QuestionQUESTION: Hi, i recently started uni and have had to move out of my parents place up in some mountains to the city that the uni is in, i have 2 cephalotus, a H.minor and a H.heterodoxa which grew fine at my parents place as the tempuriture was always below 30degrees c, however where i am now gets average summers of 38degrees c (around 100 fahrenhei)and have gotten above 111 degrees F before), i have a 3foot tank for the cephalotus and a 2foot for each of the heliamphora, i have tried computer fans and reptile fans but the tempuriture drop isnt enough, can you please help, also i use a repti 2.0 grow light for the cephalotus and the heliamphora both have 20wattfluro aquarium lights.
Ceps/Neps
Add a small fan
ANSWER: Hello Brandan,
adding a small fan to blow under the lighting to help cool down the warmth of the warm tube lighting in the day time hours can keep temperatures about 7-10 degrees cooler. At night after the lights are off using large ice packs can dope temperatures 20-30 degrees. I am lucky in the way I have great A/C and start with temperatures at 84 degrees, sounds like you are not as lucky! I have heard of plug-in ice chess that can be made into terrariums and have those temperatures that are needed. The plan you use will be added work but worth it for your beloved carnivorous plants. Thanks your new friend, Dan (Daniel Lee Bowen) Happy Growing and please keep me posted.
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QUESTION: Thanks, i have already added 2 computer fans as another site said it works, and the temp dropped about 10degrees F, and i have added a frozen H2O bottle like you said and it dropped another 15 degrees F, so its in the high 60's/low 70's, but we are in winter now so summer it will be around 86-95degrees using this method (on average days), i have heard of a peltier method, do you know if it works.
cheers Brandan
Terrrarium
ANSWER: Yes, I have studied up on this system some but have no one I know using but you may want to think about using this technical to help drop the temperatures in your case in the hotter season. Lucky from what I have seen the prices are not too bad! How long have you had your carnivorous plants and how long have you been in this hobby? I know this will be the first coming up heat where you are living now with your new move, but how long before the heat starts up?
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QUESTION: I started when i was 11 and found a patch of funny looking plants in the paddock where a natural bog occurs, the funny plants ended up being a mix of drosera occurs and adelea, so i fenced the area off to stop the cows and horses stepping on them and took a few cuttings, it took me a week to figure out what they where, then when i was 13 i got a few pitcher plants off my neighbour who has some, later that year i got a few different dionaea and some sarracenia, i am now 18 and have dionaea sawtooth, red rosette and typical, i have sarracenia purpurea, flava red tube and typical, alata, leucophylla, minor, oreophilla, mitchelliana, courtii, excelens and readii, 3 heliamphora minor, drosera adelea, burmanni, indica, spathulata, capensis, peltata, macarantha, binata and 1 that i dont know, some kind of tuber one, utricularia gibba and 4 others that i dont know, i have nepenthes mirabilis, rokko, ventricosa, thorelli, maxima and maybe a rafflesiana (but could be somthing else), and 3 others i dont know yet, also a bromiliad reducta and my cephalotus, i have some trigger plants and a byblis liniflora, all of those i have had for a minimum of 3years, i have also just got a darlingtonia and a H.heterodoxa, i also have 17 different butterworts coming in the next 4months as the cutting where just taken for me.
Answer
My new book cover
Wow, You have some great plants! I too have some great plants and my 'Black Cephalopods' I got in Feb. of this year is my special little baby right now, lol and so far the one plant I'm asked the most about in the way of where to get one. I have e-mail a company last night about getting so great info. on cooling terrarium tanks and hope to be able to help you more with this issue you are having! I will keep you posted as I hope you will me. Thanks and know as I have done for 50 years and you too can for you have started with more then I did at your age.
Your Friend, Dan (Daniel Lee Bowen)
