Have to build a big orchidarium...pls help

[moria0672]

Dear friends,
i need to build a big orchidarium (moderators feel free to move this thread in another section) because next year I'm out of home for the entire month of August.
Build a greenhouse i think isn't a good idea because the small size, outside is too subject to the clima variations.
I've thinked to buil inside a room not used, a big orchidarium 3,60 mt wide, 2,10 mt. high (where first 0,50 mt on the bottom shoud be used for light and power connections and water tanks) and 0,60 deep.
I will also "cut" the orchidarium in two different environnements: the first meter (sizes 1 x 1,60 x 0,60 mt) to create a cold environnement and the rest (2,60 x 1,60 x 0,60 mt) as intermedium/warm environnement.
I need your suggestions about lights (I don't really know what's best to use, if energy saving lamps, fluorescent tubes, envirolite lamps or leds), misting systems (ultrasonic foggers, low pressure systems or other) and warming system.

Thanks in advance for your help

[Tindomul]

El gnochis! what a project! That is a really tall tank. How will you have access to it? What kind of doors will be on it? Will you make it of glass? Or are you just separating a part of a room and enclosing it with a glass wall or something? Or is this an actual tank?
For such a large tank, I would not hesitate to use Metal Halide/high out put type lamps. You will need the light to penetrate more than 6-7 feet (2.1 meters)! On the cool side of the tank I would use T-5 flourescent lights that don't give out as much heat. Perhaps a misting system that concentrates on the cool side of the tank along with continuous air movement created by fans should keep that side significantly cool than the other.
Have you designed the basic tank yet?

[travelfin]

You have quite a project. Look at the sister forum on vivariums they know a lot about big terrariums.
Are you just building a wardian case where the plants are in pots or do you want to plant them like in nature?
Look at my posts then you know what I mean then can send you some good links. Like this one
www.poison-frogs.com, a 2002 website dedicated to rainforest vivaria for dart poison frogs, together with lots of pictures, films and more. How to create the right conditions,like temperature, humidity, ventilation, light and design

[moria0672]

Originally Posted by Tindomul

El gnochis! what a project! That is a really tall tank. How will you have access to it? What kind of doors will be on it? Will you make it of glass? Or are you just separating a part of a room and enclosing it with a glass wall or something? Or is this an actual tank?
For such a large tank, I would not hesitate to use Metal Halide/high out put type lamps. You will need the light to penetrate more than 6-7 feet (2.1 meters)! On the cool side of the tank I would use T-5 flourescent lights that don't give out as much heat. Perhaps a misting system that concentrates on the cool side of the tank along with continuous air movement created by fans should keep that side significantly cool than the other.
Have you designed the basic tank yet?

Right questions Tindo!
I've just an idea about the structure:
skeleton in aluminium montants
lateral and back sides in carton-chalk external(sorry but i don't know if it's the right term) and cork panels internal to improve the insulation
base : a kind of basin in polycarbonate filled with ever-moist expanded clay
front + doors: skeleton in aluminium bars and a flexible and transparent foil.
Naturally all the orchidarium must be energy saving (otherwise my poor porse will soon die!!)

X Travelfin
I don't know if this is the finally solution so i prefer to put inside the plants in pot or slab


Thanks
Ciao

[Ross]

Massimo, may I suggest 2 different tanks rather than one divided. If you plan on acrylic (I can't imagine one that large as glass) then the different moisture regimes will cause major warping. Acrylic is really hard to work with in thos sixes since it warps so much when one side is moist/warm and other side is drier/cooler. I fight it a lot with mine which is only 91CM long x 51Cm wide x 81CM high. Two sepearte tanks will allow you to control warp better. Just a thought.

[bodaciousbonsai]

the one im building is a vivarium I guess. The measurements are going to be 48"x24"x48". im using 1/4" lexan polycarbonate for the inside.front opening doors ,I will post pictures when it is complete.

[Ely]

Wow tht'a big. Do you need all that space, or is it just a luxury? If you're going all out why not plumb it with CO2 while you're at it. MistKing has some nice supplies. Ultrasonic foggers are cool, just remember to have a large resivoir for holding excess water. That will be a major expense by the way. Are you looking at double thick glass, or something like two pane windows with inert gas. The latter are quite energy efficient and help with insulation.

[bodaciousbonsai]

Well actually my friend is a machinest. He is making me a 3" stainless steel pan to fit the whole inside. it will be punched and welded in the corners for water tightness. I am deffianlty looking into mist king for the 4 nozz, set up for $116 and some change with the $80 timer. as far as the lighting goes im using my hamilton 175 watt 10,000k mh with 2 x 96 watt antenic power compact. See I have a 50 gallon coral reef tank that I am giving away to a friend all live stock etc. the light that grew my corals is going to be growing my orchids and some carnivorous plants. anyways i,ll be back to

[moria0672]

This is a picture of the project (what a big word! )



serra intermedia: intermediate greenhouse (clima)
serra fredda: cold greenhouse (clima)

Some more suggestions?

Ciao

[Ocelaris]

Wow what a good find, I am in the process of making a similar 4' x 4' x 2' (120 x 120 x .60cm) orchidarium for Vandas... like bodaciousbonsai with 1/4" (6.3mm) plexiglass. Do you think that will warp with 1/4" ?

here is a quickie sketch of what I have in mind:



I plan on using a 150w metal halide 4000k, and 2x 96w Compact florescents, and I am worried that will not be enough light to penetrate 4 feet (120cm) tall. With good reflectors I should be lucky to achieve decent light, but I'm afraid not high light...

I would reccomend instead of 10,000k more along the lines of 4000k - 6500k as the red part of the spectrum will be better. If you are set on 175w, they make some good plant Metal halide bulbs. But If it were me, I would try to get the 6500k iwasaki bulb, it has one of the highest levels of PAR available light...

I would reccomend also trading in your actinic bulbs for full daylight, although actinic do peak at around 420nm which is good for chlorophyll, it is relatively weak in comparison, you can get both the red and blue in one bulb. The chlorophyll curve looks like this:



bulb comparison here:

Aqua Botanic-light bulb comparison

the 6500k iwasaki light can be found here:

EYE CLEAN ACE -* High Color Rendering (Daylight) Metal Halide Retrofit from Mercury

unfortunately it only comes in 250 and 400w varieties...

I am also trying to keep my electrical budget under 500watts.

I would make a suggestion with the humidity, a bucket with a ultrasonic mister works really well for me. It has a fan blowing into it, and then tubes running into the chambers, always keeps humidity at 60-80% and it only runs half of the time.

How are you going to access the tank? I've found in my aquariums and orchidariums, if I don't have good access, I just end up not getting to the plants as much. Front access is a must for me, I am going to hopefully have it swing open in the middle.