What's new
By:
Filters
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Starting a Terrarium: Questions on Lighting and Other Random Topics

A

ArkansasNewb

Hi guys, I am planning to grow a D. Capensis, D. Aliciae, and N. Ventricosa in a roughly 10x12x20 inch tank (10 gallon?). I have been wading through the vast amount of info on light in this and other online resources for the last few days, but I cannot seem to find a definitive answer or solid suggestion for my type of setup. If anyone can recommend a good, strong light for this collection, it would be much appreciated. I'm not necessarily trying to be really cheap, but I don't want to break the bank on my first real light either. It would also be great if someone could give any tips (especially on temperature) for growing these plants together. They were all ordered from Peter D'Amato's nursery, so soil should not be a problem. I also have distilled water on hand, so that is also already covered. Finally, a suitable light timer to go with the suggested light would be great.

Thanks a lot guys.
 
I have all of those plants. They are doing great under my conditions. The Drosera are at household humidity (30-35%) and have the daytime temps are between 75F and 80F while the nighttime temps are around 70F to 75F. My Nepenthes are at about 73F to 78F during the daytime, and about 62F to 65F. The humidity is usually about 60% during the day, and about 70% at night. I also have a reptifogger that kicks on for about 4 minutes every 4hrs.

Here is a link to a thread about my setup:
http://www.terraforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=125792
 
Thanks for the fast response. Do you think it would be possible to grow my Nepenthes and the sundews all under the same conditions? Also, a link to a suitable light fixture and bulbs would be excellent. I have been looking around online, but it's hard to find a 2 foot setup and I want to make sure I get the right thing.
 
I started with a 10 gal fish tank, i used a normal 2 bulb t12 shop light found in hardware stores with a 6000k tube light and a 3500k tube light, i also had a single chrome lamp with a 6500k spiral energy saver type light bulb. Look for one with highest wattage. I had it on a dresser up against the wall and used a piece of thick cardboard as a lid secured to the wall with hings just above the tank. The spot where it was attached to the wall was about 3 inches above the tank while the front rested on the front of the tank. This allowed enough space on the sides for air flow. Under the lid i attached the lamps, cut a hole in it for the lamp to fit. All those plants can be grown together however the ventricosa is a bit faster of a grower so after a year you may be needing more space for it. You can plant them in the bottom but its better to leave them potted and sitting in the bottom of the empty tank as if there planted it has a higher chance of growing mold and things rotting if not careful with amount of water used. Mist them daily and water when needed and happy growing if oyu ahve any ?s feel free to pm me.

Ryan
 
Thanks for all the help guys. Does it really matter which brand of bulb I get? Also, should I pay any attention to soft white/sunshine/cool white/etc? I'm not sure if I should be looking at fluorescent tubes or compact fluorescent bulbs of a different shape. Finally, it seems that T5 bulbs are considered superior for growing CPs. Why is this and does it matter if I get T5 bulbs?
 
ArkansasNewb said:
Thanks for the fast response. Do you think it would be possible to grow my Nepenthes and the sundews all under the same conditions? Also, a link to a suitable light fixture and bulbs would be excellent. I have been looking around online, but it's hard to find a 2 foot setup and I want to make sure I get the right thing.
Click to expand...

Not sure if this helps but I had one point been looking at something like this http://www.littlegreenhouse.com/accessory/lights2.shtml

Not cheap though...(Scroll down towards bottom for 2ft T5 bulbs)
 
t5s put out more light in easy terms to be absorbed by the plant to be sypmle get a mix of 6500k rating and 3200 or 4000k mix . Also look into the amount of lumens per bulb you will notice t5s have a higher lumen output than t 12s, Honestly if you can get 2 foot t5s that would be the best way to go. all the lumens and other info is usually all together on the back of the bulb box.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top