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 distgre1
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Registered: 05/10/05
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 growing cacti in a fish tank
#8678010 - 07/24/08 09:23 PM (4 months, 6 days ago) |
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Is it a good idea to grow cacti in an empty fish tank?
im planning on buying one and using it as a cactus grow chamber!
(of course with lighting)
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plainswalker
Plant Shepherd
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Re: growing cacti in a fish tank [Re: distgre1]
#8678030 - 07/24/08 09:28 PM (4 months, 6 days ago) |
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you're talking seeds?
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distgre1
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Re: growing cacti in a fish tank [Re: distgre1]
#8678059 - 07/24/08 09:35 PM (4 months, 6 days ago) |
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no.. established plants
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ethnoguy
aka dude w/ the seeds
Registered: 10/03/07
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Re: growing cacti in a fish tank [Re: distgre1]
#8678072 - 07/24/08 09:38 PM (4 months, 6 days ago) |
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Why?
I figure an old perlite FC would be good for seedlings and new grafts, but for cacti in general? No way IMO. Put a few shelves on the wall with grow lights mounted on them or something.
EG
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distgre1
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Re: growing cacti in a fish tank [Re: ethnoguy]
#8678077 - 07/24/08 09:41 PM (4 months, 6 days ago) |
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I cant use grow lights and im walking about winter time
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ethnoguy
aka dude w/ the seeds
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Re: growing cacti in a fish tank [Re: distgre1]
#8678103 - 07/24/08 09:47 PM (4 months, 6 days ago) |
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You couldn't pick up some 12 inch grow lights (plug n play) at a hardware store or something? I think they are like $35 each here. Yeah, perhaps you could just keep them in a warm area close to the window. I have everything from atrophytums, epithelanthas, trichocereus, lophs, etc. that are about 10 ft away from the window and they do great. The only thing that hasn't liked it is my bridgesii monstrose. I do move them outside once they start putting out flowers.
EG
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Cacti and Ethno Seeds for CHEAP!!! **UPDATED 10-15**
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plainswalker
Plant Shepherd
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Re: growing cacti in a fish tank [Re: ethnoguy]
#8678175 - 07/24/08 10:06 PM (4 months, 6 days ago) |
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The only reason I could see anyone using a fishtank for cactus is as a high humidity environment for seedlings. That would be bad for larger plants. Just let them go dormant over the winter. Trying to keep them growing over the winter will most likely lead to etiolation.
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felixhigh
evil jester
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Re: growing cacti in a fish tank [Re: plainswalker]
#8678334 - 07/24/08 10:52 PM (4 months, 6 days ago) |
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Quote:
plainswalker said:
The only reason I could see anyone using a fishtank for cactus is as a high humidity environment for seedlings. That would be bad for larger plants. Just let them go dormant over the winter. Trying to keep them growing over the winter will most likely lead to etiolation.
Wot he said. 
FH
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Rah
Registered: 09/07/02
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Re: growing cacti in a fish tank [Re: felixhigh]
#8678588 - 07/24/08 11:56 PM (4 months, 6 days ago) |
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i have an aquarium with 4 4' T8s for perskiopsis(sp?) and seedlings. it works great.
anything else would most likely rot though.
kiss a south facing window should be enough for a cacti garden.
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danlennon3
living is easywith eyesclosed.....
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Re: growing cacti in a fish tank [Re: Rah]
#8679925 - 07/25/08 10:52 AM (4 months, 5 days ago) |
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whats a good, cheap light that will fit on a 10 or 20 gallon tank?
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 Mankey
Registered: 07/30/05
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Re: growing cacti in a fish tank [Re: danlennon3]
#8680617 - 07/25/08 02:30 PM (4 months, 5 days ago) |
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Daylight CFL (probably 2ft). If you don't have the top of the tank that holds the light, just go to walmart or home depot and pick a fixture up as well for 15 bucks.
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ethnoguy
aka dude w/ the seeds
Registered: 10/03/07
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Re: growing cacti in a fish tank [Re: Mankey]
#8682287 - 07/25/08 10:55 PM (4 months, 5 days ago) |
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I agree with Mankey and plainswalker.
EG
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Cacti and Ethno Seeds for CHEAP!!! **UPDATED 10-15**
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uarewotueat
Peyote Farmer
Registered: 09/02/06
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Re: growing cacti in a fish tank [Re: distgre1]
#8683095 - 07/26/08 04:24 AM (4 months, 4 days ago) |
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one thing that no one mentioned: IF you can get good airflow into the tank and keep the humidity down, then it could be used to grow more than just seedlings.
but still i wouldn't recommend it either, like everyone else said...
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 cricket
Lord Cricket
Registered: 08/29/03
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Re: growing cacti in a fish tank [Re: uarewotueat]
#8683232 - 07/26/08 06:23 AM (4 months, 4 days ago) |
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I'm using a 10 gallon aquarium now.
It is filled with about 3-4" of soil topped with .25" sand.
I planted a mixed lot of cuttings and seed grown cacti, ranging from .25" to 2.5" in size.
I painted the outside with several layers of white spray paint, except for the oval viewing port on the front. The white layer is to reflect light back into the tank. I then coated the outside with a layer of silver then 2 or 3 layers of black paint. This keeps the light from making the whole tank glow. It also matches the lid and frame.
The lid has two sockets for bulbs. I installed two compact flouros, each bulb = to 100w. More then enough light for this small space.
The tank temps at 75-80F OFF, 90-95F ON. Room temp and air flow, can effect the temp range inside the cage 5-7F.
At night it looks like this.
After 6 or 7 weeks the only problem I've had is that it drys out much faster then I expected. Even with the few small holes in the lid it gets plenty of air flow. It would have to be sealed a lot better before it could hold the humidity needed for seedlings.
There is also no drainage holes in the bottom so I have to beware of over watering.
To simulate winter light levels and temps, I only have to remove one light and adjust the timer to fewer daylight hours.
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I tried to leave my signature but it didn't work...
By the way... Does anybody know how to get sharpie markers off of a computer screen?
Edited by cricket (07/26/08 06:41 AM)
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distgre1
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Registered: 05/10/05
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Re: growing cacti in a fish tank [Re: danlennon3]
#8685289 - 07/26/08 06:38 PM (4 months, 4 days ago) |
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Cant i just use DampRid to absorb the moisture? I basically want to make a desert terrarium for my lophophora collection
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felixhigh
evil jester
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Re: growing cacti in a fish tank [Re: distgre1]
#8685311 - 07/26/08 06:51 PM (4 months, 4 days ago) |
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Fish tanks look great for shrooms.
FH
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uarewotueat
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Re: growing cacti in a fish tank [Re: felixhigh]
#8685319 - 07/26/08 06:54 PM (4 months, 4 days ago) |
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and fish 
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scruffymafia
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Re: growing cacti in a fish tank [Re: uarewotueat]
#8685500 - 07/26/08 07:43 PM (4 months, 4 days ago) |
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Quote:
uarewotueat said:
and fish
Lol, now thats just crazy talk!
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ToolTroll
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Re: growing cacti in a fish tank [Re: distgre1]
#8689630 - 07/27/08 06:59 PM (4 months, 3 days ago) |
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I grow lots of cacti seedlings in a pair of 10-gallon aquariums. They are in a south facing window, and I have everything from 1-year old Terscheckkis to 2-year old lophos, and I have 5-year old lopho in there too. The main reason they are in there is because my cat loves to attack cactus and unpot them, spines present no obstacle to him. So this setup works well for my situation, I water every 2-3 weeks in the summer, they are actually kinda neglected in there.
As my baby lophos get larger, I will probably move them from under the 4' shop lights to an aquarium in the south facing window. They love the sunlight, but when I have put them actually outside a bird divebombed my lopho and left claw marks. The only lopho I have that flowers (the 5-year old) is in the window, I have another of the same age that I have kept under shop lights and it hasn't flowered yet. So I want to keep them growing in sunlight but the aquarium in the window is the only place they won't get fuct wit...
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felixhigh
evil jester
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Re: growing cacti in a fish tank [Re: ToolTroll]
#8689649 - 07/27/08 07:04 PM (4 months, 3 days ago) |
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Yeah sometimes some birds think my lophos are some kind of fruit and peck them. Dumb birds.
FH
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