5.5 Gallon first terra with pics & Some Questions

[Shaggy2061]

Just started building A 5.5 gallon terrarium this weekend had some questions and wanted to get some opinions and share this with those interested.. Questins

1. In a 5.5 gallon tank what would be the best lighting to keep some Broms and a Sundew with a ground cover moss
I see that 55 kelvin works and a CRI of 90 or higher but i can not find 1 like that i have this one though (http://www.hellolights.com/13wcompactfluorescentretrofitkit.aspx) with the 6500 kelvin light left over form Nano Reef builds i did will this be good ?
2. Humidity and temp i wanna add (http://www.joshsfrogs.com/dendrobates-auratus-nicaraguan-green-black.html) 1 and only 1 at when i feel it is a really stable system they require 80% humidity and about same temp to thrive. Will this be to much when i am also adding a Neoregelia Olens 696 & a Cryptanthus Ruby Star (have this on order & already have sundew in there).

And Now For Pictures

Right after planting
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/96453496@N07/8836258025/" title="IMG_4481 by lestat2061, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7333/8836258025_1cf84cf78e.jpg" width="500" height="292" alt="IMG_4481"></a>
And Top Down
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/96453496@N07/8836258667/" title="IMG_4480 by lestat2061, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7442/8836258667_211ff4f91c.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_4480"></a>

Now for one of the arms of the unknown sundew
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/96453496@N07/8837026822/" title="IMG_4504 by lestat2061, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8255/8837026822_775a2d9e23.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_4504"></a>


In Closing i would really love to hear from you people out there!!!
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE

 

[amphirion]

your pic links appear broken.
but a few questions need to be answered.
first "sundew" unfortunately does not give us enough information to go about things. there are many species of sundews, and each one has adapted to live within a certain climate. there are those that have winter dormancies when the weather gets cold, and there are others that have summer dormancies when the weather gets hot. their temperature demands range from subarctic to tropical. some species do better in certain media mixes than others. until we know the species of sundew involved, it's hard to say if the setup will work. spacewise, there should be no issue.

also most species of sundew require/prefer high light levels. most species of broms prefer lower light levels, although there are a few exceptions (some of them are even carnivorous). so that could be another potential problem as well.

 

[Shaggy2061]

your pic links appear broken.

Will try to get pics uploaded to somewhere else asap and get that fixed

first "sundew" unfortunately does not give us enough information to go about things

As for that i have no clue it was labeled as octopus plant and was gift.
Part of reason started terrarium in first place that and i have been wanting to for many years as well this just gave me the push to do so .

 

[EntHerptology]

Hey,

For starters, the good news is that your sundew is almost certainatly a Drosera Capensis, which has a notorious reputation for being the easiest carnivore to grow.

To meet lighting needs for your sundew, I would recommend a CRI of over 90 and a Kelvin rating with a minimum of 6000. You could use small fluorescent tube or a coiled flourescent bulb to project this lighting. Capensis are not particularly picky about light compared to other varieties, so do not worry too much about the lighting.

Now for your second question about keeping a Dendrobate in the terrarium, I would strongly advise against it. In my experiences, they require much more space. If you insist on it, I would go for an Imitator Dart Frog. They do better in smaller enclosures, provided you give them an abundance of shelter.

Good Growing,
Kenny

 

[Shaggy2061]

Hey,

For starters, the good news is that your sundew is almost certainatly a Drosera Capensis, which has a notorious reputation for being the easiest carnivore to grow.

that is what i like to hear

To meet lighting needs for your sundew, I would recommend a CRI of over 90 and a Kelvin rating with a minimum of 6000.

i have tools to measure kelvin but i have rarely if ever seen anything to measure CRI and none of the bulbs i find have this info on them! so i ask how do you get this info am i missing a good resouce i should have bookmarked ?

You could use small fluorescent tube or a coiled flourescent bulb to project this lighting. Capensis are not particularly picky about light compared to other varieties, so do not worry too much about the lighting.

SO even though i do not know the CRI sounds like my old retrofit kit and bulb will work
http://www.hellolights.com/13wcompactfluorescentretrofitkit.aspx

Now for your second question about keeping a Dendrobate in the terrarium, I would strongly advise against it. In my experiences, they require much more space. If you insist on it, I would go for an Imitator Dart Frog. They do better in smaller enclosures, provided you give them an abundance of shelter.

Mainly just a thought i am going to be building a second larger terrarium after i get this down the 5.5 is my first and my learner system before i pour tons o money into a large system

Thank you so much Kenny for your response i appreciate it a lot

 

[EntHerptology]

No problem! I am happy to help.

The light that you linked seems appropriate. The Kelvin rating is definitely suitable, so I am sure the CRI will be fine. My advice would be to use it for a while, and if the plant is putting out new growth and retaining natural coloration, you are top notch. If the plant seems hindered, you can always replace the lighting or create a more full spectrum with additional bulbs.

Learner terrariums are always good ideas!

Good Growing,

Kenny

 

[Iwest]

Yup, that is most definitely a good ol' capensis

 

[SubRosa]

Both the Kelvin rating and CRI (Color Rendition Index) are measures of the quality (spectrum) of the light produced by a given bulb, and give absolutely no information whatsoever in regards to quantity (intensity).

 

[Shaggy2061]

Both the Kelvin rating and CRI (Color Rendition Index) are measures of the quality (spectrum) of the light produced by a given bulb, and give absolutely no information whatsoever in regards to quantity (intensity).

How does one figure intensity in this application?
In reef-keeping i can use my PAR meter but not sure if that applies to this application!