Question
I am thinking about getting a nepenthe,but i am not sure if I can use "Eco-earth" or coconut fibers from the pet-store.My local nurseries only carry peat moss in bulk and it is expensive.The coco fibers come in a brick form and need to be soaked in a bucket of water and the water in Las Vegas NV in about 300ppm.

Answer
Hi Hughes,

We've used coconut products on and off with Nepenthes.  If you can find the chips that is the better product.  We used to use half coco chips with half long-fiber sphagnum moss.  The ground up product, also known as coir, is much less desireable.  

See if you can find long-fiber sphagnum moss.  This mixed with some perlite makes a great planting medium for Nepenthes.  We actually buy ours at Home Depot or Lowes for a reasonable price.

If you end up using coco chips, and need to soak them, do it with distilled water or water purified by reverse osmosis.  Las Vegas water is way too hard even for Nepenthes.  I'm surprised it was only 300ppm.  I once took my TDS meter with me when I was in town for a conference and tested the water at the Palace Station.  It was 650ppm!  It was the hardest water I've every seen.

You can also order pre-mixed Nepenthes media from us or any number of online carnivorous plant nurseries.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com