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Pretty Excited

I just received a H. Minor and H. Nutans this morning :-D I'm pretty happy with how they look.

H. Minor
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H. Nutans
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I was able to repot the Nutans but the Minor is going to have to wait a little since the pot I ordered arrived broken.

This is my setup so far.
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I'm keeping them partially covered for a while as recommended. The setup is in a NE facing window where it receives a good amount of morning sun. I need to get a light bulb for the clamp light this weekend. The ones I got weren't the right ones (I was a little too hasty when ordering them). The temp in the tank is 71°F with the cover off so I'll be placing some ice packs in there tonight to see if that will bring it down. I stuck a tray of LFS sitting in water to see if that will help raise humidity in the tank. So far, it's sitting at 75%, but I think that's just because the air from outside is coming in through the open window and into the tank. Would the humidity be too low for these guys if I ripped off the plastic?

I'm hoping this is a good start. Am I doing anything wrong? Any suggestions? Opinions?
 
Why is it I see so many people out there who've just ordered a Heliamphora? I really need to get myself one.

Anyhow, it sounds like you're on the right track. Yes, it probably would be too dry if you took off the plastic.
 
I know it's not the most optimal conditions at the moment and adjustments are inevitable. Just wanted to get confirmation if I was on the right track.
 
I would get them away from the window, that is just begging for them to cook on a sunny day.
 
the window should be fine as long as it does not get too hot in the tank
 
There's a hygrometer sensor in there to monitor things. If the sun becomes an issue, I'll close the blinds or definitely move it if that doesn't work. I foresee a cooling humidifier in my future though.
 
Personally with any new terrarium or grow tent I like to do at least a months worth of testing and tweaking before I put any plants in. Considering it's a NE window you might be able to get away with it, but in a S/SE window with a grow light my temps hit 90+ while the room was only in the low 70s. Make sure to monitor it closely. Also is that fan inside the terrarium or did you cut the glass so it has an opening to fresh air? And which direction is the fan running? Pushing air inside or outside of the terrarium?

I think 75% humidity is pretty good, I'm not sure if you need a humidifier at that rate. If you do I'd consider putting it on a controller, and definitely monitor the water levels. My humidifier tends to put a decent amount of water into my grow tent over time, and Heli's don't like to be waterlogged.
 
Been watching the numbers like a hawk. The temp got to 78F this morning so I opened it up a little and cracked the window a bit. Temps are going back down. Humidity has been pretty good since adding in an extra tray. The monitor showed it was at the 99% when I checked on it this morning. The ice pack I placed into the tank last night brought the temps down to about 68F so I'm not sure if that's good enough. I'll probably throw an extra one in there tonight to see if it can lower it down more. The fan is inside blowing towards the plants. Didn't cut a hole into the glass. I'm so clumsy I'd probably lose my foot attempting that :lol: I'm pretty okay with opening the tank a little in the mornings for air exchange and temp control.
 
...The ice pack I placed into the tank last night brought the temps down to about 68F so I'm not sure if that's good enough...

You might want to bring it down more. These plants expect nightly temperatures to drop to about ten degrees Fahrenheit lower than the daytime temperatures, i.e. about sixty degrees if the day is seventy degrees. (At least, based on my carnivorous plant reading, they do. Yet another thing I need to get--a copy of The Savage Garden.)
 
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  • #10
Hahaha I hear ya on attempting to cut a tank. It was nerve wracking enough to drill overflows into some of my larger aquariums.

What you might want to consider is putting the fan on top and having it blow outside of the terrarium, essentially create an exhaust fan. Leave a slight crack on the opposite side of the fan. This creates a negative vacuum and causes fresh air to be pulled through the opposite side. This also decreases the air movement, sometimes fans can be too fast for the plants. Sounds like you're off to a good start though!
 
  • #11
I have never found the need for a night time temp drop with Heliamphora.... that is mostly tribal knowledge.
While it may be beneficial, it is definitely not required.

I do recommend not letting temps exceed 78f... while they can grow in temps higher than that, failure rates rise dramatically.

If that is nutans "giant" (likely) you will outgrow that tank in a year...

Welcome to the world of Heliamphora :)
 
  • #12
I have never found the need for a night time temp drop with Heliamphora...

They don't need it? Well, that's a relief! I don't relish the thought of lugging my terrarium with my Nepenthes fusca and my soon-to-arrive Heliamphora minor down to my (much cooler) basement every night.
 
  • #13
packing a tank around, adding and removing ice packs, sticking plants in fridge.... if you have to do this you need to redesign your setup or grow different plants IMHO.

unless you are much more dedicated than I :)
 
  • #14
careful though, just because I don't find it required doesn't mean others don't...
maybe if the plant is exposed to high daytime temps, yada yada yada...

don't think in absolute terms....
 
  • #15
Butch is right, I grew my plants in extremely high light with a substantial night drop but with low humidity and temperatures that sometimes spiked over the mid-80s and the plants were slow as. It seems consistency is what they call for more than anything: low temperatures, high light, high humidity. Everything else is almost trivial compared with other genera.

The color on my plants looked great with the former method, but growth was just too inconsistent to continue with it. My Heliamphora are now sitting in a terrarium with my cuttings and seem to be taking life a little easier.
 
  • #16
Okay...So, do the temperature drop ONLY WHEN NECESSARY. Got it.
 
  • #17
Roger, Butch. Thanks for the welcome :)

I've got this little buddy waiting in the wings for a future endeavors. Cleaned it out a few days ago but looks like it needs another scrub down. There are no words to describe how filthy it was.

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48 x 20 x 13 inches.
 
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