Humidity trays - Page 3 - Orchid Board

Tank Attack · #21 08-09-2006, 05:05 PM

...and nice to meet you cb977.

Tindomul · #22 08-09-2006, 07:04 PM

Hi Tank Attack,
Hmmmmm, I would imagine that water would evaporate faster in copper trays. Being metal and all, they would conduct heat faster from the environment and heat the water. Maybe. Then again, the faster the evaporation, the faster it will rust!

cb977 · #23 08-09-2006, 08:24 PM

Aw...you can call me Sue

I really didn't do any research at all into the copper trays...they were just so pretty! Other than that...I know nothing!!!

Marco · #24 08-09-2006, 10:03 PM

Sue....I started using my unused clay pot and turned them upside down in my humidity trays. The water evaporates so much faster. I just don't know if it necessarily increases humidity though.

Sandra Billeter · #25 08-10-2006, 12:44 PM

Susanne, my husband made us lots of humidity trays (all plastic) before we got our GH. For the top he used the "egg crate' light diffuser panels you use in ceiling lights. It comes 2 x 4 feet panels for about $10 at Home Depot or Lowes. It is strong enought that if you make the section about 1 inch bigger than the tray (length and width) it will support your pots. He cut it using his sabre saw and a fine toothed saw blade and you can make them any size you need. Good luck.

Sandra in South Carolina

cb977 · #26 08-10-2006, 12:50 PM

This project's already complete...using drawer dividers from Walmart and lattice for the top. We thought of using the ceiling panels that Sandra suggests but for some reason (?) we went with the lattice instead. Worked out perfectly...

wallyworld · #27 08-10-2006, 01:12 PM

I use copper metal trays and strips on the shelves in the shade room. I was told that the sluggs that like our orchids here in Fl don't like the copper. The copper does warm up faster than plastic or even metal pans.

Wally

pandakitti · #28 03-16-2009, 10:48 PM

Have you thought of using eggcrate and cutting to size?

SheilaJ · #29 03-17-2009, 11:30 PM

Susanne, your trays are very pretty!

For those who might want something larger, I really recommend the Permanest brand of plant trays. They last practically forever. Hard to find unless you have a really good garden center, but available online - compare prices, they vary a lot online!

I use the fluorescent light eggcrate in them. You can cut it with a strong scissors or a wire cutters, one grid at a time if you don't have a saw.

For something REALLY big, I bought the trays that they sell to go under washing machines. Very big! And I use the wire stacking closet shelves set inside the trays. You can even stairstep them to put the plants in the back higher for easy care and to get them closer to your grow lights.

I did the trays mainly so I could water the orchids and let them drain in place, not to add humidity. I also have a humidifier running in the grow room. However, I have noticed that, when the trays have water in them, the humidifier doesn't run empty nearly as fast as when the trays are dry. So I have to assume that the water is evaporating from the trays (and it does evaporate quite fast) and contributing significantly to the humidity.