Return to the Terrariums Forum
| Post a Follow-Up
First Terrarium
| | |
Posted by JonSmith101 (My Page) on Tue, Nov 22, 11 at 17:46
| My first go. Starting to think I might have made a few mistakes in my setup. I've got and orchid, African Violet, some crotons, a weird fern of somesort that I found in my back yard, also a vinca minor, and some other ground cover stuff. I think it is like a 29 or 39 gallon tank a friend gave it to me so i'm not real sure, the moss and some plants from my backyard. All the other plants I've had for a while so the only thing I came outta pocket on was soil and gravel. I do have a water pump in there that I've had for a while that i wrapped in a charcoal filter and buried it in the gravel under the waterfall. Trying to make this a short as possible so if you have any questions on other details please ask and please tell me when you think of improvements cause I know there are some to be made. Thanks |
Here is a link that might be useful: Terrarium Pics
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: First Terrarium
| | |
Hi
As you've probably noticed this forum is dead !!lol
I'd suggest you cruise the internet there are bunches of very active forums . There are sooo many ways to setup terrariums you could write a book. Wait they have lol.
Probably the easiest to setup and maintain are "lowland tropical" either terrestrial or aquatic. Tropical plants and animals are far more adapted to average conditions in the home setup unless you keep your house in the 50's ??
Probably the BEST way is to decide what you want to keep.
Consider what conditions are necessary for those and design the entire setup around those parameters.
Anyway thanks for posting!! Glad there is still some interest!! gary |
RE: First Terrarium
| | |
| I'd suggest you cruise the internet there are bunches of very active forums . Really, Gary? I honestly haven't seen any that are more active than this one. I think the problem is the same across the board ... While one is working on a terr or viv, one has tons of Q and pics to show off. After completion, unless they are having issues like die off in the terr or decide they have room in the house for another terr, people just run out of terr related topics to be involved in. So if you know of a "bunch" of "very active" terr forums, let me know, eh? (Either here or email me via GW.) Cute terr, Jon! One mistake I do see right off the bat is the phal. Phals are not terrestrial plants and as such the one you have is not likely to survive there. Try mounting it on one of the branches. Also, less this is a mini Phal and not just a young plant, if it likes your terr it will outgrow it. Ground covers & ferns often become 'thugs' in terrs if they survive to begin with. Just keep an eye on them. What are you using as lightsource? |
RE: First Terrarium
| | |
| Paul thanks for the post! I'm pretty sure the phal is just a younger plant. You can't really tell in the picture but I do have it mounted on top of a mossy rock then i put some spag moss around the roots so it isn't actually in the soil. It does seem to like where it's at because the new growth has tripled in size. Kinda figured my choice in plants might come back and bite me down the road but I thought I would just go with it. I didn't pay more than $1 for any of these plants. I'm kinda a discount plant shopper so most of my plant collection overall is from "saved" plants, it's almost an obsession. I have a dual tube 2ft shop light with daylight bulbs for my light source. |
RE: First Terrarium
| | |
Paul
My favs are "orchid board", ,mostly for orchids but is divided by culture method Huge section on vivarium, terrarium, orchidarium, setups.
Second is "Aquaria central" mostly centered on aquaria but has a huge section on paludariums, ripariums, aquatic and semiaquatic terrariums.
Only complaint about them is they are TOO busy lol
For example OB has had 40 new posts since midnightlol gary |
RE: First Terrarium
| | |
| Thanks, Gary. I'm on OB fairly often but I don't recall the last time I checked their viv section. Can't remember if I've ever hit A Centeral -- I think I did once but everything I saw was dealing with aquariums (I know, fancy that! LOL) 
What's the wattage of the bulbs? I strongly suspect that it will not be sufficient for the plants long term. In my 90gal terr, I have six cfls -- several of which are 200W equivalents, most are 100W equivalents -- and some of the plants are still showing signs of wanting more light. The AV should do very well. HOWEVER, if it is a standard sized variety and not a mini, it will at some point try to take over your tank. I had a standard (from "death row" at Lowes) that I had to finally rip out of my 55gal tank and shipped to a friend in Florida. It went from a little 'thang' about the size of yours to one with a rosette diameter of 12" ... may be a little bigger. Only time I have EVER had an AV do that well! LOL I don't think the crotons will make it. They typically require much stronger light than most folks realize. If they do prove happy with your conditions they will get far too large for your tank and the roots will have infiltrated everything. Pity there aren't any ultra dwarf/mini forms -- at least none that I know of. Keep an eye on the fern. If it survives those conditions (and being that you got it from outside it will be a toss up -- as many ferns surprisingly don't like terribly moist soils), it will become a thug and try to conquer the tank. Not trying to be a party-pooper. The staging looks good at this moment, but I'm trying to 'see down the road'. 
|
Here is a link that might be useful: Some other plants to consider
RE: First Terrarium
| | |
Paul
Well, I particularly like the OB as i grow a lot of orchids but not in terrariums . The terrariums section is VERY useful in specie selection for all kinds of specialised setups I tried a couple of the "Seep" methods for wet/wet orchids but should have done this in a closed system rather than in the GH.
Aquaria central doesn't have much of a "dry setups " but I find it very useful for my favs.Paludariums or rivertanks another is Carniverous plants in true terrariums or riparium or emersed aquaeia. Lots of posts on these though i don't grow any in glass. Scroll down the list of subjects Terrariums is right below Marine setups.
I'll have to go through the site you posted Looks like a LOT of info.!! Thanks gary |
Post a Follow-Up
Please Note: Only registered members are able to post messages to this forum. If you are a member, please log in. If you aren't yet a member, join now!
Return to the Terrariums Forum
|
|
|
