SADE Tank Attack (orchid terrarium)
 

How will you be handling the plumbing and maintaining the conditions?

This is a huge project.

I suggest you put together the whole thing without any plants. Turn on the fans and watering system. Use thermometers to measure the temperatures, day/night, in multiple places. When you are happy with the temperatures, air movement, watering and humidity, add plants slowly. Start with only one or two plants. After 2-3 weeks add one or two more. If all goes well add one or two more every 2-3 weeks. If there are any problems, do not add more plants until you figure out what is not correct.

Personally, I find wicking fabrics difficult to keep moist unless they have constant standing water to wick from. Without it, I find that they dry out very quickly and will need to be sprayed by hand many times a day to stay moist enough to establish moss. Even with standing water I don’t think they’ll wick more than 30 cm vertically. My experience is with Spyra, but I have heard similar complaints about Hygrolon.

---------- Post added at 02:21 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:03 AM ----------

If you’re set on Hygrolon, I think your best bet is a drip wall.

Hi all ... 🙏 Thanks for the comment

@dirtycocunuts @haprspiel @estacion_seca

For circulation I have bought a series of 3 terra fans; for 2 circulations towards the inside and one for extraction.

For irrigation a pump with 3 nozzles, I thought to put one from above the hydrolon and 2 in front of the plants. I have already made a false floor with egg crate covered on Hygrolon as well where the water will pass, then on top I am planning to add some pebbles or fish tank stones to hide and supporting the lowe level plants in their own pots.

I am only planning to mount the highest and middle session, that is, the low one will seem to be part of a natural set up but with they'll stay in their pots .

I agree that I must assemble the mechanics, test the three elements; light, humidity and temperature, before introducing the plants little by little. However, I thinking in introducing the natural moss as soon as I have installed and controlled the misting system. I have been told that by making it "pee" free, I will keep root rot and possible organic media descomposition under control.

I know, I have to add more water manually probably during summer season... Buy I'll be all over that box everyday anyway.

How this sound? My problem now is where should I keep the plants in the meantime, should I buy them slowly. The think is I have better deal if I purchase all at once.

Thanks 😌

I would buy them one or two at a time. They will have a better chance of surviving.

@estacon_seca sounds like I would kill them all... 😂 Hahaha

But, I can buy them and keep them in nursery, no ? Or that would be harmful for the plants as well for adaptation? The shipping and orders around here are complicated to do it one by one.

Project Update
**Placing the Moss*

The Moss is form around my house and has been 2 weeks in my nursery.... Let see 🙈 if go on and grow normally. I use carpet moss so when I introduce the orchid I can combined with spaghnum over the cork and hygrolon. I don't want any volumen other than the orchids itself.

I've tested for 2 weeks the misting, airflow and temperature ... I am just concern how I am going to keep this a bit cooler during the hot days in Jul & Aug here in Mallorca. However, thinking on that, I won't use anything heavy for decoration in case I have to move it to an air-conditioning area.

Here are the pics in an album, cuz is very difficult for me to attached them all:

https://i.imgur.com/F4Zkdorm.png

Thanks !!!!

Hey, I'm coming in a bit late into the thread, but I'd like to give my 2 cents on the moss part.

While they are usually beautiful, abundant, and FREE, the moss that grows around our houses generally don't fare well when we try to grow them inside. Whatever the specific reason actually is, it is probably because those mosses need different lighting/humidity/airflow/watering than we typically provide in terrariums. They will typically stay alive for a few months, and then unexpectedly brown and die out.

I don't know what mosses there are in Mallorca, but I just wanted to prep you, in case they behave "normally" :biggrin:

A different option would be to go to a local greenhouse that has orchids, and ask if you can collect some of the moss growing in the containers for your terrarium. I feel like most places would be OK with this, especially if you are buying some orchids from there anyway.

Thank you for your 2 cts much appreciated

No orchid greenhouse in mallorca , I think is only one in Spain, I have to order everything from nursery in Germany and Belgium. Now with the Brexit not even UK is available anymore :-(

I have my doubt but after 1k hours of terrarium Master kraft (Korean/Japoneses) I gave it a try cuz it looks great and it seams to be a trend. If dry out I'll replace it with spaghnum moss if there is no other option..

One odd thing someone told me that keep moss alive is to use water mixed with sand/mod and spraying every x days, for the PH and alkaline needs.

Update! Seeking for valuable advices :-)

I've reed all the post in regard to terrarium mold whiting the different projects...I've conclude from that reading that poor ventilation and also that the Terrarium will adapt and that mold will probably disappear.

I have been running the water mist and fans for exactly one week to overseeing the moss, but the wood is getting mold

https://i.imgur.com/bRpnERfm.png?1

Any comments please?

There tend to be mold outbreaks in new tanks. As long as you sterilized the wood before using it (baking is my preferred method) I wouldn’t worry too much - the spores are likely carried into the tank from other areas of the house and there’s not much you can do to stop that. Let it run its course, try a plant or two in there and make sure the mold isn’t running rampant and the plant is healthy. If it doesn’t mostly go away after a month, you might need more air circulation, but you will always have a small amount of mold in a wet tank.

Thank you!!!
I'll wait one more week and introduce my first plant, and then little by little after that as other have suggested _:-) Thank you so much

Terrarium Experts!!!! PLEASE :hello

I have now exactly 1 month with the mechanism running and the moss still alive, some growing. The only thing missing is more light, that I'll place it with the plants in.

I have been misting 3 time per day 10 seconds and 1 per week 2 minutes, the humidity don't go over 85% except when the 10 seconds misting happens. The temperature 🌡️ around 18° (65f).

I have a little bit of mold but is not growing anymore, is there but under control.


https://i.imgur.com/F4Zkdor.png

Do you have any springtails in here? They are great at turning mold back into plant food. Even if the mold is under control at the moment, new terrariums take a long time to fully cycle and break in (6 months? a year?). You'll likely have many more mold blooms and they can be quite unsightly even if they are normal and nothing to worry about.

As for planting, I would start with the top most plants and work down. As you add plants to the top you will change the lighting conditions at the lower levels. You want to make sure the lower level plants don't have their lighting disrupted too much by plants that get added in above them later.

Thank you @Draikan. Yes and no, I keep dropping springtails but they don't stay or reproduce themselves, I think the spraying and the lights don't help.

If you've been adding them, I bet they are living in the background somewhere. I have them in my terrarium, which is relatively sterile and gets flushed every other day. I don't always see them, but they're there.

New Arrival - not even when I got s Nintendo I was so excited!
 

I am unpacking my order ...I am so happy I can handle it!!! Most of them for this terrarium project.

https://i.imgur.com/TRx9YNi.png

Ooooh this part is always so exciting. Some of those plants are pretty big too!

I have not been updating this project, but I have been persistent and committed to it! It is currently planted with the mini species that you could see below.

The mechanism; light and humidity and temperature control has been working for almost 2 months, with an average humidity of 80-85%, automatic watering is 2 times a day 10 seconds and every 2 days 1 minute. Some very water-demanding plants I water and fertilize by hand. There is a 16V fan in the middle of the tank that blows air in. The upper part is semi-perforated, only the center where the light goes has glass.

I am not very handy so I have a great challenge to start it as it played. However I got great advices by other members; Thank you....and it has also served me as therapy in these strange moments that we are living.

See if I can make these creatures flourish and keep sharing "updates".


https://i.imgur.com/QwqDzlj.png

What is the triangular piece of glass in the top left?

Do you remember that I told you that I did not know how to control the summer heat?

It was designed to support a thermostatic cooler and just above I have left a slot for the motor and support the duct there. But I still have no idea how to do it.

Some flowers in the Tank... the pic are not great, can't get my 📸 camera to do the work right in this setup.

Some other buds in the way as well
https://i.imgur.com/K4ilrzX.png

This little cutie bloomed before getting in the tank, but now 3 more buds are developing, I can stop looking at it.
https://i.imgur.com/BGj0US0.png

Update 04.05.2021
 

Updating progress:

Right now, I'm not doing anything, just observing and making sure the roots systems are getting well set.


Bulbophyllum Emily Siegerist
New flower bud or bulb growth in the ... I am pretty sure is a bulb.

https://i.imgur.com/QuukMV8.png


Oncidium Cheirophorum
I came out with this spag hygrolon cover skirt for a few plants because mounting on a fix cork was a challenge and too many roots where loose and was getting dry even if the humidity level was fine. This Oncidium lost a full bulb leafs, but now is all fixed and it has a few new growth..

https://i.imgur.com/fnkEpCq.png

Aerangis Rhodosticta
In regard to this Aeranguis Rod., I am not very happy with how the roots are progressing, it came just like that with some rots roots and hasn't get much better. I think is not establishing as good as the rest.. any advice?

https://i.imgur.com/AwgfOTR.png

Well an update even if is only for my records :typing:

The tank is looking great, with 90%H and about 18-20°C/60-65. Absolutely all orchids are growing 💗... Except one that almost :tombstone: :bua:

New leaf and coming soon blooms for both Phal Bracenea
https://i.imgur.com/HhZ9ZT6.jpg

Super roots for Phal Sense Mandy
https://i.imgur.com/xJdXuYC.jpg

Finally new growth on the little Phal Wilsonii
https://i.imgur.com/lirx1JP.jpg

New growth for all this babies, including the Dracula

https://i.imgur.com/z1jOrGS.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/sAVfxv3.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/XRcJHFb.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/kn4xkuM.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/4yy8lqn.jpg


The sad 😢 news for the aeranguis rhodosticta (could not handle the transport and all changes I guess)

https://i.imgur.com/U4KDK8D.jpg

And finally a new 🌺 flower (3rd bloom in 2 month) from the Restropia that looks like a little 🦆 duck ...

https://i.imgur.com/7x8EgA0.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/uhI8gTd.jpg

:feedback:

I have some springtails but also some little flying something, there aren't mosquitos, smallest than one and I've seeing a white worm 🐛🦟. I suppose that the living creatures should be left alone as part of the ecosystem as long as they are not infecting anything, right?

Tiny flying bugs that look kind of like mosquitoes sound like fungus gnats, and the white worm could be a fungus gnat larva, although they are more clear. Some people say they eat plant roots, but I haven't noticed them harming anything in my tanks. There are ways to get rid of them, but there also tends to be a boom right after setting up a new tank and then once the fungus is under control they die off.

A lot of the plants in your pics look a little wet. If you took them immediately after watering, no worries, but if not then you might want to make sure the sphagnum is moist but not dripping wet.

I'm not great at Angraecoids (getting better slowly) but every one I've met wants its roots to dry off daily; they should be white a lot of the time. The one you're holding in the pic looks like it was kept very wet for a long time, and the root tips rotted - I only see one or two good, healthy growing tips on the roots. Hope this helps.

Oh thank you
!
That made total sense. The gnat larva I saw ... yay. The problem is that they are predator for the springtails.

In regard to the wetness, yes the pics were taking just after the misting. However, the sphagnum moss don't get dry ever, I used to have the fan on all the time and went from wet to dry easy, but plants weren't developed that well. So now is set 5 min. every hour and misting 1 x 30 second every day + 2 x 1 minute every week.

The aerangui had a black crown since arrival. It is true, I never let it dry completely since I've always understood they want it moist all the time. I don't think it can get better ..I'll try.

Update !! June'21

The tank apparently was too humid and that caused the drop of a few buds of the Dorits Bracenea or Doritis taenialis, which still have 3-4 more buds, one of them almost blooming. I connected an other fan and opened a bit the door ( it has slider doors) and all fix, it's back to 85-90% Humidity.

The Restropia Vino Tinto doesn't stop flowering, it is very rewarding!

As for the bugs that I mentioned in my past Post, I had no choice but to set a trap, because they were bugging me, I can't stand them.. and I was afraid of the larvae damaging the new roots; At the moment I do not see larvae and I have not been able to catch them, but the gnat are falling very fast!

I have decided to remove the moss that I collected and place as decoration, I prefer that there is only organic material that adds value to the orchids.

https://i.imgur.com/ybEGjXt.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/gWsnTzf.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/YOOuYRz.jpg

More individual flowers from the doritis braceana. Could be cool to see a few at a time, but no.. she keep dropping one by one.

I can complain, I wasn't expecting any flowers at all since the tank is Cool 2 Warm / intermediate, and now is hot.

https://i.imgur.com/tLabbbl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/1ZPCw1X.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/L9Bznkf.jpg

@Sade can you show us the whole tank? I'm curious to see how everything is filling in.

:DHi Draikan,

Here is the entire tank. However right now I have 2 mini hybrid phals and the Sigmatostalix Radicans in bloom :love:

The temp average is 26 with 75-90% humidity. Lighting is low, since during the noon hours I don't turn the led on since is 40° outside. I do water heavy everymorning since a month ago. I have 1 fan on the left side On 27/7, as your suggestion (Thks).
The only one suffering a lot is the Dracula Janetiae.


This is the tank
https://i.imgur.com/HTGDtzJ.jpg


These are the blooms: look carefully, there is a Samurai in the below pic

https://i.imgur.com/0m0r3BZ.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/i0Iju3B.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/fOiiccM.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/PUPdO8u.jpg

Looks great!

maybe I missed it but what kind of lightning do you use?

Hi Tonio,

I use this … SanLight 10W

FLEX10 - Compact Linear Horticultural Led Lighting - 10W - GrowLED

I could put some extra lighting but so far with this seams enough, the more demanding plants in terms of lights have bloomed

Well, it looks really good! I see a lot of light green new growth, and even some fresh roots.

Did your bugs/mold clear up?

Yes, thank you. I am very happy indeed

Just the little stupid gnats but controlled and the springtail all present !!! But not roots so far so go...

Hi!!!

I haven't posted anything here for a long time, but I have changed part of my indoor growth setup; now I am growing into 5 tanks (terrariums), each of them adapted to the orchid group or a group of orchids with the same environment needs. Since my work duties are increasing, I'll have less time especially for the plants that require more humidity and special care, therefore I needed to try to automatize or at least optimize the care (auto-care) as much as possible.

I have changed the name of the thread to TANK ATTACK :biggrin: since is not only one (1) project anymore, now I have 5 beautifully challenges; let see how it goes!! ;)

*****
1º TANK is my original "test" tank with a mix of Cold Forest Mini species.
2º TANK only Masdevallias
3º TANK only Paphiopedilum Group
4º TANK only Phalaenopsis Novelties
5º TANK only Draculas
*****

https://i.imgur.com/3grfNKM.jpg


And this is what is going on in some of them:

TANK No.1 - Forest Species

https://i.imgur.com/PUpX80q.png
https://i.imgur.com/8sDIdff.png
https://i.imgur.com/MGb1K6a.png


TANK No. 4 - Phal Novelties or Species

https://i.imgur.com/aIG5ZYs.png
https://i.imgur.com/XPSj0JV.png

wow.


WOW



i am in awe-

you do stuff right, sade! no half steppin'

Thanks!!! :bowing

It has given me many hours of thinking "how do I do it?", a lot of Wallapop to find the terrariums, and almost the divorce!!

Those are all wonderful! Little corners of orchid heaven!

man sade, that is a plant lovers heaven in your living room! quick question, which light do you use for your phal tank, and do you have anything between the light and the plants, or just the light straight on the top of the tank? are you using fans inside?

and how are you getting it cool enough for the dracs?