My New 10 gal Orchidarium

[78Terp]

This orchidarium, so far, has been so easy to set up. Maybe it will be more challenging as I work on a fan. But I recommend anyone on the fence whether to do one or not, I say to go for it!

Very satisfying so far. Especially if I think I am doing those in there good! This is bad news for my fish in the 50 gallon tank! They could end up homeless!

[78Terp]

The orchidarium has already paid off.

In my 'mini-spree' of paph in early January, one of the purchases, not in spike, was a paph venutsum. When it came in, it wasn't looking so happy. I wasn't sure it was going to make it. It hadn't improved. It was 'heads down'. In fact, when I first populated the orchidarium, it was one of the first plants re-located to it.

If you look at the first picture, you can see it kinda behind the thermometer, but not well seen (due to its 'heads down' status).

Now, in the new picture, it is in the same location kinda behind the thermo, but now you can see it well. All 3 leaves are erect and the mottled leaves, now look healthy. It now looks like it is going to make it.

The pot on the left side of the picture is an orchid a friend has brought over for time in the orchidarium to try and save it. She said it once was doing very well and she repotted it. Then dropped the pot and destroyed its health. The foliage is pretty bad, hopefully we can get some new growth going in the humidity.

Before:


After:

[78Terp]

I checked the lamp in the orchidarium and it is actually a pretty good lamp.

It is a 6000K full spectrum. The plants seem to love it.

[Carolla]

As for a fan, if you don't need a lot of air movement, just take a computer fan and the power cord from an old cell phone or the like and splice them together. The higher the power of the adapter from the cell phone, the faster the fan will spin. You probably don't need much. You can look up the directions on Youtube, I found lots of them. When I can convince my husband we don't need more than one left over adapter for cell phones we no longer have, I'll set one up on my orchids under lights... He tends towards, "Someone might be able to use it some day!" as a reason to never throw things out, or even to not cut them up and use them today! lol

[ksriramkumar]

Great idea carol. I am a big fan and follower of reduce-recycle-reuse. thanks for the idea. should try some day.