps, right now mine are getting upper 50s to lower 60s at night and are fine. Like David said, the temp drop is more important than the actual temps.
 
Too hot for hamata. Night temps in the house are 70 if you're lucky. I don't run the AC at night since I am very cold intolerant. I'd make a very good lowland nepenthes. If I get any more highlands my little hamata will soon have friends joning him at night. I've heard that hamatas can do well with temp drops to 65. It's been in the mid 60's outside though and I have thought about putting it on the patio at night, but still that won't last long now that April is upon us. Soon it will be nights in the 70's outside and in the summer nights in the upper 80s.
 
You could invest in a hygrotherm paired with a humidifier and fan. That really helps to lower the temperature.
 
  • #10
I think you mentioned that to me in the chat. I found the one by I think zoomed for reptiles. Do you think that would work with "Patrick Humidifer"? I'd love to have something that would drop the temps and alternate my fans and humidifier for me.
 
  • #11
As long as the humidifier connects to any US wall plugin then yes it would work. Keep in mind how your gonna get the humidity in the setup, I have a tube that directs the humidity into my setup.
 
  • #12
It is a standar outlet. I just fixed the link on my photo. You can see the tube I use also. It goes in through the top. I posted a more updated scene of my tank with a video in the general discussion forum if you want to see that.
 
  • #13
where is the link?
 
  • #15
yea that humidifier should be fine.
 
  • #16
Agree - it's probably inevitable that a refrigerant-based solution is in his future.

Swords has a good thread somewhere where he explains his setup. There are also a few on cpuk. Some use air conditioners, some have used small refrigerators to cool water & cool a tank, some modify a small frig and use it as their enclosure and at least one uses a modified chest freezer. Many ways to solve the puzzle. If you have dry air, a swamp cooler may work....
Oh the air here is plenty dry here in tx. But even if I used a swamp cooler how would i rig it to the terrarium??? Would it be more convenient( and less of a hazard) to do it outside?
Also while I'm at it what about buying one of those grow tents and hooking up an air conditioner or swamp cooler to that? Would that work? Thanks
 
  • #17
That's exactly what I have set up.
<a href="http://s1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Greenhouse/?action=view&current=greenhouse001.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/h434/Nepenthes138/Greenhouse/greenhouse001.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
 
  • #18
wholy **** what are the night temps for that setup?
Nice plants by the way!:-O
 
  • #19
The AC brings it down to 60. I'm getting an evaporative cooler to drop it down a few more though.
 
  • #20
Whoa that's good. Could you tell me the ac your using? Could I buy from some where like lowes? Also how big is that grow room? I just want to know how much room I need so that I don't by an ac for to small of a room.
By the way by me saying this one could guess I'm losing faith in my 55 gal terrarium ( sigh). Time to get back to the drawing board. Guess that's a good thing lookin at your plants man!
 
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