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D. paradoxa

JB_OrchidGuy

Cardiac Nurse
Hello everyone. I am still having trouble with these guys. The one I got from Clint is growing smaller and maller, but it is still flowering. I recived 3 from Pyro and 1 has died, another died, but is fighting for his life with a small plant growing next to it, and I don;t recall what the other is doing. The one that is coming back is out in the GH and the temps out there are rather cool, but it was kicking the bucket in my terreium so I had to try something. I thought these guys did not like it cool. My terreium is warm during the day, and might cool off to 70 at night since that is what the house stays at. They are growing in a 10 gallon terreium with 2 CF 30 watts over them so they get warm during the day, but the two paradoxa and the falconari are not looking so hot. I do not have a fan in there as there isn;t very much room and the lid sits on top. The humidity is around 70 to 80% allthe time and I have condensation on the glass. I have two heat loving Phals in there that are just doing great!! My N. amp is in there and doing better than it had been. and My Ceph is growing great too. It is just not coloring up and is still all green. The falconari is read, but seems to be dewless just like the paradoxa are. Over the summer my paradoxa and falconari were growing great. It seems this winter has taken its tole on them. Please help me!
 
Should I put them out in the GH where the temps get to 55 at night and occasionaly up into the 80's during the day? It has better air circulation than my tank, but not the temps of the tank.
 
both your plants are probably in some stage of dormancy. My D. falconeri are almost completely brown.
In fact, most of my collection of petiolaris types are in some stage of dormancy.
I think that the plants recognize winter, even if temps are up there.

This is something that we kind of have to muddle through. When they are good and ready they will hopefully come out of dormancy.

This is one reason why these plants can be "difficult".
Peter.
 
Thanks Peter. But one of my paradoxas is flowering with two spikes. Could it be that I only have two CF of 30 watts each over the ten gallon tank??
 
My 3 D. paradoxa's are blooming as well, even though they show the compact leaf form.
Actually several of my petiolaris group are flowering even though they are in the "dormancy" form. I guess they tend to flower when in semi-dormancy.
Your lighting sounds ok if they are within a few inches of the lights.
 
Well the plants are in a ten gallon tank and are sitting about half way up the tank. I guess I could grow them closer but I would need to figure out how to get them raised higher than the since pots I have them on now.
 
I am sorry! I need to ammend this. The two bulbs I am using are 13 watts each. The equivalant of 60 watt incandecents. I think I need to up my light bulbs. I figured the two 13 watts(NOT 30) like I stated before would work, but they might be the reason my paradoxa and falconari are not doing so well.
 
Treat paradoxa like a tropical. I wouldn't let it experience temps lower than 50 degrees. Your greenhouse might work. Take one pot and try growing it in the GH and let the others stay in the tank. See what works best.
 
So they can go down to 50 like my orchids? I try not to let it drop colder than 60, but some nights it does get down into the 50's. The one that I put out in the GH, now has a second new growth point and has dew on it. Even though it is cloudy outside lately. If these new bulbs don;t improve things then the others will follow. Speaking of new bulbs. I just replaced the two 13 watt 2300K CF ( I assume that is their Kelvin reading since the others like it at lowes were that Kelvin. Kinda a yellowish light) with two 23 watt 5000K full spectrum CF, and WOW is it a difference!! Bright crisp white light inside the terreium now. The only thing is they are a little bigger than the other bulbs and technicaly the hood is not designed for them, but they are not exceding the max rating of 25 watts. They are touching the reflectors above them is that ok? This setup is only temporary while I build a new tererrium, but it is going to be atleast 2 more months in this setup while the building takes place. Once I get started it will go quickly, but I have to get help to cut the 4 X 8 sheet of MDF I plan on using to build it. :banana2:
 
  • #10
yes, you are right that 13 watts is not enough. now that you have 46 watts, that is better. I also use the "daylight" or 5000K bulbs. For my 20 gallon long, i have 83 watts of cfl, plus mylar wrapped around the tank, and the pots are raised so the plants are within 6 inches from the lights.
Peter.
 
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