In this addition of the saga of "Building an Orchid-arium" we will discuss some of the ideas of how to build the land-masses.
I know what I want but how do I achieve it? At one end of the tank, in the back, the right hand landmass will go almost to the top and will be the site of the waterfall. Near the bottom of the waterfall will be a small pool which will feed a bit of a creek that empties into the pond in the middle of the tank.
The land will fall gently away from the waterfall toward the front of the tank and toward the middle of the tank. From there the land will rise, again gently, toward the other end of the tank.
The pond will be wider at the front than the back as if it is an outlet of another creek. The landforms will therefore be divided (possibly).
Both landmasses will be lifted off the bottom of the tank by about an inch so water flows under each of them (thus, at the back corner,) allow the return tube to be hidden. I thought, seriously, of attaching both landmasses to the bottom of the tank with silicon adhesive but am skeptical of how long the block/dam would keep the water from the ends of the tank not to mention where I could put the return tube so it would not be seen.
(Eventually, I know, I'll have to commit my ideas to paper, but I'm not sure how effective that would be given my lack of drawing experience in the last 50 years.)
How to make these land features is another thing altogether. There are so many possibilities I'm having problems deciding the "how to" part.
One can use rigid foam insulation, wire/nylon window screen as a base with various media over the top to make the rock/ground areas. I have been looking at a model Rail Road site that explains, briefly, a number of possibilities. Most of them involve using plaster of Paris which sounds good, is relatively cheap, easy to work, but anything but water resistant/proof. One of the OB board members (at least one) explained, step by step how he made his rock formations. He used the rigid foam with a coating of various colored grout.
For anyone else who might like to see how to make rocks go to
this site. Again it suggest using materials that may not be appropriate for use with water but mentions other materials and how to use them (foam insulation is one [don't think there is only one that emits volatile fumes that may be harmfull to plants].
Done for now.
Building an Orchid-arium
).
but you know the best laid plans,,,and all that.
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