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Growing Highland Neps in Singapore

Hi guys, after reading a post by Dave about his "highland neps tank", I am wondering if it is possible to do something similar in Singapore? I remember that there was talk a long time ago about using some computer cooler thing to cool tanks for the purpose of inducing VFTs to go dormant, and to provide for the duration of their duration of dormancy. However, it struck me that highland neps do not require such low temperatures, and these temperatures might actually be achievable using some kind of tank-cooler set-up. Any ideas?
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Aquarium cooler...wine cooler...Yacult fridge...I thought of most things possible.
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 The best bet is actually a Yacult fridge if you got lobang to buy a second hand one. It has got florescent lights inside, see-through glass door and very cold. Can even grow temperate plants inside! That's my dream highland tank.  
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My 2cts worth.
 
1) Peltier / thermoelectric junction

2) Cooler (Yacult),

3) Ice

4) Air-conditioner / your room at night
 
How about using a portable air-conditioner? modify the cool air outlet, use a hose to channel the cooled air into a glass tank? Should not be too difficult to do....
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How big and how expensive are those things?
 
The petier thing sounds affordable enough... as for a Yakult fridge, the problem is the space leh... I mean the lights are at the top so even if the racks can be repositioned suit a "landscape" (as opposed to "portrait") display of the plants, the lights would be shining from the side? Would a wine chiller do the job as well?
 
Wine chiller would do it v well...only thing is cost + space. Lights can be easily attached (above otherwise the plants wil grow sideways
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For the peltier to be useful you gotta get a powerful one and enclose the tank. Otherwise it will only bring it down about 5*C or so.

As for the fridge, the auntie downstairs just threw away...3...of...her perfectly working 6 foot fridges with temp control, lights and 5 racks. D@mn it! Well, anyway, parents probably wouldn't have allowed it in the living room...
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Pity about the fridges!!!
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Anyway, what is the optimum temp for highland neps? Abt 20 C? So if I get more peltiers do u think it could work? I mean, a wine chiller is cool but is quite small unless you get a big one, which would be very expensive.

On the other hand, if I can get a few peltiers and a large fish tank, it could be more economical...
 
My bro and i just tried ice (freeze in bottles) in a styrofoam , it's very good! The ice packs last about 10 hours and it brings donw the temp to around 12 degrees, which is dam good. we're planning to use peltiers in the day time (or 24/7) and put ice every night, since highland plants cant tolerate 35 degrees in the daytime
 
  • #10
Ice is ok, but I hope you have a day job, its a MUST every night to put ice in and a MUST in the morning to remove and refreeze.
 
  • #11
You could try searching for peltiers in singapore, I'd imagine they would be pretty hard to find unless you go to a electronic warehouse (Sim Lim or Funan doesn't have any). The cheap ones are on Ebay USA.
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That's where I got mine from. Can sell you if you want.

The ice is pretty good, esp. in a styrofoam box, but then, when we go on holiday...
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