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Growing Cephalotus follicularis on a Vertical Wall?
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Apparently I'm late to this having just seen it now... LOL
That is one bizarrely shaped tank, what is it intended use for?
I am growing/attempting to root a Cephalotus pitcher cutting on a vertical wall in a vampire crab tank but so far it's overgrown with Java moss so I don't know how it's doing now. I'm hoping I will see new growth sprout from where it was set as the pitcher never yellowed an "died"(been there at least 1 month). I can only just see the front of the pitcher poking out of the java moss. It gets watered everyday from misting and is planted on one of my mud backgrounds (kitty litter + peat & LFS). I'll post pics of if it ever kicks in and starts growing.
That is one bizarrely shaped tank, what is it intended use for?
I am growing/attempting to root a Cephalotus pitcher cutting on a vertical wall in a vampire crab tank but so far it's overgrown with Java moss so I don't know how it's doing now. I'm hoping I will see new growth sprout from where it was set as the pitcher never yellowed an "died"(been there at least 1 month). I can only just see the front of the pitcher poking out of the java moss. It gets watered everyday from misting and is planted on one of my mud backgrounds (kitty litter + peat & LFS). I'll post pics of if it ever kicks in and starts growing.
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The first page of this thread details how I made the hills, peat/sand molds ok if you allow it to dry and "set-up" some every few inches. I can even use a spray bottle without any noticeable errosion.
I have no idea what the tank was intended for, I just had to buy it
.When I transplanted this one into the wall I made it a humidity tent out of plastic wrap and the lighting egg crating stuff, gradually allowing more room humidity air into the tent. I think this helped alot. I keep this Cephalotus drier than any others I'm growing, just because of how its growing, too much water and my wall might collapse!
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RSS have you seen my posts on making the mud/clay wall background? I can go as high as I want with it. I've currently gone as high as 24" and used it to secure wood to the back wall and no worries about collapse.
My standard mix for enough to do a 10 gallon tank (+ a bit extra) is:
3 qts of all clay kitty litter (red bag of Special Kitty brand generic liter at walmart)
3 qts of sphagnum peat moss
1 qt of shredded LFS
1 gallon of water
Mix with a drill and "Jiffy Mixer" attachment
If you wanted to use sand or grit all you would have to do is add a bit more water. Basically the clay just binds it all and makes it tacky, while mixing it up if you can take a handful of material and squish it unsupported on the side of you pail and it doesn't slide down it's ready to use. If it's too wet and slides, just add more peat to dry it up a bit. Once it's installed mist it one or more times a day and you will have an all organic background that can be sculpted/shaped in various ways and holds just enough moisture for lush plant growth. I've been doing this in all my tanks, I'll never mess with silicone and spray foam again! Plants seem to love it.
Here's my first clay background in one of the vampire crab tanks, try to find the Cephalotus cutting...LOL I am also using the background clay mix as the actual substrate in this tank too and it's working OK so far. This tank has been up and running for about 6-8 weeks and the clay background has reached a sort of equilibrium in moisture, it's about the same wetness as wet wood but is still malleable if I were to want to change something. Perfect for epiphytes to grow against and other kinds of plants can bury their roots into it. The crabs have both dug burrows here and there on the vertical background with no loss to structural integrity. To plant you just poke a hole and stick a cutting in or stuff it in the moss layer and let it find it's own way. Since the clay is non toxic I could do the side walls of the tank to gain more planting space at any time without moving out the crabs or plants.
My standard mix for enough to do a 10 gallon tank (+ a bit extra) is:
3 qts of all clay kitty litter (red bag of Special Kitty brand generic liter at walmart)
3 qts of sphagnum peat moss
1 qt of shredded LFS
1 gallon of water
Mix with a drill and "Jiffy Mixer" attachment
If you wanted to use sand or grit all you would have to do is add a bit more water. Basically the clay just binds it all and makes it tacky, while mixing it up if you can take a handful of material and squish it unsupported on the side of you pail and it doesn't slide down it's ready to use. If it's too wet and slides, just add more peat to dry it up a bit. Once it's installed mist it one or more times a day and you will have an all organic background that can be sculpted/shaped in various ways and holds just enough moisture for lush plant growth. I've been doing this in all my tanks, I'll never mess with silicone and spray foam again! Plants seem to love it.
Here's my first clay background in one of the vampire crab tanks, try to find the Cephalotus cutting...LOL I am also using the background clay mix as the actual substrate in this tank too and it's working OK so far. This tank has been up and running for about 6-8 weeks and the clay background has reached a sort of equilibrium in moisture, it's about the same wetness as wet wood but is still malleable if I were to want to change something. Perfect for epiphytes to grow against and other kinds of plants can bury their roots into it. The crabs have both dug burrows here and there on the vertical background with no loss to structural integrity. To plant you just poke a hole and stick a cutting in or stuff it in the moss layer and let it find it's own way. Since the clay is non toxic I could do the side walls of the tank to gain more planting space at any time without moving out the crabs or plants.
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I have not read that one, can you post a link here?
That mix would be close to what I used as far as molding goes, peat + something sand/gravelish makes an ok molding material.
Nice looking tank there, but it really needs a hanging viney thing on that back wall
. Maybe one of the mid sized Peperomia. And those branches seem like a good place for some mini orchids. If your already misting the tank daily it would only be a few seconds more work.
That mix would be close to what I used as far as molding goes, peat + something sand/gravelish makes an ok molding material.
Nice looking tank there, but it really needs a hanging viney thing on that back wall
. Maybe one of the mid sized Peperomia. And those branches seem like a good place for some mini orchids. If your already misting the tank daily it would only be a few seconds more work.
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Here is the link to my first setup and use of the clay in this tank:
http://www.terraforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123307
I do have some strands of a small Peperomia dangling in there - the one that looks like a pearl necklace with the darker color pattern on it (P. reticulata?), it's just kinda hard to see. I have some warmer growing mini orchids coming, there is currently a Dendrobium princetei [Edit: What is your reference for this species? I can't find it anywhere.] on one of the twigs on a clump of moss up near the top. I like to think of vivariums as a bonsai, never "done" always in a state of growth and change with new additions and subtractions. It reminds me of my old planted aquarium hobby, minus the all the water changes! LOL
I also smear the clay on pieces of wood, then add tufts of moss and spray it at least once a day and get good moss growth, the excess mud in the high spots washes off but the mud stays in the crevices and deep ruts in the bark and keeps the moss moist enough to get established. Clay is awesome and cheap! Here is a cork tube that I cut a hole in to make a "burrow", covered in mud and moss tufts a month ago, it's starting to establish and spread now:
What are you molding and making casts of?
http://www.terraforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123307
I do have some strands of a small Peperomia dangling in there - the one that looks like a pearl necklace with the darker color pattern on it (P. reticulata?), it's just kinda hard to see. I have some warmer growing mini orchids coming, there is currently a Dendrobium princetei [Edit: What is your reference for this species? I can't find it anywhere.] on one of the twigs on a clump of moss up near the top. I like to think of vivariums as a bonsai, never "done" always in a state of growth and change with new additions and subtractions. It reminds me of my old planted aquarium hobby, minus the all the water changes! LOL
I also smear the clay on pieces of wood, then add tufts of moss and spray it at least once a day and get good moss growth, the excess mud in the high spots washes off but the mud stays in the crevices and deep ruts in the bark and keeps the moss moist enough to get established. Clay is awesome and cheap! Here is a cork tube that I cut a hole in to make a "burrow", covered in mud and moss tufts a month ago, it's starting to establish and spread now:
What are you molding and making casts of?
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The newest pitcher is opening up so I though it was update time.
Just for reference, I transplanted this one back around the middle of May 10 and it looked like this.
It is now 5 1/2 months later.
The 2nd one is still settling in and not doing much, its still in its humidity tent, seen here. It should be coming out in a week or two. The tank it came from is about 99% humidity constantly and I don't want to rush it. The living room is not exactly humid.
An interesting side note...I have other divisions of this Cephalotus in the same medium about 2-3" FURTHER from the same lights as this one and they are all red while this guy is all green!...Gotta love this species.
Just for reference, I transplanted this one back around the middle of May 10 and it looked like this.
It is now 5 1/2 months later.
The 2nd one is still settling in and not doing much, its still in its humidity tent, seen here. It should be coming out in a week or two. The tank it came from is about 99% humidity constantly and I don't want to rush it. The living room is not exactly humid.
An interesting side note...I have other divisions of this Cephalotus in the same medium about 2-3" FURTHER from the same lights as this one and they are all red while this guy is all green!...Gotta love this species.
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I mist/light water the top about once a week, and fill up the "bay" about once a week usually at the same time. Parts of the peat medium at the base are in the water but not much of it.
Dexenthes
Aristoloingulamata
.
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Would possibly be a good habitat for Utricularia graminifolia. I find that one likes to be semi-submerged.
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.... but within 6 months, I suspect the Utricularia graminifolia would assume the entire tank as 'good habitat'.
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Possibly.... but within 6 months, I suspect the Utricularia graminifolia would assume the entire tank as 'good habitat'.
It has a pretty flower though 
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I pulled the tank out to pluck some moss and thought I'd share what is happening on the walls of the tank.
And here is some of the Drosera spilos I got from the auction this year, growing happily in there. No flowers or gemmae yet, but its getting colder here.
And of course the reason for the thread.
And here is some of the Drosera spilos I got from the auction this year, growing happily in there. No flowers or gemmae yet, but its getting colder here.
And of course the reason for the thread.
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