My Masdevallia Terrarium...

[Shadow]

Now I'm jealous too. You've done great job!

[gmdiaz]

I seriously wanted one of those Exo-Terra tanks! It's really great looking. Love the doors that open in the front. Love all your orchids!!

I wussed out and bought a twenty gallon aquarium for my first orchidarium. . .which for about a week I thought was called an "orchidium".

I did buy the Exo-Terra light hood, which does not QUITE fit the aquarium. . .just so you know. It was just small enough to keep falling inside on top of my plants with a little assistance from my two orange tabbies. We had to build a wooden hood to make it all fit and to keep the whiskered punks out of the aquarium.

I've got the same temp and humidy monitor that you have. I do really like it. I attached mine to the glass. . .no misting system.

And I think I have that same fan. But am trying to work out the best way to hang it so that it stays quiet.

How cool do you keep the tank for your orchids? I've heard that it needs to be cool, with a good dip in temp at night?

P.S. Before I got the fan. . .I used your hose technique. I tapped a flexible hose to a humidifer and secured it to blow cool humid air around in the tank.

[blueovalgal]

The price for this Exo-Terra tank was fantastic, and it was so much better than having my boyfriend try and build me one. Like you, I was very impressed with the front doors!

There's an Exo-Terra light hood? I didn't know that. I'm using a plant light thing we purchased from Home Depot.

I thought about attaching the temp/humidity monitor on the glass, too, but wasn't too sure I'd get an accurate reading. This way, I can move it around the tank and know how it "feels" in there...

Is your fan noisy? My fan isn't really, but I do know when it's on. Is that considered noisy? ha Hmmm...

The hose from the window box fan blows into the tank 24/7. I think the only time I've turned it off was when my neighbor was bbq-ing, and I didn't want the fumes blowing into the tank. For the present time, that's how I'm keeping the tank cool. I think the lowest temps I've had in there -- maybe low to mid 40's (night) and highest into the 80's (day). I think having the fan and the misting system on helped during those warm days. When summer rolls around, I hope to have the AC unit in the bay window, and then you'll see the hose from the AC unit instead of the window box fan.

Hope this helps! Get that Exo-Terra tank! You won't regret it!!

Barbara

[gmdiaz]

Oh yes, the light hood is great! The one that I use is for compact bulbs. I think I paid around $40 at Petsmart or Petco. . .have a hard time telling those two places apart.

Here's a link:

Exoterra products - Compact Top

I don't think your temp/hum guage would stick very well to the glass with the misting system. And I agree it's very nice to be able to move it around. I don't have the misting system, so mine sticks up there just fine and I can take it down and move it around since it's just stuck on with velcro.

That Corallife fan is QUIET. . .I can't hear it at all when it's on, unless it's screwed on to part of my wood hood cover. . .working on this "issue" this weekend. I bought some supplies that I hope will help. lol

P.S. I think I'll eventually buy a couple of the masds that you have on your list too. . .LOVE those jaquar spotted ones. . .I am thinking though that they'll be a bit big for my tank. . .probably need a bigger one, such as the Exo-Terra with the front opening doors. . .It's sooooo easy to justify a "need" for these things. ROFLOL.