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01-19-2007, 01:48 PM
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Roots are good
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Zone: 5a
Location: Cadillac, Michigan, USA
Posts: 9,288
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Retrofit Aquarium - An Update
I finally have the retrofitted 30-gallon aquarium up and running and am trying to "dial in" the interval timer for the misters. I plan an article on my experiences and recommendations. All of this was to experiment before having custom tanks built. No animals in this baby! Only orchids.
__________________
Ross
http://orchids-ross.blogspot.com/
I don't do most Dendros or large, "floofy orchids". For me it's minis (like Angraecoides), Masdies, Paphs, and others that crept in somewhere along the line. See my orchid list for complete collection (usually not current.)
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01-19-2007, 01:51 PM
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Roots are good
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Zone: 5a
Location: Cadillac, Michigan, USA
Posts: 9,288
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Almost forgot! Right now I am running misters for 5 seconds every two hours. Thinking about backing off to 3 hours. I get 84% RH immediately after mist cycle dropping to approx 75% just befor next cycle. Lights create heat - tank stays approx 72-73 degrees F. while they are on. Tank drops to approx 62-63 degrees F. at night. I'm happy with that.
__________________
Ross
http://orchids-ross.blogspot.com/
I don't do most Dendros or large, "floofy orchids". For me it's minis (like Angraecoides), Masdies, Paphs, and others that crept in somewhere along the line. See my orchid list for complete collection (usually not current.)
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01-19-2007, 03:13 PM
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Orchid Board
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Join Date: May 2005
Zone: 6b
Location: Ontario
Posts: 2,158
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Ross that's a crazy contraption  |
01-19-2007, 03:41 PM
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Roots are good
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Zone: 5a
Location: Cadillac, Michigan, USA
Posts: 9,288
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Yeah, but it does the trick. Esthetic it ain't, but I'm going for the learning mode before I commit to a more expensive custom job. I'm planning a couple changes already (this thing stays pretty wet and that's not good for orchids. Need more air from outside tank.
BTW, if I'm correct, the interval timer needs to be reset every time I make a change? Seems to remember the last settings without a reset.
__________________
Ross
http://orchids-ross.blogspot.com/
I don't do most Dendros or large, "floofy orchids". For me it's minis (like Angraecoides), Masdies, Paphs, and others that crept in somewhere along the line. See my orchid list for complete collection (usually not current.)
Last edited by Ross; 01-19-2007 at 03:44 PM..
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01-19-2007, 03:51 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Zone: 5b
Location: Franklin, MA
Posts: 290
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Is there a cover on the top?
Would it help to drop another fan in there? I'm assuming that the fan on the right isn't really impacting the aquarium.
__________________
Lin
PS: A South American scientist from Argentina, after a lengthy study, has discovered that people with insufficient brain and sexual activity read their e-mail with their hand on the mouse.
Don't bother taking it off now, it's too late.
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01-19-2007, 06:48 PM
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Roots are good
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Zone: 5a
Location: Cadillac, Michigan, USA
Posts: 9,288
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There is a flat sheet of acrylic on top. The fan at right is "blowing the heat away" so-to-speak. It helps to disapate the heat that would normally radiate down into the aquarium. So far, so good.
__________________
Ross
http://orchids-ross.blogspot.com/
I don't do most Dendros or large, "floofy orchids". For me it's minis (like Angraecoides), Masdies, Paphs, and others that crept in somewhere along the line. See my orchid list for complete collection (usually not current.)
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01-20-2007, 12:02 AM
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Moderator
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Join Date: May 2005
Zone: 7b
Location: Queens, NY, USA
Age: 30
Posts: 8,412
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I would aim to dry the terrarium out at night only. I don't think that keeping it wet during the day will do any damage. My orchidarium stays pretty wet after one morning mist, and then it gets misted again in the late afternoon. Then I have it dry out at night. All my masdies and catt types and my bulbo are growing tons of roots and new growths!!!!! May you have more success!
__________________
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
-J.R.R. Tolkien, LOTR, Fellowship of the Ring
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01-20-2007, 09:40 AM
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Roots are good
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Zone: 5a
Location: Cadillac, Michigan, USA
Posts: 9,288
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tindomul1of9
I would aim to dry the terrarium out at night only. I don't think that keeping it wet during the day will do any damage. My orchidarium stays pretty wet after one morning mist, and then it gets misted again in the late afternoon. Then I have it dry out at night. All my masdies and catt types and my bulbo are growing tons of roots and new growths!!!!! May you have more success!
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Yours stays wet all day even with the venting at top? I have the mister going 5 seconds every three hours and it is only wet immediately after misting. But I don't have the mass of plant material you do. How long does your mister stay on?
__________________
Ross
http://orchids-ross.blogspot.com/
I don't do most Dendros or large, "floofy orchids". For me it's minis (like Angraecoides), Masdies, Paphs, and others that crept in somewhere along the line. See my orchid list for complete collection (usually not current.)
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01-20-2007, 10:54 PM
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Moderator
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Join Date: May 2005
Zone: 7b
Location: Queens, NY, USA
Age: 30
Posts: 8,412
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I mist my orchidarium by hand, and I mist for more than a minute. I make sure all the roots get wet and become green, and I make sure I hit all the orchids. Then I just leave it alone all day till it eventually dries up. The tanks dries up by late afternoon, and I lightly mist/spray again, and shortly thereafter the fans turn on. With the fans, everything dries out within 2 hours and stays dry till morning when I mist them again. Even with this regimen, some of my orchids get too dry and shrivel up. I've lost a few Masdievelas, and Cischwenfia daysandra cuttings because it gets too dry in some spots in the orchidarium
__________________
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
-J.R.R. Tolkien, LOTR, Fellowship of the Ring
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