Um, a few problems.
Firstly bottled water such as aquafina does not mean that it is of the purity of distilled water which has had all the minerals removed.
Next, if you placed that tank in the sun sealed up, you will cook your plants literally.
Terrariums are "nice" to provide a humid enviroment for CP's, BUT it also has many many downsides.
Of these you can never ever allow a terrarium to receive full sun.
If you want a terrarium setup I would advise you to purchase some lamp stands and some compact fluorecent bulbs that are the equivelent of 100watts incandesent bulb.

I think your water could be an issue firstly, but I think the major issue is that you are cooking the plants without knowing.

you state that OH is a humid place, you dont have to have a terrarium if this is the case, and if you want one you dont need a top cover.
I live in Salt Lake City which is very dry, ALL my plants grow in pots without any terrarium or any humidity boosters.
Dont believe all this bull you read online that these plant have to have high humidity.
The fact is that these plants are not really that well understood still in todays age.

The VFT for example is VERY TOUGH and can adapt to very low humidity.

If you wish to put them outdoors I have 2 suggestions for you.
1) put the pot out with No terrarium..
2) or put the tank out with NO lid.
Also if your plants are not used to getting lots of direct sun, the UV rays will give them shock and cause a bit of burn.
Just like if your skin is not used to the sun, you will develop sunburn easily.

If this is the case, the plants should be put in a area that gets the warm morning sun and is shaded from the harsh afternoon sun.
As the week proceeds you can move the plants more into a direct full sun area.

Once they are fully adapted to full sun they will grow well.
I would suggest though that you go to a store like Costco or Albertsons and look for "Distilled Water"
Albertons sells 2 Gallon bottles for about $1.90

Hope this helps

Sheldon

Sheldon is right, you are damaging your plants with too much heat and too much moiture. The terrarium should not have so much moiture that it fogs the glass.

Some Aquafina water has salts in it, and I believe that can be bad too.

I never place my terrariums out side. I place them underneath cool florecent light tubes.

If one of your venus flytraps still has a bulb it can still be saved. Forget about black roots. The venus flytrap roots turn black normally.

I agree with everything Sheldon said.

In fact, I was watering my plants with bottled water for the longest time, wondering why they were dying. It was Sheldon that let me know I should go buy actual distilled water from Albertsons and my plants have been growing great ever since. Once again a big thanks goes out to you Sheldon. If it weren't for you, most of my wonderful plants would be dead!

Always a plesure to share what little I know, guys like Byron_1 have a vast amount of growing knowledge and have given out smoe AWESOME papers on the VFT.
It was infact one of Byrons PDF documents that has helped me succeed as far as I have with the VFT.
It is indeed an interesting read.

Just glad your plants are doing well LG, dont worry, just like me you will indeed benefit many new and old growers alike.

Cheers and thanx for the compliments :)

Sheldon

Thanks all for the quick responses. So you guys don't use the terranium idea eh. The reason I was using that to begin with was I started getting these plants around May here. The weather outside would maybe get to 70 degrees but it would drop to the 40's or 50's. So I wanted to keep them warm. I read they needed to be in 70-90 degree climates during growing season. I was afraid that 40's and 50's would set them back to dormant mode.

Ok so do you suggest that I go and get some new plants and just leave them in their pot or repot them in a bigger plastic pot and have a tray on the bottom? Is peat moss good for them or do they like sphagnum (sp?) moss better? Any mixture of sand?

Is it safe to just distill your own water? I assume you guys just buy it already distilled as a time saver?

Thanks

Just for the record, terrariums are fine, but they're generally used for subtropical and tropical carnivores under fluorescent growlights. What you had were three venus flytraps and probably a butterwort called p. primuliflora, which are all warm-temperate. They can be grown inside, but they much prefer it outside...year round. Let them battle the colds and they'll thank you for it later by being strong and colorful. 40 and 50 degrees might set them back a little, but it is not going to damage any of these plants. Protect them only when it goes under 20 for long periods of time. The only problem I can see is thrusting them from a 90-degree mini-terrarium into a much drier, 30-degree environment, which might lead to shock. Otherwise, let nature take its course.

It's safe to distill your own water, but you'll need a reverse-osmosis unit, which can be kinda costly. If you only have a few plants, it's cheaper to buy gallons at the grocery store.

Flytraps like a 1 part peat moss and 1 part sand or perlite mixture. Some carnivorous plants prefer long-fibered sphagnum and perlite/sand. Some like a little peat, but mostly perlite, vermiculite, and sand. All you can really do is research. Check out www.sarracenia.com, www.carnivorousplants.org, and www.cobraplant.com also has FAQs that might help you out. Also, check out The Savage Garden if you have the time and money. :)

Ye, you get this junk which costs you over $200.00 and then you need a plumber to install it.
My solution is called the "WaterMaker Mini" by numbus.
It costs around $80.00 and fits to any american tap socket, it can then be cliped on and off the tap as you use it.
Over all depending on the amount of plants you have you will save a massive amount that buying it distilled.
It ofcause is no good if its only for a few plants, then your 2 gallon bottles will last you plenty of time to make it acceptable.
Ok, the cold thing.
VFT's come from America, they are tough suckers!!!
These plants go dorment which means they are used to winters and infact can survive in conditions as low as -20 F!!!!

So no prob with that, people use terrariums alot on conditions that are not ideal to the plant, to kinda fake the plant out to believe its still back home in Carolina.
You can use one if you please, just no sun with a sealed terrarium like we said.
If you plan on puttin them outdoors, get them used to the sun light by doing what I said.
Ok, the most important things to a VFT's happiness is good soil (peat moss/perlite mix with sphagnum moss top layer), good water (distilled, rain, R/O) and good light (full sun (once they are used to it), Fluorecent, Compact Fluorecent)

Other than that, use the tray method to always have water in the tray, if the winters get cold by you (snow and such) you can leave your plant out for winter (dont give as much water, it should be moist then but not wet, no feeding the plant during dormency time) then you could apply a mulsh to protect the plant or a tarp if you have ice winds which will burn them.
At this time if the plant goes into dormency you will see the growth slows down to a stop, cut off any and all dead leaves and like I said not as much water.
A nice pot to have if you can find one are these new lightweight fibreglass insulated pots.
They have double lining (dont know if there is a filler inside) that keeps the roots warmer during cold and cooler during hot (kinda like the roof insulation idea)

You should be able to save your plant if the bulb is fine like Byron_1 said, if you have been soaking it constantly with this hard water it may be a good idea to get fresh soil mix, carefully unpot so you can check to root system/bulb and if its not too much then repot it and give it good light and water.

Like we have said, they are quite tough, most times than not they spring back to life.
If you need a light bulb instead of growing outdoors, get a cheap everyday lamp stand and a compact fluorecent bulb (it should say the equivelent to a 100watt incandesent) and place this bulb 8-10" above the plant media for about 14 hours per day in summer.

Hope this helps a bit

Sheldon

Thanks for all the info/help. Now my only problem is figuring out where to buy these plants. I'm not sure if I want to just get them from a garden center or wal-mart this time around. How hard are these plants to grow from seeds? I might join the ICPS if it's easy to grow them from seeds. Otherwise if you know of a place where you can get quality plants that aren't overpriced let me know. I'm thinking about trying to grow 1 VFT, 1 Sundew, and 1 pitcher plant.

Thanks

www.cobraplant.com

That's all you need to know about buying carnivorous plants :D

Hi

Ye look on cobraplant.com, choose your region to see what plants are best suited.
For a larger pitcher S. Flava (Yellow trumpet) is beutiful, also tough and easy to grow, for a smaller beutiful man made one, I suggest the S. Cobra Hood, AWESOME plant!!
The VFT's are all the same in toughness, just need to give them what they need as per all CP's
Sundew wise, D. Capensis is beutiful, very easy to grow, needs no dormency (VFT and american pitchers do) and is amazing to watch it wrap its leaves around prey.
Of the examples Ive given you, you can do a high humidity terrarium, or you can harden the plants off to your climate and grown them in pots under lights or outdoor in the sun (you must adjust the plants a little to the full UV sunlight)

PS, cobraplant ships fast, so ensure that you have all your soils and mixes before hand.
If I order today, the plants have always been on my doorstep 2 days later.

Cheera

Sheldon

Very true about the shipping. It's usually no more than two days from the time you order that you get your plants. Excellet service.

Question about the "harden the plants" thing. Well first off the plants would not be able to live inside my house during the summer. We run the A/C here and it gets cold. So they would have to be outside or in the garage.

Now how do you exactly harden them? Do you just take off their lid and let them adjust to the environment? Also any more tips on how to adjust the sunlight they are in? How do you know they are ready for full-sun, and how long in full-sun? Do you just gradually put them in full-sun? Like put them in full-sun for an hour every-day for a week, then next week for 2 etc etc?

Thanks again guys, glad I found this message board with knowledgable people such as yourselves.

Hi

Ok, heres how.
I have 6" pots with little domes (like a 2 litre coke bottle cut in half) over them.
You start by raising one side by an inch.
Leave it for about a week.
Lift another side, so you now have two pegs lifting up.
Wait amother week.
Then do all four sides.
Wait another week.
Remove the top.
If they wilt a little dont worry, just mist them a little with some distileld water, put the dome back on only as a last resort.

They should adapt quite quickly and continue their growth.

With sun light adjustment.
You would take you plant (like a VFT that is a full sun plant, dont try and put a plant that likes shade in full sun ofcause) and put it outside in an area that only gets morning sun which is not hot or direct, this area would then be shaded from the harsh afternoon sun.
Then over a week you slowly move the plant more into the later sun so it can adapt.
An easy example is yourself, if you dont want sunburn, you go int he sun for a few hours, then a few more, then a few more, same with these little guys.
Anyhow eventually over the week or abit more your plant will finally be in full sun where it can adapt fully.
VFT's love full sun and get loverly colour and growth.

Here is a picture of a Drosera Adelae that I am presently hardening off: (this one presently has 2 sides lifted, when 4 sides are done there will be two more straws at the back corners)
{{gwi:554190}}

And here is a pic of the "legs" I make out of wood or in this case a cut straw:
{{gwi:554191}}

Cheers

Sheldon

Wow thanks for the awesome info Sheldon, you got me so excited! I have a few more questions. When you first get your plants from cobraplants, do you leave them in their pots they came in, then harden them, and then transplant them into a bigger pot? Or do you immediately repot them into the bigger 6inch pot as soon as you get them? Also I noticed you said in another thread it's not good to leave water sitting in the tray?

Thanks again you guys rock.

No, different plants different needs.
Plants like Nepenthes dont like to stand in water, it will make them turn brown.
So to overcome this you just fill the tray with perlite which will absorb the drainige.
Things like VFT's and Sundews like to sit in water and stay constantly moist.
With dormency though, you will drop the "wettness" of the plant by not standing it in as much water and not waterin it as much.

When I first get my plants, it depends on how they are packaged.
If they are bare root (with sphagnum moss wrapped around them) I repot straigh away, I first soak the root system for 15-30 minutes in SuperThrive, then pot in my soil mix.
If the plant comes in one of those small 2" pots, then I put the plant stalk between my middle and fore finger with one hand ontop, and the other hand goes on the bottom of the pot.
I turn the pot upside down like this and give a few short shakes so that the soil in the shape of the small pot falls out into my hand.
Because the plant stalk is now beween my fingers no real soil gets all over it and because the soil stays in the shape of the small pot you cant really damage the roots.
I then have my 6" pot ready and filled abit with my soil mix so that I can stand the plant with soil on and fill around the sides.
Depending on the plant depends on if I harden it off.
For a VFT I would, for most sundews I would.
I dont and have not for the tough american pitcher plants I got, I dont for Drosera Capensis and I also did not for the Nepenthes Ventricosa (its also hardy)

nobody told me they can survive this, but from what I read online about the species, they all appeared so tough that they would get through it, and if bare root the SuperThrive mix I soak it in really helps the plant with any shock that occurs.
Another benefit is that because the plants are so beutifully cared for and packed at cobraplant, they are in very very good health, thus the shock that occurs does not really stunt or kill the plants.

When you look into getting an unknown CP, I always research by books (like the Savage Garden), I look them up online, any comments from forums like this also help, and ofcause I ask experts like the growers at cobraplant.com

Once I have an idea of what the plants about, I take a chance and learn from any mistakes I make.
So far I have learned a MASSIVE amount and have been very lucky.

I hope this helps you out, if you need any info and its an emergency you or anyone else is welcome to email me at necro1234 at yahoo dot com

Cheers

Sheldon

I have been buying my plants on Ebay and have had exellent luck. I stay away from the auctions that have ebay stores because they seem to all deal with the same wholesalers. Like I said I haven't had any regrets and got some exellent deals. As far as comerecial growers i have found Botinique to be the best they dont send any small plants and are very knowlagable
there plants are also very reasonably priced there computer address is http://www.pitcherplant.com/ if you don't wish to deal online Their address is Botanique - 387 Pitcher Plant Lane, Stanardsville, VA 22973. Sure hope you have fun with your CPs. Also make sure you use canadian peat you can get it at wal mart the brand is Schultz.