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Phyto Gas Chamber

NemJones

I Am the Terror Of the Night!
Oh my... What kind of trouble can I get into here??
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After scavenging, it is now known that a spare glass bottle can
be used for sending messages on the high seas without water intrusion.
However, It also makes a great CO2 Injector tool.
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An upgrade is made in technology, and added to the second Insectivorous Phytochamber.
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Let the plant bath begin.

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The gas chamber in full effect.

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I forgot to Uncap my Minibog, so Ill break the hotbox and finish off the last lump of the CO2 Ore.
(It was an experiment to see how long it would take unchopped sphagnum to start growing.)
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Both chambers are locked down for the next 5 hours.

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The secondary plant chamber has various plants, including
sarracenia seedings, nepenthes seedlings, 1 midsized nepenthes, many gemmae,
various pygmy dews, a fern, and a spider plant.

Any questions/objections?
 
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Having not looked into this subject, how much of a change/improvement do you expect to see in the plants?

Second thought: How's the ventilation in the rooms housing your chambers?
 
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Pretty good ventilation, however the chambers are *almost* completely stangant/nonmoving air.

I dont really exptect to see to much of any change, But I occasionally like to bathe them in co2
To see if anything happens. If not that, its good for them atleast.
From my understanding, the mlre light you give with co2, the more growth you will have
(Potentially)
 
Feast or famine isn't the best way to supplement CO2. Your chamber would likely be better for killing pests on the plants than increasing growth. Better to maintain an elevated level over the course of time the plant is actually using CO2 which varies day to night depending upon the type of photosythesis a given plant uses. However CO2 supplementation only works to increase growth when CO2 is the limiting factor on a plant's growth. All the CO2 in the world won't increase growth on a plant that doesn't get enough iron, or nitrogen or light or whatever.
 
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Your chamber would likely be better for killing pests on the plants than increasing growth.
I used this method on a tank of Utrics to eliminate some tiny aphids. A year later, I used it again on a D. regia with aphids (received in a trade from a TF member) - didn't work. Based on posts in Dart Frog forums, this approach also doesn't work on mites.
 
I used this method on a tank of Utrics to eliminate some tiny aphids. A year later, I used it again on a D. regia with aphids (received in a trade from a TF member) - didn't work. Based on posts in Dart Frog forums, this approach also doesn't work on mites.
None of the pests you mentioned can live without oxygen. Properly done CO2 will completely displace all the air. Maintain that condition long enough and all active pests will die. A second treatment can be required because eggs can survive, and you have to retreat after they hatch, but before they develop to the point they lay their own eggs.
 
I never really thought about using that method on pests.
Ill have to try that next time theres an infestation. Do you think it would work on mealy bugs or scale?
 
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Feast or famine isn't the best way to supplement CO2. Your chamber would likely be better for killing pests on the plants than increasing growth. Better to maintain an elevated level over the course of time the plant is actually using CO2 which varies day to night depending upon the type of photosythesis a given plant uses. However CO2 supplementation only works to increase growth when CO2 is the limiting factor on a plant's growth. All the CO2 in the world won't increase growth on a plant that doesn't get enough iron, or nitrogen or light or whatever.

You are 100% correct: Liebig's Law of the Minimum
 
Yes, but you would want to fill the chamber completely and then tape plastic to the top for a day. Then you'll want to repeat, but exactly when would be dependent on the life cycle of your specific pest.
 
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None of the pests you mentioned can live without oxygen.
While obviously true, theoretical knowledge vs practical experience means something here. The fact that it worked with the 1st infestation (which was massive) & not the 2nd means something -- as does other's experience with mites.

For the aphids on the D. regia, I probably did the CO2 3-5 times (which was a major pain because the supplier was 45-60 min away). Since plants will use the CO2 to make oxygen in the presence of light, unless you black out the tank, you're limited to a long night's worth of O2 deprivation. In addition, depending on how much material in the tank (media, live LFS, etc), complete displacement of O2 with CO2 may be potentially difficult (as is knowing if displacement is complete). I have no idea why the process didn't work the 2nd time with aphids - but it wasn't for lack of trying. :headwall:

I had no experience with the mites but based on multiple frog people reporting their results, the process didn't work with them. A buddy had read that they may enter a state of torpor where they can basically shut down for a period.
 
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While obviously true, theoretical knowledge vs practical experience means something here. The fact that it worked with the 1st infestation (which was massive) & not the 2nd means something -- as does other's experience with mites.

For the aphids on the D. regia, I probably did the CO2 3-5 times (which was a major pain because the supplier was 45-60 min away). Since plants will use the CO2 to make oxygen in the presence of light, unless you black out the tank, you're limited to a long night's worth of O2 deprivation. In addition, depending on how much material in the tank (media, live LFS, etc), complete displacement of O2 with CO2 may be potentially difficult (as is knowing if displacement is complete). I have no idea why the process didn't work the 2nd time with aphids - but it wasn't for lack of trying. :headwall:

I had no experience with the mites but based on multiple frog people reporting their results, the process didn't work with them. A buddy had read that they may enter a state of torpor where they can basically shut down for a period.
I agree that a fully furnished terrarium presents complications as far as complete displacement of the air. But one thing to consider about multiple treatments: if you do it every day for a month, but the eggs of your target pest take 31 days to hatch.......as in any fight, knowledge of your enemy is your most effective weapon.
 
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