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What do lowlanders prefer for lux?

  • Thread starter cpbobby
  • Start date
I have 10,000 lumens but I see other people giving them more; I thought they didn't like alot of light?
 
The amount of information you are giving is insufficient. More important is distance to the light source and size of the area. For example 10k lumens lighting a 1 square foot area 3 inches away from a plant is alot different than the same light over a 4 sqfoot area 2 feet away. If you are using normal fluorescent I would recommend as many bulbs as you can possibly fit and keep the plants no more than 6-12" from the top of the plants.. Normal fluorescent tubes are woefully underpowered.. If you start using HO fluorescent or metal halide or some other high output type then it's different. These types can be placed further away and cover more area.

Most Nepenthes can be found growing in the sun. Some that grow in the forest will have vines that reach high up into the trees to where the sun is.

Number one rule growing indoors... LIGHT LIGHT LIGHT and MORE LIGHT
 
it is a 2 ft fixture using 2 pl55 watt ho florescent bulbs. has a reflector....terrarium is a 10 gallon tank. approx 22L 10W and 16H fixture is approx 10 inches from top of pots. lmk if you need anything else. I have studied the fixture itself and if I buy another one just like I can transfer the guts to the existing fixture doubling the light output however active cooling would needed to be added but it's not a problem for me.

I am yet a little hesitant considering the amount of heat that may build up inside the terrarium tho. i suppose something can be worked out in regards to increasing the distance from fixture to top of terrarium...thoughts?
 
i grow my lowlanders in 95F during the day and let them cool to around 75F at night and they are constantly pitchering and growing for me. you can keep it pretty much as hot as you want for lowlanders as long as you are providing ample humidity and water
 
Lowlanders usually aren't too picky about light, unless it's N. northiana. That one likes a bit less light. Usually the more light the better.

A key concet to remember about lowlanders is what they're native environment is like. Think of low areas along the equator, miserably hot and humid. I see you live in VA, so I recommend scheduling a trip to Meadowview to see how the lowland greenhouse feels. All of the Nepenthes are growing very quickly with the conditions in the greenhouse.
 
i have the heat and humidity nailed. but was under the impression they didn't care for alot of light. i get the impression of jungle floor where there isn't much light. only one I have that is fussy is the mirabilis var echinostoma. It doesn't seem to like much past 93 and REALLY gets upset if the dirt isn't all the time moist however; it is finally starting to acclimate to my terrarium so once it's healthier I may try to get it a little hotter but from what I can tell all of them seem to prefer it at about 90 even.
 
--My current Conditions:

-Terrarium: from what I can tell it doesn't really fall into a conventional pattern other than the container itself. It is a 10 gal fishtank(I know it's too small but will have to work ftm), I replaced the top with a flat piece of plex and installed a 120mm fan. What isn't conventional is the way I set it up but I think it works well for those of us that are new to the hobby and aren't quite ready for a greenhouse. It has about 8-9 inches of water in it however there is a tray inside it that the potted plants sit on that elevate them slightly above water level as well as a clear plastic tray the plants sit in to prevent cross contamination. There is an aeration fish tank waterfall pump I decided to make use of with the "fish tank kit" that recirculates as well as aerates the water...plus the splash from the waterfall acts as a natural way to mist the leaves so this guy doesn't have to do it as often. Also installed is a submersible tank heater and a uv sterilizer. It is a cheap and surprisingly consistent way to maintain humidity levels.

-Lighting: 2 pl55 t5 ho, 10k lumens, 6500 spectrum, reflector, sits approximately 4 inches from bottom of fixture to top of terrarium and 8 inches from top of terrarium to bottom of bulb.

-Humidity: 80-85% day 80% night.

-Temp: 90 day and 80 night.

-Air circulation: 90 cfm 120mm fan on timer.

-Substrate: 1/1 perlite/spaghum peat.

-Watering: as needed usually once every 3 days for smaller plants and once a day for the larger one. About 0.25 inch of water in tray.

-misting: about twice a day usually right after recirculation fan cuts off. note: all water is distilled.

-Additional: I do use c02 from time to time. Popular opinion says it is useless but I was already sold the equipment by the time I found out...I think there are situations where it becomes useful. It seems to speed recovery of shocked and slightly infirmed plants IMO.
 
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