Hello,
I wanted to make a tropical biotop, my own world with beatiful flowers and mosses all over. I made it complicated, way too complicated. First I thought that there are 4 major elements when growing orchids:
one: air, especially oxygen and carbon dioxide. There are 2 five inch (12cm) pc fans blowing air around. Set to 6 volts and they blow between 8-20 o’clock. Then I have one fan blowing air outside, its linked to thermostat, which also controls temperature. What would you think would be the ideal winter temperature, during day? what about in the night?, in Summer? in Spring? in Autumn.
There's also one extra fan for summer, if the humidity is too high, to make it lower, to give some fresh air, but it is no ofcourse set off
two: Water. Hardest one, for sure:
1) humidity: 3 systems managing it: a) aquarium, b) Ultrasonic fogger (mainly decoration). 3 misters, now 8 seconds every 40 minutes between 8 -21.
2)watering, once a day from the top down to the bottom, adjustable nozzles.
three: Light: 12 dulux L 58W compact fluorescent light, 5200 lumen each. Vivarium measures 140 x 60 x 125 cm, plus aquarium.
Four: Fertilization: How much, with what type fertilizer?
Five: Plants are mounted to flevopol (coconut, soil - glue), which is basicly the same as coconut wall or fernroot wall.
It would be easy to make a terrarium for only bulbos, or for only phals, but I wanted them all. It is probably my major problem. So here is my plantlist
- Tillandsia, about 30 different species: grow well, not a problem
- Bromelia: vriesea, Cryptanthus, neoregelia, about 15, no problems, grow well
- Tropical ferns and other small plants: Growing well, not a problem
But then comes the problem: sadly the plants I like the most, ones that I made this vivarium for:
Orchids:
- Aerangis 5 species, growing well
- Bulbophyllum alliance 7-9 species, growing well and not well
- Cattleya alliance: Small hybrids, catleytonias growing well, brassavola also, others not so well. 20 plants.
- Comparettia macroplectron
- Dendrobiums: mostly compact hybrids. Growing well or not well, they’re only 1 week old plants
- Dendrobium aggregatum
- Dendrobium lindleyi
- dendrobium kingianum
- Masdevallia 7 plants
- Maxillaria Sophronitis
- Oncidium equitans: 5 plants
- Phalaenopsis, nature species, cause most problems
- paphiopedilum 5 plants
- phragmipedilum Hanne popov
I have tried my best to solve this problem with so many plants, by mounting all the other plants but paphs and phrag. The Idea is to prevent overwatering. Plants are also placed so that dens and catts are on the edges and on top, which are the drier areas. Also right corner is the coldest one, because cold air comes from there and the left bottom (phals) is the warmest.
Questions:
1) How often I should water? Should I water catts less than others. So, I can’t adjust how often for plants but I can adjust the amount.
2) How much air circulation? It dries it little down, so I don’t want to make it too much. It also makes noise, so lets keep it little, but enough still.
3) How much light? Now I have two lamps 8-10 o’clock, six lamps 10-11 o’clock, 12 lamps 11-13 o’clock, 13-18 o’clock six lamps, 18 - 20 2 lamps. 20-22 moonlight.
4) Fertilizer, how much ?
Here is a pic trying to explain my system
First photo where the plants are located
Second. How the water goes dow in the soil part, watered once a week. Considering to turn it semi-hydro, what to you think?
Third overview
Large viv, Help in setup please! Dial up DANGER
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