# collecting 4 species of Crypt of Borneo



## mikey (May 26, 2004)

Hi Guys,

I'm just uploaded my photos to my website...its about my journey to collect 4 species of crypt. Hope you guys like my story:

http://www.ibanorum.netfirms.com/crypt.htm


----------



## SCMurphy (Jan 28, 2004)

Thanks for the photolog, I know I'm jealous. :wink:


----------



## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

Thats awesome!


----------



## EDGE (Feb 28, 2004)

Great photolog.


----------



## Per (Nov 24, 2004)

Ditto!

It would be so fun to join you on such an expedition


----------



## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

Beautiful pictures, and I sure wish I could get my hands on those crypt species! The C. longicauda has beautiful, huge leaves. I am assuming that the C. longicauda and the C. ferruginea were growing in a soil composed mostly of partially decayed leaves, but that the C. striolata and the C. uneoi were growing in a soil mostly of gravel, sand and some mud with only a little organic matter. Please correct me if my guesses are wrong. 

Is there a lot of iron in the waters where the crypts are growing?


----------



## mikey (May 26, 2004)

HeyPK said:


> Beautiful pictures, and I sure wish I could get my hands on those crypt species! The C. longicauda has beautiful, huge leaves. I am assuming that the C. longicauda and the C. ferruginea were growing in a soil composed mostly of partially decayed leaves, but that the C. striolata and the C. uneoi were growing in a soil mostly of gravel, sand and some mud with only a little organic matter. Please correct me if my guesses are wrong.
> 
> Is there a lot of iron in the waters where the crypts are growing?


You are right! The substrate of C.striolata got iron...because the sands and soils r a bit dark brown & reddish.....

I'm still a beginner...can anyone give me tips on how to cultivate the crypt. from acidic water like C.longicauda(By the way,I'm not sure that is C.longicauda or not,anyone can identify?)

How to cultivate those found in not so acidic water such as C.striolata?

Thanks! :roll:


----------



## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

I think that for all these crypt species, high levels of iron are important. A portion of the water that comes into the marshes and streams seeps through the soil and comes out loaded with iron. Some of the iron precipitates out on objects, including the plant leaves and stems. The Crypts can utilize this iron that is precipitated on their leaves and stems, and may be dependent on it as their major source of iron. 

Mikey, do you have a way to give iron to your cultivated crypts?


----------



## Freemann (Mar 19, 2004)

Incredible places, I dream of visiting them one day.
Thanks for shearing this trips with us.
I am so jealous.


----------



## mikey (May 26, 2004)

HeyPK said:


> I think that for all these crypt species, high levels of iron are important. A portion of the water that comes into the marshes and streams seeps through the soil and comes out loaded with iron. Some of the iron precipitates out on objects, including the plant leaves and stems. The Crypts can utilize this iron that is precipitated on their leaves and stems, and may be dependent on it as their major source of iron.
> 
> Mikey, do you have a way to give iron to your cultivated crypts?


No...I have no idea how to get the iron...should I use those red colored soil I found in the countryside?I think its clay...or iron rich soil.....teach me how.Thanks.


----------



## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

Take the red colored soil, mix it with some dead leaves or other organic matter, moisten the soil and let the leaves decay in a loosely covered container (not air tight!) for about a week. 

Then put about 1/2 to 1 inch (around 2 to 3 centimeters) of this compost in a small aquarium or glass tray and cover with about 5 to 10 centimeters of water. It is better not to use plastic trays. They may release compounds harmful to the plants. 

Add pieces of oatmeal or rice grains or dried dog food (or cat food) to the water. Do not add too much at any one time, or you will get a bad smell! The object is to lower the oxygen content of the soil until bacteria start to reduce the iron compounds in the soil. The reduced iron compounds will be soluble. Oxidized iron compounds, such as iron oxide, are insoluble. In a week or two there will be enough iron dissolved in the water that it will begin to show up as a metallic or rusty looking deposit at the surface. Sometimes the surface looks like it has an oil film. Other times it looks like rust is depositing at the surface. 

When you see the iron deposits on the surface, add part of the iron rich water to the tanks where you are growing the crypts. Replace the water with fresh water and add some more organic matter to keep the oxygen level low. If you are growing crypts emersed, you should have the water level high enough so that at least the petioles of the leaves are mostly underwater. Add the iron rich water frequently to the water the crypts are growing in. You want iron to deposit on the leaves and stems. 

This method makes the iron in the soil soluble in the same way that it becomes soluble when water seeps slowly through the soil and comes out into streams or marshes loaded with reduced iron compounds. 

There are easier ways to get iron into the water than this. You buy some sort of commercial soluble iron compound for plants. In America, a lot of aquariasts use Fluorish iron. It works in pretty much the same fashion. When added to the tank, the Flourish iron precipitates out in a few days on the stems and leaves of the plants.

For growing emersed, the crypts that were growing in a soil mostly composed of decaying leaves should be grown in the same kind of soil. Mix in with the partially decayed leaves some of the red, iron-rich soil. The crypts that were growing submersed in gravel (striolata and uenoi) should be grown submersed (You can try emersed, also) in the same kind of gravel and mud low organic matter soil. They undoubtedly get their iron largely from deposits on leaves and stems, rather than from the soil.


----------



## Slaigar (Aug 25, 2004)

Great photos Michael!
When you have success with the inflorescence, be sure to post more photos! Are you trying both submersed and emersed growth for all the species?


----------



## Raul-7 (Feb 4, 2004)

It's great that you are able to go on such an expedition! Did you find any Licorice or Chocolates in the peat swamps?


----------



## mikey (May 26, 2004)

HeyPK said:


> Take the red colored soil, mix it with some dead leaves or other organic matter, moisten the soil and let the leaves decay in a loosely covered container (not air tight!) for about a week.
> 
> Then put about 1/2 to 1 inch (around 2 to 3 centimeters) of this compost in a small aquarium or glass tray and cover with about 5 to 10 centimeters of water. It is better not to use plastic trays. They may release compounds harmful to the plants.
> 
> ...


Thanks!!!I'll try it.....


----------



## mikey (May 26, 2004)

Slaigar said:


> Great photos Michael!
> When you have success with the inflorescence, be sure to post more photos! Are you trying both submersed and emersed growth for all the species?


For C.longicauda(not so sure) I'll plant it in emersed condition because I want to see the flowering in order to identify that species.

The rest,I'll plant it in submersed condition.


----------



## mikey (May 26, 2004)

Raul-7 said:


> It's great that you are able to go on such an expedition! Did you find any Licorice or Chocolates in the peat swamps?


Its not easy to catch fish in peat swamp because the soil is too soft....and dangerous to walk on it.(u may sink)

No,I didn't find them in that journey.


----------



## EDGE (Feb 28, 2004)

What is the pH level in the river? I am just curious as how people can lower the acidity below 5 pH..


----------



## mikey (May 26, 2004)

EDGE said:


> What is the pH level in the river? I am just curious as how people can lower the acidity below 5 pH..


forgot to bring my ph tester....should be between 5 to 6.5...for blackwater crypt. But for striolata is higher.My previous record is 6.8!!!


----------



## skylsdale (Jun 2, 2004)

Any idea what species this is:


----------

