Plants

Re: Plants

Postby mailjvdb » Tue Sep 07, 2010 1:17 am

F
Fatsia (Feature plant)
Ficus (Feature plant)
Fittonia (Ground cover)

G
Globba (Ginger family)
Guzmania (Bromeliad)

H
Hedera (Ivy - climber - creeper)
Howea (Palm)
Hoya (Climber - Creeper)
Hyacinthus (Feature plant)
Hydrangea (Feature plant)
Hypoestes (Groundcover - Feature plant)

I
Impatiens (Feature plant)
Some Iris sp. (Feature plant)
Ixora (Feature plant)

J
Jacobinia (Feature plant)
Jasminum (Creeper - Climber)
Juncus (Grass - Rush)

L
Leea (Feature plant)
Leptospermum (Feature plant)
Licuala (Palm)
Livistona (Palm)
Ludisia (Orchid)

M
Mandevilla (Feature plant)
Maranta (Feature plant)
Mascarena (Palm)
Medinilla (Feature plant)
Miltonia (Orchid)
Monstera (Feature plant)
Murraya (Feature plant)
Musa (Feature plant)
Muscari (Ground cover)
Myrtus (Feature plant)

N
Narcissus (Feature plant)
Neoregelia (Bromeliad)
Nepenthes (Carnivorous)
Nephrolepis (Fern)
Nertera (Groundcover)
Nolina(Feature plant)

O
Odontoglossum (Orchid)
Oncidium (Orchid)

P
Pachira (Feature plant)
Paphiopedilum (Orchid)
Parthenocissus (Creeper - Climber)
Pellaea (Fern)
Pentas (Feature plant)
Peperomia (Ground Cover)
Phalaenopsis (Orchid)
Philodendron (Feature plant)
Philodendron scandens (Creeper - climber)
Phlebodium (Feature plant)
Pilea (Feature plant)
Platycerium (Feature plant - fern - Excellent low light plant)
Plectranthus (Ground cover)
Plumbago(Feature plant)
Pogonatherum (Feature plant)
Polyscias (Feature plant)
Primula (Cround cover)
Pteris (Fern - Great low-light plant)

R
Ravenea (Palm)
Rhapis (Palm)
Rhipsalidopsis (Epiphytic cacti)
Rhipsalis (Epiphytic cacti)
Rhododendron (Feature plant)

S
Saintpaulia (Groundcover)
Sansevieria (Cacti-like feature plant)
Saxifraga (Ground cover)
Schefflera (Feature plant)
Scilla (Feature plant)
Scindapsus (Creeper - Climber)
Scirpus (Grass - Rush)
Selaginella (Ground cover)
Senecio (Ground cover)
Soleirolia (Ground cover)
Spathiphyllum (Feature plant)
Stephanotis (Climber - Creeper)
Streptocarpus (Feature plant)
Stromanthe (Feature plant)
Syngonium (Feature plant, Some are climbers/creepers)

T
Tillandsia (Bromeliad)
Tolmiea (Feature plant)
Torenia (Feature plant)
Trachelium (Feature plant)
Tradescantia (Ground cover)
Triplochlamys (Feature plant)

V
Vriesea (Bromeliad)
Vuylstekeara (Orchid)

Y
Yucca (Feature plant)

Z
Zantedeschia aethiopica (Feature plant - Don't use the colored hybrids, they need lots of sun)
Zygopetalum (Orchid)
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Re: Plants

Postby mailjvdb » Tue Sep 07, 2010 2:22 am

This list is very basic but should give you a head start when deciding what plants to use.

As i said previously, I do not have experience with all of these plants. Most of them should work well given the right kind of light. ALWAYS do research on the specific species of plant you intend to use in your setup. This research should include things such as precise light- and water requirements, final size, toxicity towards humans or animals.

Also note that some plants will only "survive" under these conditions, and may need replacing from time to time, while others may flourish! Healthy plants need ample light of the right spectrum. Also good ventilation, a crucial aspect all to often overlooked, is very important for healthy growth. Most cases where plants fail to grow healthy and vigorously is due to insufficient light and/or ventilation. You will also not get good results if you skimp on soil; Always use a 10cm-20cm layer of soil at the bottom of your tank to allow for good root growth and drainage. Most plants hate waterlogged soil, the trick here is to keep it moist, not wet. Remember to never let the soil dry out completely.

I recommend going for CFL's (Compact fluorescent --> http://www.hydroshop.co.il/unique/products/reg/874.jpg ) in the 80w - 250w range and the burn at remarkably cool temperatures. These can be bought at most electrical wholesalers, like Paragon Electrical. Also available from them is the ceramic fitting you will need (only R20, the bulb is the expensive part). Try to mount the light horizontally, as this exposes more bulb-surface to the vivarium. Remember to cover the bulb with mesh so that the captives can't venture on to the light bulb. I do not recommend having glass between the bulb and the plants, rather stick to mesh for light intensity purposes. Mesh is good for plants anyways as it increases the ventilation. Lights should be no further than 30cm - 80cm (depending on the wattage) above the lowest plant canopy, and the closer you can get it to the plants, the better, as this will give you stronger, more robust plants that doesn't stretch for the light and become weak and leggy. Ground-covers usually use less light than for example trees, shrubs and most flowering plants, therefor the latter named should be closer to the light source, say 5cm - 20cm for best results.

HID (High Intensity Discharge) lights have deeper penetration than any fluorescent bulb/tube on the market, and can grow plants very successfully. They are also available in 70w-1500w +, but never go higher than 150watts for vivariums (unless size permits going bigger) as the bigger bulbs put out excessive amounts of heat. Always test your setup first before you introduce any live animal. Also don't be ridiculous trying to squeeze a 150w HID into a 300x300x400 vivarium, when choosing the right size and type of light, common sense and a bit of research goes a long way. These HID lights include Metal Halides & High Pressure Sodium bulbs. They need a specific ballasts to operate, so take care to do some research on the matter before going out and investing money as these lights are somewhat pricey initially, and also electricity usage should be considered for the long run. For Arid/Desert setups with Cacti & Succulents (or any other high light requiring plants), I would surely recommend the High Pressure Sodium lights, as the give out lots of light in the right spectrum for plants, give plenty of heat for basking, and also give of a more orange light, similar to midday/afternoon sun.

I love CFL's, and if used correctly, it's probably the best light to use. Cheap initial setup, long live, energy-wise, and it also burning relatively cool makes this the best choice. Combining Warm White (Orang-type light) & Cool White (Blueish-White light) compact fluorescents is probably the closest you will get to achieving a natural daylight spectrum. Small vivariums up to 400x400x400 can usually get away with using 1x15w/20w Warm white CFL & 1x15w/20w Cool white. These lights and their fittings are readily available, even in grocery retailers like Spar or Checkers and are inexpensive to setup. Check the packaging whether it is Warm or Cool White and buy one of both. I even grow some Haworthia and Aloe aristata in a 350x300x300 desert setup with these lights, and the plants are doing ok (seeing they require more light than the average plant).

That basically sums it up in a nutshell, although i haven't even tipped the peak of the iceberg. You will find that even with the best of lighting, you will have to replace some/if not all of the plants eventually, as in the long run this artificial conditions cant sustain plant live to the best extent. Also most plants eventually out-grow their quarters.

Hope it helps though!
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Re: Plants

Postby mailjvdb » Tue Sep 07, 2010 2:36 am

Reflectors work wonders as less light is wasted and more light is directed towards the plants. Also light distribution is more even. See --> http://www.progrow.co.uk/acatalog/4027_large.jpg
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Re: Plants

Postby Silvrav » Tue Sep 07, 2010 7:23 am

mailjvdb, awesome info...this is a topic worth reading :)
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Re: Plants

Postby Fooble » Tue Sep 07, 2010 9:23 am

mailjvdb i found your comments extremely useful and interesting thanks for taking the time to help us not Horticulturists :)
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Re: Plants

Postby roadkill456 » Tue Sep 07, 2010 11:30 am

mailjvdb has also sent me a couple of PM's regarding the plants/lighting, thank you very much for your knowledge shared, very cool of you, I have started doing a set-up for my Cape Corals, will post some pics when all is done & ready.
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Re: Plants

Postby Wolf777 » Tue Sep 07, 2010 11:32 am

Thanks for all the info Jason, it is very helpful, and definitely worth reading. A plant caresheet.
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Re: Plants

Postby mailjvdb » Tue Sep 07, 2010 11:45 am

My pleasure all, great helping people who appreciate it!

Excuse the left out y's, e's and d's everywhere. But my keyboard had some better days... :D
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Re: Plants

Postby Silvrav » Tue Sep 07, 2010 12:21 pm

mailjvdb wrote:My pleasure all, great helping people who appreciate it!

Excuse the left out y's, e's and d's everywhere. But my keyboard had some better days... :D
:smt005

It's funny how keyboards sometimes just don't work. But I have a sneaky suspicion that with my keyboard it sits between the keyboard and my brain...
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Re: Plants

Postby mailjvdb » Tue Dec 07, 2010 4:12 pm

So who's done anything interesting? Roadkill456, How did your setups turn out, was wondering about this the other day?
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Re: Plants

Postby Wolf777 » Tue Dec 07, 2010 4:21 pm

I had mine planted but discovered it had a leak from the side where the water is, going to fix it before the holidays are over.
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Re: Plants

Postby mailjvdb » Tue Dec 07, 2010 4:30 pm

Kewl, keep us updated on how it goes!
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Re: Plants

Postby Wolf777 » Tue Dec 07, 2010 4:58 pm

Will do.
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Re: Plants

Postby mgiddings » Tue Dec 07, 2010 6:39 pm

Would just like to really say Thanks for the info.

During the holidays I will be doing a 100% natural setup for a juvenile amazon tree boa coming in early next year. If anybody (especially mailjvdb) has any comments or help on the actual setup, plants, substrates etc. especially for an amazon, please let me know.
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Re: Plants

Postby Phunk » Tue Dec 07, 2010 10:13 pm

@ hustler, Your set-up sounds awesome, please post some pics.
I also like plants in my vivarium. Besides them making it look more natural, I found that plants help a lot with keeping the humidity up.
Below are pics of my set-up.
I take all the plants out every weekend and water them. Once the excess water has finished dripping, I return them to the vivarium.

Image

Image
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