Tristella hoeijeri in bloom - Orchid Board

RoryOMoore · #1 12-30-2019, 10:50 PM

Hi all

This was a surprise for me. I didn't think this bloom as soon as it did. I got the plant in late July and it didn't seem to be doing anything then overnight it seems about a week ago I found a spike.

this is in the same terrarium as the Dracula dodsonii and Masdevallia contricta I posted previously.

DirtyCoconuts · #2 12-30-2019, 11:29 PM

Stellar. Can we see a shot of the whole terrarium?

RoryOMoore · #3 01-01-2020, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DirtyCoconuts

Stellar. Can we see a shot of the whole terrarium?

Akhenaten · #4 01-04-2020, 05:56 AM

It's my dream. I wait until my will blooming

SaraJean · #5 01-04-2020, 09:27 AM

That is absolutely beautiful, Rory. Do you mind if I pick your brain a bit?

This little guy is what has been motivating me to set up a proper terrarium. I have been keeping my Tristella in a rotisserie chicken container (I know, I know

) and it has been growing and spiking but it keeps blasting. I just got my hands on a 24”x18”x36” Exo Terra that I have been working on that in over the past few weeks which has been fun but daunting. My mistking is on its way but I still haven’t decided on lighting. Is this in the same tank as the Dracula dodsonii? Those temps for that one you posted seem pretty reasonable and are similar to what mine has been running at. My terrarium is on my first floor where it’s always quite cool and humid even in the summer. What are the fans that you are using and are they just secured with suction cups? Do you have them just at the top of the enclosure?

RoryOMoore · #6 01-06-2020, 12:02 AM

Hi Sara

Thank you.

My Exo is a 12x12x18 and the light I am using is a Fluval Plant 3.0 nano. This is the same tank as the Dracula dosonii and the Masdevallia constrica I posted about previously. Its a light for a planted aquarium and gives you the capability to adjust light strength and color to match certain enviornments. It has a built in timer and you can have it ramp up the light intensity in the morning and ramp down in the evening, basically simulate sunrise and sunset. It also has a moonlight function. All controlled by an app on my phone. Do orchids need this? Maybe not but its more for me LOL. I have the light set at about 75%. I have glass inserts I found at NEHERP.com . They go right on top of the Exoterra screen top. I got some acrylic bumpers from Home Depot and use them to elevate the light off the glass. About an inch so I don't fry the light and reduce heat transfer into the tank. The main difference we have is the height of our tanks. I have approx. 13 inches from substrate to top and at 75% there is enough light. Then again the plants at the bottom are low light tolerant.

I have 2 AC Infinity 40mm fans(found on Amazon) inside to move air around (keep them out of the stream of the MistKing). This fan has a 3 way speed controller on the power cable. I have it set to low. I use magnets to hold the fans in place. I tried velcro but they would fall off. and if a blow a fan its easy to replace using the magnets. I found these at Home Depot also. Right next to the acrylic bumpers.

I hope you find this helpful.

SaraJean · #7 01-06-2020, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoryOMoore

Hi Sara

Thank you.

My Exo is a 12x12x18 and the light I am using is a Fluval Plant 3.0 nano. This is the same tank as the Dracula dosonii and the Masdevallia constrica I posted about previously. Its a light for a planted aquarium and gives you the capability to adjust light strength and color to match certain enviornments. It has a built in timer and you can have it ramp up the light intensity in the morning and ramp down in the evening, basically simulate sunrise and sunset. It also has a moonlight function. All controlled by an app on my phone. Do orchids need this? Maybe not but its more for me LOL. I have the light set at about 75%. I have glass inserts I found at NEHERP.com . They go right on top of the Exoterra screen top. I got some acrylic bumpers from Home Depot and use them to elevate the light off the glass. About an inch so I don't fry the light and reduce heat transfer into the tank. The main difference we have is the height of our tanks. I have approx. 13 inches from substrate to top and at 75% there is enough light. Then again the plants at the bottom are low light tolerant.

I have 2 AC Infinity 40mm fans(found on Amazon) inside to move air around (keep them out of the stream of the MistKing). This fan has a 3 way speed controller on the power cable. I have it set to low. I use magnets to hold the fans in place. I tried velcro but they would fall off. and if a blow a fan its easy to replace using the magnets. I found these at Home Depot also. Right next to the acrylic bumpers.

I hope you find this helpful.

Magnets! Yes! That is perfect. And I had not considered a speed controller, I’ll put that on the list as well. I do want to get the glass inserts for the top but the thought of drilling through them for the misting system scares the crap out of me. Im not that handy, lol. I do think that would help with the humidity though. Last time I tested it, it’s staying at 65% with hand misting twice a day with out any plants. I might put everything together first with the misting system and see how high the humidity run. Ideally, I want to have Pleuro types in there so keeping just the screen top might just be a pipe dream.
Your lighting sounds cool. I like the idea of a sunrise/sunset effect. That particular light probably isn’t suitable for the height of the current tank I’m setting up... but I can already see doing another small one in my near future

Thank you!