Cephalotus consolidated

[Jcal]

This sand looks like the aquarium gravel I used to use when in High School in the late 1960's. At the time it was called "#3 quartz". It was the standard aquarium gravel. $0.05 per lb. Now there are many high tech substrates sold by various companies for aquatic gardening.

Try searching for filter sands. It does come in various grades. Almost all are quartz/silica so they don't dissolve over time. I use a coarser sand/gravel at the bottom of Ion Exchange cylinders to enable better water distribution.

Thank you Jerry. Didn't think of that but makes sense. I'll give it a search

 

[Jcal]

Big pot hummers looking good. Likes the new led light!

 

[gill_za]

Jcal, also see if there are any "Well construction" companies around. They use industrial silica for well lining as I mentioned in the reply to your original question. The sand I am using is not aquarium gravel as it is too sharp. The particles are about 2-3mm in diameter.

 

[jerrysmith]

I measured some aquarium gravel of the 1960's vintage and I'd have to say the #3 is referring to 3 mm max size of the grain. Minimum would be around 1.5 mm.

 

[gill_za]

Interesting. Are the aquarium gravel particles you mention almost oval in shape, really smooth? The stuff I have is literally crushed quartz

 

[jerrysmith]

Interesting. Are the aquarium gravel particles you mention almost oval in shape, really smooth? The stuff I have is literally crushed quartz

I took a photo today at work of this gravel. I took the photo at 8x, but to calculate the magnification on your screen you need to measure the scale bar from one point to the next in inches. Convert to decimal inches. Divide by 0.019685. Result is the magnification on your screen. The scale divisions are 0.5 mm. Example: my screen gives me 5/8" per division. That converts to 0.625". 0.625/0.019685 = 31.75. So the particle I am viewing is 31.75 times larger than the real particle.

I'd have to say this gravel would be all that passes a 3 mm screen and is retained by a 1 mm screen. Looking at the photo shows this is crushed and not tumbled in a ball mall to round it off. A lot of gravel in stores today is epoxy coated to give color or smoothness. Not good for bacterial growth on the gravel particles in an aquarium.

 

[Nauz]

I took a photo today at work of this gravel. I took the photo at 8x, .......

Looks exactly what I'm using here in NC. I think I like the sharpness of the silica sand and has many befits in my opinion.

 

[Jcal]

has anyone in the US ever tried to grow cephalous outside? If so I would love to know how you implemented growing them outside. I have had some out in the spring and summer months but always chickened out and brought them back indoors.

 

[gill_za]

I was thinking about it recently as well. It is not the outside conditions that I am worried about it's the human curiosity that I am sure will affect the plants adversely.
I do have a recently rooted pitcher I could try and plant in the bog. In my experience the younger ceph growth adapts really well to temperature/humidity light changes. I can only hope it would do similarly well during drastic changes.

 

[Nauz]

I have a hummers giant baby growing outside on my shaded porch.

 

[gill_za]

Does it ever get direct sunlight?

 

[Nauz]

I believe it gets morning sunlight till noon. I'll pay attention to it more to give exactly amount of time on direct sunlight.

 

[Alvin 415]

I grow a few of my cephs outside. I think the weather in San Francisco is not drastically different from the weather in Albany, Western Australia.


Grow list with pics: Alvin 415 Grow List : Grow Lists

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RSS]

I've been sacrificing a Ceph to the TX sun every year and I've had zero success so far.

Dried out, eaten by animals, death by flooding rains, ect....have never actually made it to the 2-6 bad weeks in the middle of the summer.

I thought with the new dog and it actually being a good hunter (she has killed all the bunnies in our area already this year), that would give me a better chance. But 2 weeks of constant rainfall (very odd for the area we live in, flooded out this years Ceph, I had it in the bog so no way to move it inside. Just crown rotted away)

 

[Jcal]

Thanks gents. I will commit to keeping these plants out all year long. The summer in Tennessee they can survive. It's the winter I am worried about. I put out squat, hummers giant, Brewers red and double ribbed to see which clone does the best. Only time will tell!

 

[nimbulan]

I would think the main concern would be freezing. Would a cold frame be enough to protect the plants?

 

[Jcal]

I would think the main concern would be freezing. Would a cold frame be enough to protect the plants?

That's what I am hoping. I already planned on building a cold frame. For a small amount of heat I have a seedling mat or a old reptile mat I could put underneath hopefully that will be enough to keep them just warm enough

 

[Jcal]

Well hi there Eden

 

[gill_za]

A new jewl in your collection?

 

[Jcal]

A new jewl in your collection?

Nah. Been there for a few yrs. it was a very small plant when I received it. Actually got it for free because the owner said it was a runt!