Expert: Sarracenia Northwest - 6/20/2010

Question
QUESTION: Hello, I got a 10 gallon aquarium and I am going to turn it into a terrarium for Ultra-Highland Nepenthes.  It is 12 inches tall, 20 in. long, and 10 in. wide.  I will be growing the plants under two 40-watt cool-white fluorescent bulbs in it and have it on for 14 hours a day.  I also got an Ultrasonic Fog Generator from Exo-Terra and says that it will increase the humidity 100% in my terrarium.  It's nice, small, and will take up very little space.

I also plan to have temperatures in the 70's inside it when the lights are on, and have it in the late 40's or early 50's during the night.  I also want the terrarium to have good air flow in it with out the humidity decreasing.  Should it be completely open, completely covered, or how open/closed should I have the top.  Right now, I have one of those screen lids that came with the terrarium.  If that won't work, then what should I use?  Also, I plan to put ice cubes in a little cup during the night so the plants can get a cool down, but I won't let it touch the plants.  Will this work?

For the care, I will be putting dead moist sphagnum at the bottom of the terrarium, and put the plants in pots in it with there own little pot trays, and incase the plant sends a tendril over the pot, it will land in the moist sphagnum at the bottom and should courage pitcher development. However, the plants will not be sitting in water, I have experience growing Nepenthes Sanguinea, Mikei, and Cephalotus, and there all growing.

Will these conditions be appropriate for Ultra-Highlanders?  I plan to grow a N. Rajah and N. Villosa, and I'll be keeping them in there for a long time due to there extremely slow growth.

Thank You, have a good day!

ANSWER: Hi Agustin,

This set-up should be fine for some ultra-highlanders.  Because our temperatures here in the Northwest are already in the 40's and 50's at night, even during the summer, just placing your terrarium in a room that you can open a window in would work fine.  The ice cubes are probably over-kill.  The fogger will help keep conditions very stable.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Oh, with the fogger, it nicely fogs up the entire tank with out water-logging.  Should I have the fogger on 24/7?  If I can't, how much? I can turn the dial to Minimum or Maximum fog.

Oh, and would it be suitible for Nepenthes Talangensis, Glabrata, and Sibuyanensis?

Thank You.

Answer
Hi Agustin,

How long you leave it on will depend on how you have the water source set up.  Water tends to get used quickly be these devices, so your ability to refill the tank will be the only limiting factor.  To mimic the tropical rainforest, I would leave it on at night.

Those species will do fine in this set-up for awhile.  N. sibuyanensis will outgrow it quickly.  It becomes a big plant.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com