FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

I recently converted my ten gallon high maintenance terrarium (ex: daily misting, removing lid for temperature) into a 99% maintenance free 29 gallon terrarium.
Technology:
- Zoomed Hygrometer and Thermometer (measures humidity/and temperature and, when used with certain other products, corrects the values to whatever it is you want)
- Zoomed Humidifier (absolutely amazing product, I only got it today though) (this is the 1% maintenance, I am going to have to refresh it's water supply every once in a while, but it will last about a week)
- Custom built PC fan (I removed it from an old laptop, cut its wires, stripped them, cut the wires of an iPhone charger [plugged into a USB port] and then wired them together, electric taped them, and finally mounted it onto a wooden board)
- a PVC stand for the light
- A two ft hydrofarm grow light with a 6500K bulb and a 5000K bulb
- 29 gallon terrarium

Plants:
- mainly varied nepenthes, a few of my favorites are the Denisiflora x Robicantli, my rapidly growing Alata, my new Voigeii (I'm not sure if thats the right spelling), and my new Ampripulla (also not sure on spelling, but you understand what I mean). All in all, 18 plants, about 15 species
- A tropical fern
- Tillandsia x2
- A lily of the nile
- some bladderworts
- a small sarracenia, he wasn't doing so good so I figured I'd give him, and the bladderwort on his substrate, a whirl in here
All of the plants are doing amazingly since I upgraded, its working great, almost all the nepenthes are pitchering, and the ones that are not are growing them

Temp/Humidity
- Temp: 77F
- Humidity: 90

Plans
- I want to find out a way to get a nightime temperature drop, I think I've got an idea, how about a large PVC pipe that has a fan (maybe 6-7 inch diameter) in the end, it will get significantly smaller until it gets to about a half inch pipe. I figure this could maybe do 10-15 degree drop
- I'm adding another PC fan soon too, though, in all honesty, its more for cosmetics, I really like seeing my humidifier put all that fog in, but it rarely has too, this should help keep temp controlled and lower humidity
- I'd really like to add a pygmy chameleon, I'd add a few high vines and some bug bowls, along with a way for him to get to the plants, I figure that would look amazing, but I'm still researching chameleons, I don't know much about reptiles

Any other suggestions?

Unless you run refrigerated air through that fan it will not achieve that big of a drop in temps. You'll only get maybe a degree or two out of just a fan.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

The PC fan has lowered the temp 5 degrees, plus completely controls the humidity. I may very well do that, but I'm trying to find a way to keep the air cold. I could use ice packs, but ugh, I'd have to replace it daily. Any other ideas on cooling?

Sounds pretty cool, any pics?

Fishkeeper wrote:Sounds pretty cool, any pics?

Interested in pictures as well I'd like to do the same thing but with helis. My idea for cooling was using a mini fridge and running a coil through it.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

ArowanaLover1902 wrote:The PC fan has lowered the temp 5 degrees, plus completely controls the humidity. I may very well do that, but I'm trying to find a way to keep the air cold. I could use ice packs, but ugh, I'd have to replace it daily. Any other ideas on cooling?

I'm planning on using a mini fridge to create my temp drop. I have one I used for dormancy that was given to me.

I've read of people using air conditioners, swamp coolers, and a few other things, but since my tank is larger (75 gallon) I only really pay attention to the ones that are much more powerful the fridge, A/C. The ones that will actually cool a large area.

Right now I'm using the heat from my light to achieve a 10-15° drop at night.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Well here's the tank, it's working great. My ventricosa sprouts have been growing like crazy. I've got way to many ventricosa to be honest, counting those sprouts and hybrids, probably 7 now.

The plants were looking a bit dry, even though the humidity was 90RH, I think the fan was drying some of them out, I turned off the fan for a bit, cranked the humidifier to full and left it till I couldn't see the plants, its a fantastic product. Crazy thing, I have perfect visibility at 90RH, the tank had a 4 inch visibility at only 95RH.

All thats left is to solve the nightime temperature drop without spending a ton of money. My ultimate goal is to refunction an old 55gallon I have, buy a 3-D background, and move over to that, along with a chameleon or two. I also keep fish and have plans to incorporate a waterfall and stream with some danios or something into the tank, that would be amazing.

I love it! im planning on doing something like this when I have my own place. but I would recommend a larger chameleon, a pygmy would make a very sad and expensive food for a nep if the nep gets too big.

Thanks, I always appreciate compliments on my pets/plants ha ha ha. I have no experience with chameleons, but I looked up carpet chameleons and they are pretty close to the right size. One of my problems is the humidity levels I use. I plan on having about 90 RH, I'm thinking that might be a bit too high for some chameleons. I really like Jackson's Chameleons, but they seem a bit too bulky, plus the tank is a 55 gallon aquarium, its not very tall, that would be weird for such a large creature, but easy to do with a little one. I'm not sure the neps would consume the pygmies either, many nepenthes live symbiotically with frogs, spiders, and ants (and, in N. Lowii's case, tree shrews ha ha ha)

Of course! and carpet's seem to be the perfect size, very pretty too! i haven't don't too much research yet, but i think tropical chameleons are more forgiving of high humidity or fluxes in it (as they are moving up and down tree limbs all day). I personally like the idea of the pygmies, im just paranoid for all things i take care of. I know they are surefooted, but i can totally see a curious little pygmy taking a tumble into to pitcher. Those symbiotic creatures all have a way of getting out of the trap using webbing, claws, or jumping. the chameleon however just has some little tree pinchers, unsure if those can grab onto a smoother concave surface. (and how sad is it to say i don't have the skills to care for a shrews' toilet)

I think most chameleons require lower humidity and better circulation. Maybe a different critter like a frog that's too fat to fit into a pitcher?

And I agree that a little chameleon would be in trouble if it fell into a pitcher- they have grabbers, not climbing feet. Plus, the ones that are big enough to not fit are pretty heavy, they might bend the plants too far.

Are any of the tree frogs that live in pitcher plants available to keep, perhaps?

Maybe a crested gecko, if they can take the humidity? They're a bit clumsy and sometimes flop on things, but I'm pretty sure they're too big to fall in a pitcher. It'd depend on how durable the plants are against 6" of gecko falling on them.

Or prop all the pots up a few inches and get a toad that hops around in the moss? That might be the easiest, something that lives on the ground, because otherwise you're going to have to add a lot of climbing sticks. Plus, it would be much less likely to fall into a pitcher or jump on a plant and injure it.

Also, have you thought about how to feed the critter whatever bugs it eats without the plants eating the bugs first?

I just remebered your humidity and you are right, I don't think they would do well in that 90% soup.

Have you thought about salamanders? salamander's would probably love it, being semi aquatic and need to be moist to breathe well. they also stay low on the ground or in water usually, so no real worries for damaging the plant.

Tree frogs would probably be a good fit too, not the ones that specifically live in traps (those are rare, protected, and near impossible to replicate for sale) and yes you can find almost any type of frog nowadays online. im sure you can find one from the area your plants are from.....a good reliable seller is beyond me though.

I know nothing about geckos other than some live in Florida, and some have removable tails. but i don't think it would do too much damage to a well established plant, i would be careful with a youth or seedling though

The feeding is really going to depend on what critter you decide on, and whether you want to feed the critter live or dead things, but i would love to help you brainstorm

I joined a chameleon forum (chameleon forums) for more info on them. In the meantime, I just want to say, my nepenthes look amazing ha ha ha