Thoughts on the Ikea Akerbar please

[CrazyCatMum]

Hi all,

I need to be able to raise the humidity for my mini orchids and as I only have three and am just really getting to grips with this, I thought the Ikea Akerbar looked perfect. What are people's thoughts on it and what advice would you give to someone starting out please? I was thinking I would keep the girls in their pots and put moss around the bottom of the pots but I have also been looking at the small desk top humidifiers and 40mm fans for inside too....

[estación seca]

Do you know the relative humidity in your home? Other members in Europe are able to grow some Pleurothallids on the shelf. Or consider large jars while you learn. Large glass bottles and kitchen canisters from second-hand stores work.

[CrazyCatMum]

Unfortunately I only seem to be averaging around 50% just in the home

[rbarata]

Originally Posted by CrazyCatMum

Unfortunately I only seem to be averaging around 50% just in the home

You're lucky! Mine is always under 30%.
The main issue with terrariums/orchidariums is air flow because high humidity in a container with stagnant air is the perfect recipe for fungal diseases to appear. A solution is to instal a small computer fan inside.
I'm not experienced with growing orchids inside closed containers this size. I have only two orchids, at the moment, that are growing like that (inside 6 liters plastic water bottles with wet spagnum at the bottom) but at night, as temps and humidity increase outdoors, I move them out to avoid stagnant air. Not a perfect solution but that's what I came up with.

[Ray]

CCM - take a look at Humidity and Evaporation

[CrazyCatMum]

Originally Posted by rbarata

You're lucky! Mine is always under 30%.
The main issue with terrariums/orchidariums is air flow because high humidity in a container with stagnant air is the perfect recipe for fungal diseases to appear. A solution is to instal a small computer fan inside.
I'm not experienced with growing orchids inside closed containers this size. I have only two orchids, at the moment, that are growing like that (inside 6 liters plastic water bottles with wet spagnum at the bottom) but at night, as temps and humidity increase outdoors, I move them out to avoid stagnant air. Not a perfect solution but that's what I came up with.

Thank you, I was wondering how I might get a small enough fan. I hadn't even thought of a computer fan!

[rbarata]

Originally Posted by CrazyCatMum

Thank you, I was wondering how I might get a small enough fan. I hadn't even thought of a computer fan!

You can buy one in any computer store. They are small enough.

[CrazyCatMum]

Originally Posted by rbarata

You can buy one in any computer store. They are small enough.

Fabulous, thank you!

[Dalachin]

Or online. I have these from Amazon:

AC Infinity MULTIFAN S5, Quiet Dual 80mm USB Fan, UL-Certified for Receiver DVR PlayStation Xbox Computer Cabinet Cooling

Pretty water resistant. I’ve had to get new sub plugs, but the fans keep going.