Date: Mon, 09 Jun 1997 23:47:44 -0500 From: Joe Frey <jfrey@bon.net> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg2267$foo@default> Subject: Aquarium Tank
Hi all. I'm sending this because I saw someone in the digest was
thinking of adding forced air to cool a tank. I am hoping that all my
mistakes can help them avoid some. My tank is only a tall 20 gal. hence
the small lights. And what I didn't make clear in this message is the
plants are raised 6 in. above the water on eggcrate. Then the plants
that need wet roots are set in pans filled with water.
Pete, You mentioned Nep. spp. that pitcher anywhere. I read in the
Pietropaulos' book that they had an N. anemensis that was happily
growing in their bedroom in NY. Do you know of other varieties that do
this? I sure would love to put one in my window and trail it around my
apartment!
I'm about ready to start building another tank, only this one
should be
big enough to hold a Nep. or two. It took me a long time (2 mos.) to
figure out how to solve my heat problem. You see I built a lid to close
the tank and hold the flourescents. But boy did it ever get hot in
there! Around 94F. So I started making holes, then added forced air
and then seeing this was stealing the precious humidity, removed the
forced air and added an aquarium bubbler. All to no avail! I couldn't
get the humidity up above 50-60%. Then...
Eureka! It finally occured to me I could put the ballest for
the bulbs
outside the growing environment. The temp plummeted. I had just
finished Gordon Cheers book and I remember he mentioned adding an
aquarium heater to a tank with water in the bottom and a Nepenthes
hanging above, so I realized from this and my own experience that
heating the water would cause it to evaporate more readily. And now I
could afford to add some heat. More humidity!
I also had been told I needed more light. Before I read
anything I
thought 2 full spectrum 15 watt bulbs was alot (!?). So coincidentally
I had raised all my CP closer to the lights at the top of the tank,
hoping to save the cost of designing a new set-up and leaving plenty of
room to add lots of water. Now I'm winning. 80-90% humidity and 80F
all day long. Nepenthes are pitchering, sundews are multiplying and
blooming, butterworts are blooming and plantleting, VFT's are happy and
all are gaining real colors.
I can't tell you how hard I worked to fix what started as a
disaster.
Pete sorry to be so long winded but I just needed to blow my horn to
someone who'd understand. Joe Frey.
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