A couple....hundred questions

[ChronoKiento]

Ok let me say this right now. I am VERY new to utrics and I don't have any and I've never had any. But I know that some of them grow in just plant water. So my question is.....well my questions are... can you just throw some seeds in a 10 gallon aquarium half full of distilled water with a plant light over it and they will grow? Also, if you have utrics that you grow in soil then how do they eat? If you buy sphagnum peat moss from stores there obviously aren't any bugs or anything in it right? I'm sure these are pretty newB questions but I can't seem to find the right answers that I need. I really would like to start growing these plants. How can I setup my own little "terraquarium" to grow this neat little plants. I think they have really nice flowers and that's pretty much the reason that I want to get some. Plus I love carnivorous plants. Also, where do I get water fleas to feed them? I never heard of them until I heard about utrics. Thanks in advance for any feedback just in case I forget. lol

-Kiento

 

[Starman]

Only aquatic Utrics can grow in 100% water. Only around 15% of Utrics are true aquatics(e.gU.gibba, U.macrorhiza) The rest have to be grown in soil, though you can occassionally flood terrestrial Utrics. It doesnt really matter what terrestrial Utrics eat. There are always some tiny bugs in the soil almost invisible to the naked eye, thats what they eat. I reccomend you start with terrestrial utrics. U.sandersonii is a good begginer and windowsill plant.
If you want to try an aquatic, try U.gibba.
Dino

 

[Starman]

Oh yeah, water fleas can be found in local ponds.

 

[ChronoKiento]

Thanks so does that mean that if I got some U. Gibba seeds and put them in a tank of water under a grow light they'd grow? Or would I have to put some kind of soil on the bottom of the tank for the seeds to rest on? Once again thank you for answering such a newB question.

 

[Rob-Rah]

It's easier to start with plants, not seeds. Many aquatics (like some terrestrials) are so vigorous that you can just snip a chunk off and plonk it into new water and it will romp away. If you beg enough on here someone might offer to send you some...

Rob.

 

[ChronoKiento]

I would if begging wasn't against the rules and plus....I don't have an aquarium yet....I do have a big fishbowl but I was planning on using that as a terrarium over the winter.

 

[Pyro]

Quote[/b] (ChronoKiento @ Aug. 09 2004,8:56)]I would if begging wasn't against the rules

I think Rob meant "begging" in joking terms. As far as it being against the rules, technically, yes, it is, but if you were to make a post in the trade forum that says something like this:

Quote[/b] ]Hey all,

I am looking to start growing some aquatic Utrics. I don't have much to trade right now but I could pay shipping or try to work something out. Please PM me.

Thanks

Then odds are some nice person will help you out.

Now to answer your questions, basically Rob is correct in saying it would be easier to go about getting already growing material. Utric seed are notoriously shorty lived and tend to be next to impossible for even experienced growers.

Starman was correct that microfauana will be lurking inthe peat straight out of the package but you can supliment by adding a cup of pond water and all the critters from there will establish themselves rather easy. For terrestrials I find a once a year treatment is sufficient unless you let the tray totally dry out. For aquatics once the microfauna is established then it sould be self maintaining but again a yearly addition doesn't hurt.

To set up a terrarium you have pleanty of options.

The first, for an aquatic you can place a 2" layer of peat on the bottom of a tank and then place a 1/2" inch layer of sand over that. Gently add water (you want to keep the peat getting kicked up and clouding the water.) now just drop the plant in and let it do its thing. If you can wait a few weeks before adding the plant that is best but it is not an absolute. For plants like U. gibba that grow as sub-affixed the set up is kind of the same except you only let the water get about 2" deep and let the level drop to the sand before adding more. A great direction on how to set these types of set ups can be found at this site here (which I also recommend as reading for any newbie.)

For terrestrials you can just dump a peat:sand mix in the bottom of a terrarium plant up divisions and let them take over. This techniqu isn't the greates because some Utircs are very "aggressive" and will swamp put the others. I like to use 2" pots and pack the bottom of the tank with them, each pot gets its own Utric. to water simply add water to the level of the pot and then let the level drop some before adding more.

For the Orchidioides and Iperua Utrics (commonly but incorrectly called the epiphytics) it will be easier on me to just have you check this link here:

third post on the second page (it is also by me)

Hope this helps

 

[Glenn]

U. gibba grows easily from seed from my experience. I bought a bowl, the kind you put goldfish in, put some LFS and peat in the bottom and added RO water. Let it soak, skimmed the floaters then just added the seed. It worked!

After they get long, looks like about a year or so. I will grow them as semi aquatics (half buried/half floating). I have some gibba I grow this way and they flower regularly when the water level drops. Part of the plant sticks to the side of the bowl as the water receeds. I think its this stranded plant material that causes the plant to flower.

Anyhow, experiment, have fun and good luck. Some people think Utics are boring little plants but I think they are fun.

 

[jimscott]

At first, I didn't know what to do with the livida, sandersonii, sandersonii - blue, and bisquamata seeds. But when I saw the beautiful "bunny ears" flowers from my sandersonii and the pics of others, they are well worth cultivating.

 

[ChronoKiento]

Wow, I guess I'll just have to get my hands on a U. gibba cutting now. I'll start out with the easy plant and gain some experience then move up the difficulty level. Thanks for all the help. I really appreciate it.

Edit: BTW would I be able to use creek water instead of pond water? Or does the water have to be still? I know of a park that has a creek that I can get to easily. Ponds are a little harder to find around here that isn't on private property.

 

[Glenn]

Use distilled water or RO water for your plants. Only add a little pond water to get some water creatures in the water for food. Find a still section of the stream and you might be OK. I think a pond would be better. When you collect the water, hold the glass up to the light, you should see tiny little thingys swimming around.

Glenn

 

[jimscott]

Unless you know salt concentrations and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), you are better off purchasing a gallon of distilled water for ~50 cents at Giant or Weis.

 

[dodecatheon]

For what it's worth, I never did anything to "feed" any of my utrics (terrestrials, "epiphytes" and subaquatics) and they all grew and flowered just fine. There was probably something living in the media, but never because I put it there on purpose.

 

[ChronoKiento]

I know to only give them distilled, RO, or rain water. I was asking if the creek water would have a sufficient amount of life in it to support an utric.

 

[altrade212]

what kind of soil do you use? how do you plant them?

 

[ChronoKiento]

When I got mine in the mail I put them in 1 part peat and 1 part sand and I gave them A LOT of water. One thing I dont think you should use for water on utrics. Is rain water, algae has everrun my poor utrics. I think it's suffocating them.

 

[Starman]

An aquarioum is tottaly unnesaserry, you can use it, but your plant wont flower. To flower, you have to get a container, put some peat in the bottom,put the plant in, then let the sun in the summer evaporate all the water, and you plant should flower. However, keep the peat wet.
A good container to use is a plastic tub of some kind.

 

[Clint]

the only thing i agree with in starman's post is that you dont need an aquarium for aquatics and that plastic tubs make good containers. however, the rest isn't true. you can grow aquatic plants in aquarium under lights, they can and will flower. i think putting some peat in the bottom is a good idea no matter how you grow them. don't let "all the water" evaporate, unless you want dead utrics.

it's usually best to research before you give people advice, starman. alot of the stuff you post is innacurate.

 

[rubrarubra]

Aquatic utrics are some of the easiest cp's to grow. If you have a pond, just dump them in there. If not, you'll want a large container or aquarium. That works best if you dump in a water hyacinth or something to host waterfleas and algae-eating snails.

ChronoKiento, if you want an aquatic utric just pm me.

Peter

 

[rubrarubra]

Oh, and if you use a large container, just start by letting the water sit in the sun for a while so the chlorine breaks down. After that you can just top it off with tap water.

Peter