Terrarium ventilation

Richard White (maldror@primenet.com)
Thu, 16 Mar 1995 18:53:23 -0800

I have two questions for anyone out there with CPs in terrariums.
1) How much ventilation should I provide? Obviously, I want to keep the
humidity as high as possible, but with the light source (four 4'
fluorescents) close to the top and summer just around the corner, I don't
want to cook the poor things. What's a happy medium? (in terms of low
humidity loss vs. adequate air exchange.)
2) How often do I need to change soil, if at all? The terrarium is filled
with a peat base, sloping from just a couple of inches at the low end (for
the pitchers) up to about 6-7 inches at the high end (Pinguiculas, etc.)
Atop this is 1-1/2 to 2 inches dead sphagnum. I've been keeping the water
level to the bottom of the low-end sphagnum, for the sake of the
Darlingtonias I have there. I'm concerned that eventually the sodden
peat/water mix at the bottom will begin to decay or something. I've also
been told the dead shagnum will start to regenerate with time. How long
before I shouls see new, live sphagnum growth?
Thanks in advance.

*************************************************************
* *
* ...the creature raised a silencing hand."There are *
* conditions of the nerve endings," it said, "the like *
* of which your imagination, however fevered, could not *
* hope to evoke...Your most treasured depravity is *
* child's play beside the experiences we offer." *
* *
*************************************************************
* *
* http://www.primenet.com/~maldror/ *
* *
*************************************************************