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vraev

Carnivorous plant enthusiast
Admin
Hi guys,

So, if you remember me, I was the rebel who, inspite of growing VFTs outside or under strong lights as recommended, took a different route, made a terrarium and it was a decent success beyond what I had initially hoped for.

Now for phase 2 of my FLORA collection, I have removed all the plants from the terrairum (10 gallon), cleaned out the tank, planted plants in their own induvidual pots (the standard way) as I posted in the VFT forum in a thread.

Now what was happening with my old terrarium, well, I went shopping yesterday to understandably, the most expensive, yet, best nursery I have ever been to so far, SHERIDAN Nursaries, here in canada.

O! Before i go there, remember, I grew a ventrata with FOIL? used foil to make a enclousure and the nep actually liked it? Well....I finally bought it a better home, the humidity in there is a whopping 85% at the most dropping ot 80 at the end of the day, after spraying only once in the morning.



SO back to the purchases, I saw this great looking miranda over there.


However, it was 40$ without taxes. I was reluctant to spend soo much money. However, fate wasn't to be that way, I suddenly found on the corner, a few baskets of similar leaved neps WITH NO PITCHERS AT ALL. It was kinda old apparently and they were selling it for 20$. The label also said coccinea. But, I guess similar to the "alata" thing, it might be a miranda.

So here you go...I wasn't going to let it pass, and bought it: I know the light is pretty low for it...I am still trying to see if I can get another similar gro and sho light for it.

newnepqz3.jpg


So, now the only thing left is that empty 10 gallon tank, well, its not going to waste. I bought other plants too. :) But this time, the terrarium will be a "DENSE forest style with a LOT OF MOSS" :D

here are the plants:

newplantscf7.jpg


I know the pine is pretty big.. ID PLEASE?? . Even the other plant is pretty decently sized. ID PLEASE.

So this is what I am planning, I just set this up a few minutes ago..before i just started withthis post.

newterrgl1.jpg


So now, this is my initial and probably "decided" design. This is the smallest piece of driftwood I could find in all the 3 major stores I know of. It looks nice too...suits well for a waterfall...and has enough room for moss to grow over it maybe in the future. This is a "waterfall" pump and the smallest available. The tubing unfortunately is thicker than aquarium tubing...so it is kinda messed...but i plan on siliconing it to the wood too.

Now at this time, I know the plants are too crowded...but I don't know, I personally think I like it like this...crowded!! gives the appearance of a nice thick vegetation. :) I was also planning on asking you, if I can cut off their growth tips, will they grow laterally??

Also, any advice would be welcome. :)

thanks for reading,

vraev
 
Sweet Nep setup. I have a neighbor who uses foil for his 1 nep.
Is that a Nor folk pine?
 
I don't know....I checked out the internet for it. Norfolk island pine is a bit different. I have seen those real trees in life. However, I never saw a small baby plant like this...so I am unsure. :( Thanks for the effort though. I appreciate it. :).... But from all I know...Most pines grow in acidic soil, the pine needles themselves contribute to the soil acidity. :)
 
They also get really big. All the norfolk pines you see at sale in stores, even the biggest ones you've ever seen, are babies.
 
lol! The biggest ones I have seen are in an atrium in my university. Its a nice huge tree. maybe like 20 feet tall :)
 
I have a big one... of course not like a tree :p . Twas a gift.
there are like several varieties too like needles facing different directions and stuff. But basically... urs looks like a norfolk :)
Oh by the way, look out for Wollemi pines, they're so cool!!!! Here: http://www.wollemipine.com/
 
...They trademarked a tree that they found in nature? Jesus it's not like they bred it.

I remember when National Geographic was selling seedlings for like 100 bucks each to support some fund.
 
lol! that is insane though..its like having aliving fossil. :D

But surely though guys, could you guys please give me any ideas for the terrarium?? My mom was like "I don't like it! that pine is too big". :( But I still think its neat. However, now i am considering any alternatives! I can't buy too many more plants...but these are the best small ones I found.

Could anyone give me some suggestions wiht a new design??
 
Well for me small tanks are hard to work with. A carpet of Hemianthus callitrichoides is nice if you are going to fertilize this tank. One of those little heart-shaped ferns would be cool. Tiny tiny bulbophyllum for attaching to twigs, forget about a waterfall, instead of making it a side-profile make it a front-profile.
 
  • #10
wow....the Hemianthus callitrichoides is pretty cute. It seems like a nice small plant. However, I DO not want to fertilize it. I plan on still having a couple of small pings in there. I will still try if i can get it. :)

The bulbophyllum, I have never seen any tiny plants anywhere :(. But if i make a side profile, don't I need to use foam background and all??
 
  • #11
oh... well I was just about to suggest Downoi and dwarf Lobelia, which ROCK but since you don't want to fertilize....

You could just paint the back black and use drift wood, pile it up and fill the nooks and crannies with LFS and plants. You'll want a flase bottom by the way.

You can make it a mound like ^ or make it flat like _ or make it high on both sides and a valley in the middle like U. It's very hard to make fancy elaborate scapes in small tanks. You COULD do a minimalist approach. A 20 gallon with a nice branch it it covered with epiphytes with a carpet of 1 type of plant and maybe a few rosette plants would look SO much better than a 20 gallon with a pine tree and an overbearing waterfall in it, which no offense would look forced and stuffed and crappy.


Another idea is get some neat pumice or lava rocks, and grow pinguicula on them.


Here is 13 pages of miniature orchids for sale.
http://www.andysorchids.com/Miniatures.asp
 
  • #12
well...it was actually just a 10 gallon tank :p .. really small.

Acutally your idea of the driftwood pile is good. :D I'll see if I can get more driftwood in there. :D

But do u think all those new plants are to waste?? how about that 1.99$ plant? 2 inch pot?? loooks like a little tree isn't it?? :p
 
  • #13
The sallegen.. the moss thing is fine and the small Tillandsia but the others will get big.

TEN gallons! Wow. Try going to Sheridan's frog forum (I'm assuming he goes to a frog forum :) ) and get some inspiration from the frog people's vivariums. The best vivariums are by frog people. Well the ones with an eye for aesthetics.

http://www.dendroboard.com/

Pennywort is a good plant. Riccia is good. You'll find that almost all aquarium plants do great when adapted to a terrestrial lifestyle. A carpet of Utricularia would be sweet, too. I like calycifida.

Ohh I see Sheridan's pygmy post in the plant section :) Represent!
 
  • #15
Is see northforks everywhere!
 
  • #16
actually I don't know...its hard to describe my pine as norfolk .. The norfolk pine has a neat arrangement of the pine needles whereas mine is like haphazard. It just seems to be juvenille needles of a regular pine. However, it would be nice if i had indeed got a norfolk. :)
 
  • #18
I even "ASKED" for that ! I wanted a club moss. But even sheridan didn't have it. Most of the time, the canadian nursaries are very random. You have to keep watching and pick up stuff when it suddenly appears one day. :(
 
  • #19
I WOULD send you whatever you want but you're in Canada. I've got 4 kinds up at the cabin. I said three, I meant 4. What's the point of NAFTA if you can't REALLY trade freely like in the EU?

Sheridan can have some since he's in America if he wants. Last summer or the summer before I sent out 5 gallons of giant club moss :) Someone wanted it for a little vivarium and I think the amount I sent really surprised them lmao.

I've got these 4 kinds if anyone wants to pay shipping for free moss. PM me.

Polytrichum something. Looks like Lycopodium lucidulum
Lycopodium obscurum
Lycopodium flabelliforme
Something like Lycopodium Clavantum

Humid subtropical Georgia is nice :)
 
  • #20
wait a min....when I say sheridan, I mean sheridan nursaries. :p

lol!

WOW!! I would LOVE to get some club moss. Is there any way I can get these from you JLP? They are amazing. I love moss! That was my initial goal with this terrarium, make it a moss garden.
 
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