Well, it can't hurt. Do masds need any special conditions to flower? How big do they need to get before they spike? or is that a "how long is a piece of string?" question

I find it difficult to pinpoint a set of specific conditions that will trigger a Masdevallia or Dracula to bloom. That's because if you're growing it right, they'll most likely bloom, if not, then they'll die slowly until you correct the mistake, and then obviously you won't see any blooms. With these orchids, there isn't much wiggle room to just have a plant that just grows leaves and doesn't bloom. They either do something or they're most likely going to die.

Do keep in mind, that if they die, they can die quite rapidly.

Although, if the humidity isn't adequate, I know that the buds will drop prematurely.

I have just bought a 13 gallon tank for $5. Was used to keep frogs so may not be fully water tight - which made no one buy it for fish luckily for me. Crack is small and has been sealed so should be fine for plants.

I'm going to have two 8cm pc fans circulating the air and will be cooling using a peltier element out of a mini travel fridge.

If I am using distilled water do I need to add activated charcoal?


Thanks for all your help, I should be fine once they are in the terrarium, I have been talking to Vonnie who also did this for her first Mas'd and they have thrived. With all luck I will be getting some more as soon as I get some money

I doubt you'll need two fans for such a small aqurium. It will probably dry them out too fast.

As for the distilled water, there is no need to filter it. It should be as pure as possible!

The fans dont move much air, they are 8cm pc fans and i have the voltage turned down so they spin slower (and quieter). how should i set up tue initial watering? at they moment the plants are on a plate suspended over about half a cm of water.

i am a little concerned about algae though, as i have a pool of.water they will love the conditions. will lining the bottom with moss be enough to discourage them?

i have been offered some strawberry plants off freecycle so i will be using them to fill half the tank. they like cool humod conditions as well which makes them perfect. they do like a bit more light though so i will put some LEDs in the lid. i know i should be using flourescent as well but leds just make things easier. will the orchids mind the extra light?

using my phone, sorry for any spelling errors

Ya, Masdies like much darker conditions than do strawberries. Can you use the strawberries as some type of shading?

Th plants are in different sections of the tank so I should have no problem setting up some sort of screen between them.

I forgot to mention that moss will help discourage algae, though some forms of algae can grow faster than moss. Any way to mop up excess water and nutrients while cutting off sunlight will help you in the never ending battle against algae! Moss can do this quite well.

Okay, panic time; looked in the tank today and the drac had lost a leaf. Theres water in the tank, condensation on the walls, theres fresh ice in the tank and I misted just a few days ago. The plants are drooping a tiny bit (probably from all that time before I put them in the tank) but nothing major. Any clues?

Sounds ok to me. Losing a leaf is no problem.