Plants

[MikeM670]

Oak Leaf = dismal failure for me. "Ordinary" creeping fig (Ficus pumila) is everywhere in my terrariums. I'm looking at a terrarium full of it right now.

Oh I should of mentioned that the plants came. The normal creeping fig arrived just fine. Minimal leaf damage due to the pot being dried out. The Oak Leaf stuff was pretty dry. The packaging was designed to keep the heat in and I suspect the heating pack dried stuff out. This is the second time a plant I ordered on line had dried out. This has happen from two different shippers. If they only wet them down and wrapped them inside a plastic bag they would of been fine. Both times they were just wrapped in newspaper.

[DonLisk]

Don,

So sorry to hear about your pending job loss. Do you have any plans for something new?

The tank looks great but the pump went belly up already. Last night I turned the power off for a few seconds and it did not come back on. It might just be must clogged. I turn off the power every few days to let the water in the vertical pipe back flush down out of th filter and remove any stuff up against the intake. sponge filter around the pump. If its fried I will be off to the local Lowe's for a more heavy duty water pump.

It was a bad night as one of the tubes on my compact florescent light went out. I decided to bring up the light from my daughters unused tank to put over it for the time being. It's too big to really use long term.

Nothing planned yet. Both myself and my wife work there so we'll either be looking soon or planing a move to Puerto Rico.

Bummer on the pump and light.... that sucks. I picked up the saltwater aquarium T5s at Lowes and its been working well with the plants.

I had a fun time also last night ripping out the large Brom in my Whites viv to wash it out since it was holding a lot of waste from the frogs and beginning to smell. That was huge fun.... not.

[DonLisk]

Oh I should of mentioned that the plants came. The normal creeping fig arrived just fine. Minimal leaf damage due to the pot being dried out. The Oak Leaf stuff was pretty dry. The packaging was designed to keep the heat in and I suspect the heating pack dried stuff out. This is the second time a plant I ordered on line had dried out. This has happen from two different shippers. If they only wet them down and wrapped them inside a plastic bag they would of been fine. Both times they were just wrapped in newspaper.

That sucks. I have a pretty nice greenhouse nearby so I usually pick stuff up there.
Next big build though will be a road trip to Black Jungle for something different in plants.

[MikeM670]

Kinda long drive to Black Jungle from Puerto Rico!

Well the pump started working this afternoon when I went to look at it. It might of been operator error since I was so tired after I got home. The light was a different story. It is a Coral Life Compact Florescent and the one bulb must of been bad. Tried taking it out and it broke at the connector. where you plug in the bulb. So now I'm off to get a new one and some glass for the top of the mossy. I also installed the new glass sections with the screens I built on the 55. Much better viewing now.

[JSG]

Hmmm...Michael we are still looking for that promised info regarding computer fans and other tips you have regarding air flow and humidity inside of the vivs!

Guys, I saw some great looking beeker plants this weekend, think they originated somewhere in the States. I thought the would look awesome in a viv...but then my wife asked me whether they would not in fact "eat" the froggies????
I couldn't answer her, so now I'm asking you guys! LOL
Same with Venus Fly Trap plants...are the frog viv safe?

[Kurt]

They are safe for the frogs, but not the other way around. The continuous hoping around on them will cause the leaves to close, they then turn black and die.

[JSG]

Hi Kurt,
does that go for both Beeker and Venus Fly Trap plants? Thanks for the info thus far!

[DonLisk]

As my viv just continues to grow out of control, I have to ask about separating Cryptanthus.

Do I just split off the pups as I would a Bromelaid?
I am thinking on using the pups in a new setup and don't want to damage them .... if I ca get the main plant out of the background.