the begining of a big terrarium

[ieatflys]

Hi all I have decided to make a big terrarium. so there are a few things that need to be decided And I would like if you gies would help. This is where I will be posting questions about the terrrarium prosess.

1.the glass
what kind of glass should I use on a nice size terrarium

2. what kind of lighting. [this will be a lowland terrarium except 1 corner will be highland]

these are 2 things I need to decide right know.

thanks Ieatflys

[glider14]

1. glass is glass isnt it?
2. you wont be able to have a part lowland part highland terrarium... dont know how you got the idea you could.

i have 2 terrariums. one is lowland and seedlings and one is true highland. they both have the same lighting. fluorescent tubes(160 watts in total). the lowland tank has a heater under it and the highland tank doesnt. big terrariums are very impractical IMHO... you either have wide or tall. wide you can have lots more plants but they cant grow as tall. and tall tanks you can have them grow tall and to maturity but you can have very many. you would need to make a custom terrarium to get all of your wants(except HL and LL together) but making a glass terrarium is NOT as easy as you may want to believe it is. i use just simple 10gl tanks on their sides. and they work great. the bigger the tank, the more light you need and the more energy you need for heating it(or cooling it...) and glass is crazy expensive too. if you absolutely HAVE TO HAVE a big terrarium buy sheets of plexi glass.

if you have any more questions PM me about it. ive been through it all almost. in my opinion also you are just trying way to hard to keep these plants... grow your lowlanders outside. thats were 80% of my nepenthes are. the rest are in the terrariums. enjoy the plants and let them baby you. not the other way around...

Alex

[ieatflys]

I am going to put a wall imbetween the terrarium and insulate it.

ieatflys

ps glass is free for me I get it off of craigs list it is in there free section.

[williamg]

Wouldn't it be easier to make two smaller terrarium?
Anyways, glider14, ieatflys is located in Missouri, and the winter would kill the lowlanders. ieatflys, I have also tried to make new terrarium for my plants, and it actually work quite well. I just used Plexiglas for the walls. Try using looking through this section, I know there are a few posts about lighting in it. try reading through those. I use three CFBs, daylight, soft white and white (trying to have as much spectrum as possible.) Hopes this helps,
Williamg

[ieatflys]

Thanks for the help I mad the smaller terrarium a wile ago but all of my neps are growing at rate that by the time I have a bigger terrarium they will be to big for the smaller terrarium.

ieatflys

[williamg]

Got that same problem, although it is not always a bad thing.
Williamg

[glider14]

Anyways, glider14, ieatflys is located in Missouri, and the winter would kill the lowlanders.

and i live in kentucky. i meant to put after last frost and before first frost on there.

[williamg]

I live in VA, so that equal suicide for my plants, the last frost is never the last frost, but during the high summer it would definitely work.
Good Luck,
Williamg

[glider14]

Jul 8, 2009 16:59:45 GMT williamg said:

I live in VA, so that equal suicide for my plants, the last frost is never the last frost, but during the high summer it would definitely work.
Good Luck,
Williamg

yea. been there. last year i put neps and my sarrs out in april when the last frost should have been. we got a very light frost in early may. nothing died but my sarr flowers died and my nep pitchers pooted out haha.

Alex

[ieatflys]

I heard that if plexi or acrilic ix in high humidity it will warp. is this true?
ieatflys

[ieatflys]

Hi I have another question everything that I found is rilly expensive.
would I be able to make it out of a large glass piece that is used for a door.

ieatflys

[Not a Number]

That would depend on if you have the room, equipment, strength and experience to handle and cut large pieces of glass. Large pieces weigh quite a bit and can be very dangerous to handle.

[ieatflys]

Im just wondering if they are able to be drilled and cut.

thanks
ieatflys

[Green Hornet]

I don't agree with Glider14 about just putting lowland neps outside without knowing anything about your climate, unless of course, you want to see your plants die slowly. I would agree with him that you're over-reaching on trying to build your own large terrarium from scratch. If you want to start with a good size for neps, just look for a good used 50-60 gal aquarium on craigsllist in your area. Then get yourself a couple of glass plates for the covers and a couple of shoplights and you're in business for lowlanders. Highlanders would require a bit more. Cross that bridge when you get to it. The questions you're asking about building your own from scratch should clue you in that you don't have the requisite skill level for that project. If you must, visit www.cpjungle.com/nepenthesuniversity.htm for other ideas that don't involve stitches from glass cutting gone bad.

[ieatflys]

I have two 55 gallon tanks but they are being used for turtles. I have a solution for it but its difficult to explain.
ieatflys