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building a terrarium start to finish

  • #22
I have gotten away from the aquarium- style terrarium. My current terrarium is, essentially, a plywood box with glass on top and sliding glass doors on the front. If you want a large terrarium, this is cheaper and much easier to access than using a fishtank. If you have 150 to spend, you may as well build it 4 feet long and use standard shop lights. Smaller fixtures are going to be much more expensive, as are the bulbs for them.
 
  • #23
My point is that I have given you all the information that I can provide at this current time with the current imformation. As you said...
"I would like you to give me recommendations please, on lighting, humidity, plants, type of terrarium, EVERYTHING!"
If you want to know something in particular ASK. I am willing to provide you with as much information as you require and I can give. Speaking of which I believe the best terrarium for your money is a 55 gallon with a cheaper 4 ft shoplight. 55 gallon tanks are large enough to fit a good number of plants in for around a $100 US dollars. You can often find them for cheaper though. As for the shoplights the are around $8 dollars if you look, as for the bulbs they depend on the store and the type. I do agree with dodecatheon if your plants/terrarium are going to be for your eyes only then you do not need an expensive terrarium. I am personally working on making a 4ft by 2 ft shelf and covering it with plastic and have several levels of plants. This is a very cheap idea to have lots of growing space with high humidity and the works.

Your welcome,
Sam
 
  • #24
well, thanks!
Ok, let's say anywhere 15-35 gal. It's going to be for a lot more eyes than mine. Probably for an enviromental education program on Carnivorious Plants. Just easy care, showy plants, for encouragement for kids on enviroment awareness, but CP's sure get more attention than grass...
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But-yes there always is a but-I want it to be semi-formidible too intermediate CPers. You know, Just an all-around goodin'
 
  • #25
oh, I meant $150 give or take $20 on the whole cabootle.
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  • #26
nepenthes gracillis, any suggestions on nep.'s?
 
  • #27
Some good points already. I agree that you should go bigger than your planning. It will quickly fill up and before long you will wish for more space. Cost shouldn't be much more and if your crafty you can cut cost alot by building a terrarium rather than buying an expensive glass fishtank. Especially with Nepenthes. Even the smaller species will get 6-8 inches across (give or take an inch or two).

As for plants to put in, it depends on the temperature range. Generally easier to maintain the terrarium at whatever your room temperature is. When you try and run it warmer or cooler then you need more equipment.

I would also go with pots. Much easier to maintain the plants that way.
Tony
 
  • #28
A good idea is go to a yard sale most of the time they sell terraruims plus the whole kit and kuboodle with it for about 50 bucks. Then if you want you can add on to your terrarium later on and save some money in the process. Just an idea.

travis
 
  • #29
Hmm.....sugestions from me! Wow! I am asked for suggestions! Um....ok. You can put most ANY Nepenthes in a terrarium i it is a small palnt but if it is an overall small species liek Gracilis or a slow growing giant like Rajah your OK but palnt like Bical are not good candidates unless your terrarium is eitch 10 gallons at the least and 50 gallons would be best. But yes, put in pots like Tony said and do what I did, layer the bottom with 6 inches of living sphagnum if you can and have access to large amounts of it like i do.

11159105-c191-01600120-.jpg

Left to right: Hamata,Lowii,Rajah
 
  • #30
nice!
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Thanks for the help!!!
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I love your nep terrarium! Where do you get living sphagnum? I only have little tiny spores, the size of these periods---..
 
  • #31
and they've been that way for ages...
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But they're still green
 
  • #32
Not too many garage sales here, but I was able to find a 15 gallon at a thrift store/salvation army place for $12. If you have one of those, check it every few days. Easier than driving around the neighborhood
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  • #33
thanks, we do, but I don't know what my mom will think of me buying stuff at the thrift store
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(instead of buying new ones)
 
  • #34
It was perfectly fine. All I had to do was wash it. When you consider the cost of a new one vs. half an hour of washing...not bad. Unless you plan on returning it to the store, it's much cheaper to get a used one.

I did have to buy a light and a lid for the tank, $40. Add the humidifier at around $25, a timer, etc. It gets expensive. And this is just for a 15 gallon tank.
 
  • #35
but wouldn't an ultrassonic fogger work as a humidifier? And I already have a UVA/UVB light and hood. Then it's just the plants
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I'm not going to grow anything mega demanding.
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  • #36
I got my 10-gallon for 7 dollars
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at Mal*Wart. I also have 9 plant in my terrarium. Couple sundews, 1 Sar., 1 Nep. with a flouresant light. Why would you need a ultrassonic fogger, sound kool but I really don't think you need one. With that money you could a bigger tank. Just an idear.

travis
 
  • #37
yeah, I know, I'll get that later... can anyone guide me as to how many plants fit in what size terrarium?
 
  • #38
I had 2 Merrilliana bout 6-8 inches dia in a 5 and 1/2 gal terrarium and I have them both in a 10 gallon with 2 Gracilis. I have the three Neps above in a 20 gallon extra extra tall. So You can fit most any nepenthes size in any terarium size. Just be creative and you can even hang pots if they are light and don't wiergh too much But I got extra tall for heat exchange heat rises and the taller the terarium the higher the heat will be away from the plants. So I could fit about ten 4 inch pots in the 20 gallon and I could fit about 6 8 inch pots. In the 10 gallon I coulf fit about eight 4 inch pots and 3 8 inch pots.
 
  • #39
yay! What about the living sphagnum?
 
  • #40
Livign Sphagnum? I get mine from a bog owned by a friend for free. He's very nice to let me take some when i need it.
 
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