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Hello people,

This is my carnivorous plants paludarium. I've had these carnivorous plants for five or six months I think. My plants were in bad shape when I first planted them, and I've lost my Drosera prolifera. (And my all-white variation of Drosera capensis, too. They never where healthy to begin with, unlike the all-red variety.) They're all thriving now though, except the two Cantley's Red variants, which are alive but refuse to grow new pitchers. I've used a custom mixture of long-fibre sphagnum moss, perlite, sphagnum peat and quartz sand for Nepenthes and Heliamphoras. For other plants, I used a 1:1 mixture of sand and peat. The plants receive 12 hours of metal halide light everyday, and are usually sitting in an inch of water. I occasionally allow this surplus water to evaporate completely before I add more. The tank currently holds 90 gallons, where I keep an assorted variety of fish and floating plants. The floating island is waterproof. I used to feed them fruit flies, but I've run out of cultures right now.

All comments/ideas welcome. Specifically, I'd like to know what other carnivorous plants are suitable to my setting.

21FromAbove-1.jpg


87GlassCover-1.jpg


91LushGrowth-1.jpg


74ThermometerEel-1.jpg


General Info:

  • 130 gallons
  • Water temperature, 28 C
  • Eheim 2228 external filter
  • Moisture, 100-90%
  • Ammonia, 0 mg/lt
  • Nitrate, less than 1 mg/Lt
  • pH = 7.5
  • 400 W metal halide
List of animal species:

  • Beaufortia kweichowensis, x1
  • Osteoglossum bicirrhosum, x1
  • Apteronotus albifrons, x2
  • Planorbis Corneus Rubrum, a colony of
  • Macrognathus circumcinctus, x2
  • Trigonostigma heteromorpha, x3
  • Polypterus senegalus, x2
  • Mastacembelus favus, x1
  • Pomacea bridgesii, a colony of
  • Polypterus senegalus, albino, x1
  • Polypterus endlicherii endlicherii, x1
Water plants:

  • Nuphar lutea
  • Salvinia natans
  • Spirodela polyrhiza
  • Limnobium laevigatum
  • Eichhornia crassipes
  • Pistia strationes
Carnivorous plants:

  • Venus flytrap, giant Z11
  • Nepenthes ampullaria var. Cantley's Red, x2
  • Nepenthes ampullaria var. Harlequin, x2
  • Drosera capensis, var. all-red, x3
  • Nepenthes bicalcatrata, x2
  • Heliamphora minor, x2

Photo album here:

http://s1082.photobucket.com/albums/j368/Whirlflux/
 
Very interesting approach! How long ago did you put it together?
~Joe
 
i like this idea, i really do. i do like the fact that you've given each plant their preferred media and planted them in their individual pots. that will make things easier when things like VFTs need their winter dormancy and they can be taken out.

i dont think there can be much advice given here---because these are more advanced perimeters that we are dealing with, mainly customizations dealing with temps. Helis normally are found growing in cool weather with drops down to the 45s, but i've also seen them grown together in a terra with petiolaris dews that never see temps drop below 80F during their growing season. Your LL Neps should do fine though. Really all i can say is take the VFT out during October, leave it outside to acclimate and rest until Mid Feb when you can "wake" it up to resume growth. Other than that, BEAUTIFUL FISH! i really enjoy the Polypterus and eels! and you have endlicherii! what a find!

for CPs you should try Utrics. everybody loves Utrics----except when they start invading every pot and you cant get rid of them....
 
Very interesting approach! How long ago did you put it together?
~Joe
Thank you. Five or six months, I think.

---------- Post added at 06:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:04 PM ----------

i like this idea, i really do. i do like the fact that you've given each plant their preferred media and planted them in their individual pots. that will make things easier when things like VFTs need their winter dormancy and they can be taken out.

i dont think there can be much advice given here---because these are more advanced perimeters that we are dealing with, mainly customizations dealing with temps. Helis normally are found growing in cool weather with drops down to the 45s, but i've also seen them grown together in a terra with petiolaris dews that never see temps drop below 80F during their growing season. Your LL Neps should do fine though. Really all i can say is take the VFT out during October, leave it outside to acclimate and rest until Mid Feb when you can "wake" it up to resume growth. Other than that, BEAUTIFUL FISH! i really enjoy the Polypterus and eels! and you have endlicherii! what a find!

for CPs you should try Utrics. everybody loves Utrics----except when they start invading every pot and you cant get rid of them....
Hi, and thanks for all the comments. Yes, I'm aware that VFTs require winter dormancy, and yes, that's why I've planted them in individual pots. As far as I remember, different species of Heliamphoras have different temperature ranges. I've read that Heliamphora minor is an "intermediate zone" plant, and not as strictly higland as its larger relatives. (They were actually the first plants to adapt to my paludarium.)

I actually wanted to get an aquatic utric, Utricularia reflexa. I couldn't find any information regarding their water chemistry requirements, so I avoided the risk. I'm not really interested in the terrestrial species. And finally, I'm glad that you like my fish! The endlicherii baby still has its external gills, like an axolotl. Very cute.
 
yes.. I like it.. however..
I'll be needing MORE :pics: !!
 
yes.. I like it.. however..
I'll be needing MORE :pics: !!
Well, I have 100+ pictures in the photo album. I add new photos occasionally. Btw, you have an impressive grow list! Just how "red" is your red ampullaria? I've been looking for a pure red variant of N. ampullaria for forever, but couldn't find any. The closest I could get was Cantley's Red, but it still has greenish-yellowish spots (and doesn't grow pitchers in my paludarium anyway.)
 
This is screaming for pics

A large, overall shot of the aquarium would be appreciated.
:grin:
 
Dude, wow, that is incredible. Probably one of the most innovative CP displays I've seen! Looks like you have room for a second CP island in there... and of course, plenty of room on this thread for more pics :)
 
Dude, wow, that is incredible. Probably one of the most innovative CP displays I've seen! Looks like you have room for a second CP island in there... and of course, plenty of room on this thread for more pics :)
Thanks! I'm actually considering a second, smaller island for Utricularia and Genlisea species (which will not be waterproof, allowing their roots to dangle down.) A poster on the CPUK forum suggested the idea. I need the surface space for my floating plants and fish, though.

And here are some overall shots from the photo album, in chronological order. The system still requires some improvements.

20AllReady.jpg

44Paludarium.jpg

78CatSunbathing.jpg

91LushGrowth.jpg

89FrontView.jpg
 
  • #10
You've got a great piece of work! I love the overall concept, and think you've done very nicely.

I kept looking and feeling like something was off, and finally figured out what it was. Because your island is completely round, it didn't have that "natural" feel too it. But I love the overall idea, and really like how you have branches coming out of the island like roots. Overtime it'd be neat to see the sphagnum grow up over the lips of the pots and give it a more smooth appearance and solidify the planted tank feel.

Oh, and as far as pure red N. Ampularia, try 'Harlequin Red'.
 
  • #11
Hi Emre,

I think your palludarium is looking a LOT healthier than when you first posted pictures of it and it keeps getting better. :) Congratulations on your success! :)

PS: The cat seems to approve of it too. :)
 
  • #12
You've got a great piece of work! I love the overall concept, and think you've done very nicely.

I kept looking and feeling like something was off, and finally figured out what it was. Because your island is completely round, it didn't have that "natural" feel too it. But I love the overall idea, and really like how you have branches coming out of the island like roots. Overtime it'd be neat to see the sphagnum grow up over the lips of the pots and give it a more smooth appearance and solidify the planted tank feel.

Oh, and as far as pure red N. Ampularia, try 'Harlequin Red'.
Hi there,

Yes, it doesn't look 100% natural this way. But I can assure you that my first attempts at sculpting styrofoam (in an irregular pattern) produced some horrible results. The round island rotates smoothly, fits the triangular tank well, and maximises the space avaiable for carnivorous plants. If I had a very large tank, like 250+ gallons, I could give the island any possible shape I guess. As for sphagnum moss, it's blooming now (constant high moisture helps.) I guess I could add some peat padding under the moss to raise the level and hide the pots... when I'm not feeling lazy, lol.

I'm going to remove Cantley's Reds unless they grow new pitchers, which I don't think they will, so I'm looking for a replacement. A plant with basal pitchers would be awesome, like a centerfold at the middle of the island. Is "Brunei Red" any good? I've seen some stunning pictures of that variant. Thanks for your opinion BTW.

Hi Emre,

I think your palludarium is looking a LOT healthier than when you first posted pictures of it and it keeps getting better. :) Congratulations on your success! :)

PS: The cat seems to approve of it too. :)
Oh yes. Thanks a lot. Looking back, I think what made them miserable was a combination of sodium discharge lighting (bad!) and transplantation shock. And physical trauma, too. My cat rolled over the plants when they first arrived, breaking most of the pitchers!
 
  • #13
That is one of the coolest ideas I have seen yet!

You should try and get some Genlisea or Utricularia and see if you can't recreate the Geoff Wong technique of having the traps grow through the soil and into the water below.

Really impressive!
 
  • #14
Wow, that's a really beautiful paludarium! May I ask, what material did you use to make the 'rock' on which the cps float? You mentioned it was styrofoam, but is it a special kind, or the common ones that can be bought from arts and crafts stores? Also, how did you paint the styrofoam? Was it a special kind of paint? (i was thinking since most paints emit fumes they might be harmful to plants (?))

I apologize for my ignorant questions and thank you in advance for taking the time out to answer my questions!

Thank you :)
 
  • #15
That is one of the coolest ideas I have seen yet!

You should try and get some Genlisea or Utricularia and see if you can't recreate the Geoff Wong technique of having the traps grow through the soil and into the water below.

Really impressive!
Thanks! Yes, once the cold season is over I'll order the plants. My only concern is water chemistry, we'll see what happens. I'll pick up the hardiest species (I don't know which species are easier to keep, though. I've always skipped the Utricularia section when reading books about carnivorous plants. I've never intended to keep them before getting this idea.)

Wow, that's a really beautiful paludarium! May I ask, what material did you use to make the 'rock' on which the cps float? You mentioned it was styrofoam, but is it a special kind, or the common ones that can be bought from arts and crafts stores? Also, how did you paint the styrofoam? Was it a special kind of paint? (i was thinking since most paints emit fumes they might be harmful to plants (?))

I apologize for my ignorant questions and thank you in advance for taking the time out to answer my questions!

Thank you :)
Hello, and your questions are perfectly reasonable. They are the questions that I've asked myself before beginning this project. Here are the steps I've followed:

1. I got a solid styrofoam block, 50x50x30 cm. As far as I know, this was just regular hard styrofoam used in buildings. Surprisingly, this was the hardest part for me, because I couldn't find any retailers selling such blocks over here. Ideally, you will want a few blocks to see which one is the best. (I've destroyed one, see 2nd picture below.)
2. I used a kitchen knife and a small handsaw to give it a roughly circular shape.
3. I used a soldering iron to create the irregular, craggy edges.
4. I used grout and grout pigment to paint the floating island. Old toothbrushes are perfect for penetrating the crevices. Let it dry.
5. I applied a second coating the day afterwards.
6. I opened a small hole on the lower side of the floating island, positioned the driftwood, and fixed it with aquarium-safe silicone.
7. I checked whether the island was waterproof, by filling it with some water and waiting overnight. It seemed to leak a little, so I applied more silicone.
8. I cut a circular piece of tarpaulin and laid it inside the island, covering every inch of styrofoam.
9. I arranged the square pots inside the island, and filled the gaps between with a mixture of sphagnum peat and quartz sand. I applied a sphagnum coating on top. I also left a gap at the middle of the island to observe water levels.

13Engineering.jpg

14CarveMuch.jpg

15SolderingIron.jpg

16BarrenIsland.jpg

17MixMixMix.jpg

18Painting.jpg

21FromAbove.jpg


Neither grout nor grout pigment are poisonous. They are widely used in the aquarium hobby over here, mostly to create 3-D aquarium backgrounds. However, grout is a type of cement and contains a lot of calcium carbonate, which dissolves in water. This is bad news for carnivorous plants, since mineral build up can kill them. That's why I've used tarpaulin to isolate the soil. Maybe unnecessary, but remember: in this kind of setting, the water you add to the system is only removed through evaporation. This means your soil is more susceptible to mineral build-up. Any fertilisers you add, for example, will spread to all plants unless you isolate/remove the pot. Therefore planting in individual pots is a must. You could get a deeper island and fill the bottom with cork stoppers to provide better drainage, I guess.

I hope this helps! This is a lot better than a regular paludarium because you have a lot more water, which means you can keep more fish. :-O
 
  • #16
My N. bicalcarata has milk teeth!

128MilkTeeth.jpg
 
  • #18
Amazing idea! Great work! Thanks for sharing this with us!
 
  • #19
Hello everyone, again. Let me share some more photos.

165VenusRisingfromthePeat.jpg

161BiggestTrapYet.jpg

159SurpriseEgg.jpg

156LargestPitchersYet.jpg

162AllSizesAvailable.jpg

137GoldenWallsII.jpg
 
  • #20
Your cat is gorgeous.. as is your tank.
 
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