Promoting Air Circulation Inside An Orchidarium - Orchid Board

katierkincaid · #1 11-15-2010, 08:48 PM

Before filling up my orchidarium with new plants I want to make sure that I can promote proper air circulation inside of it. Its a Maui Orchidarium, it has 2 bulbs, and a fan. The fan just pumps the stale air around the plants and what not. Does anyone know of any ways to promote more air circulation ? Maybe open the door a tad and put a fan blowing on oscillation outside of the door?

Duane McDowell · #2 11-15-2010, 10:28 PM

The Orchidariums (orchidarium.com) have enough gaps to keep the air fresh. You won't need to modify yours.
I grow in a terrarium, and recently had to tighten up the gaps in it to keep the humidity from dropping too low. So long as the air is moving and there is some air exchange, you'll do fine.
One day, I'm looking forward to buying an Orchidarium. They are well designed, and you can really grow the heck out of plants in them. I talked with Lynn O'Schaughnessy recently about Lepanthes. She said that she grew them much better in the Orchidariums than she does now in her greenhouse.

Becca · #3 11-15-2010, 11:38 PM

I have an orchidarium (the Grande Cayman) and I find the air is pretty stale if I don't leave the doors cracked open a tad. Matter of fact, I wish I could build my own as there are several things I would change, like adding a drainage system, the little rubber trays just collect water that just stay stale as well. I love my orchidarium, don't get me wrong, but for the price, it seems to be lacking several features. I've also added a misting system since I couldn't keep my humidity up high.

PaphMadMan · #4 11-16-2010, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Becca

I have an orchidarium (the Grande Cayman) and I find the air is pretty stale if I don't leave the doors cracked open a tad. Matter of fact, I wish I could build my own as there are several things I would change, like adding a drainage system, the little rubber trays just collect water that just stay stale as well. I love my orchidarium, don't get me wrong, but for the price, it seems to be lacking several features. I've also added a misting system since I couldn't keep my humidity up high.

What do you mean when you say the air is 'stale' and how do you determine it? The Orchidarium does have internal fans for circulation, doesn't it? If it is just an odor that concerns you I can't see how that can be relevant for plants. It isn't even close to air-tight, so the oxygen and carbon dioxide balance can't be much different than the air outside, and nothing else really matters except humidity. The main point of an Orchidarium is to enclose a space so you can maintain humidity. If you leave a door cracked open I'm not surprised you need a mist system to do it.

Becca · #5 11-16-2010, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaphMadMan

What do you mean when you say the air is 'stale' and how do you determine it? The Orchidarium does have internal fans for circulation, doesn't it? If it is just an odor that concerns you I can't see how that can be relevant for plants. It isn't even close to air-tight, so the oxygen and carbon dioxide balance can't be much different than the air outside, and nothing else really matters except humidity. The main point of an Orchidarium is to enclose a space so you can maintain humidity. If you leave a door cracked open I'm not surprised you need a mist system to do it.

I added the misting system because I couldn't keep the humidity above 40% for the life of me with the doors closed, even with water in the rubber trays and the sonic fogger that came with it was the biggest joke and there wasn't nearly enough water for it to operate. Plus the water would just sit stagnant and my mounts would grow mold/fungus on them...these are just a couple more signs that there isn't adequate fresh air movement.

And I can also tell the air is stale because I can tell from the roots of the mounted orchids that like a lot of fresh air and they just weren't doing well. In order to have fresh air movement their would need to be some type of air exchange of fresh pushed in and the old pushed out. I've had my Orchidarium since 2007 and the stale is just something you can tell but I can't explain. I know my growing area well.

And yes their are two fans for air circulation, but they just aren't enough. I've even added fans.

Have you tried growing in the Grande Cayman Orchidarium or any of the Orchidariums? Maybe mine just has a flaw because even with the doors closed on my orchidarium as you mentioned it was designed to enclose and keep the humidity in, well 40% just wasn't enough humidity for my mounted orchids.

katierkincaid · #6 11-16-2010, 11:25 AM

I agree Becca the air is just so stale and the water in the bottom just sits there and gets stagnent (sp). It grows mold in the water. You have to take the whole thing apart to clean it. Its alot of work for the money. It was nice to get it, easy to set up, and low maint. I just wish it had more air circulation maybe a few side fans ? The one I have needs like 3-4 fans not just one. I can only imagine what the bigger one would need or how hard it is to clean it. Maybe I will look into a mister, because I have that same issue with it being around 40 then when i mist it goes up then it goes back down a few hours later. I would have to constantly sit there and mist it to maintain it.

Becca · #7 11-16-2010, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by katierkincaid

I agree Becca the air is just so stale and the water in the bottom just sits there and gets stagnent (sp). It grows mold in the water. You have to take the whole thing apart to clean it. Its alot of work for the money. It was nice to get it, easy to set up, and low maint. I just wish it had more air circulation maybe a few side fans ? The one I have needs like 3-4 fans not just one. I can only imagine what the bigger one would need or how hard it is to clean it. Maybe I will look into a mister, because I have that same issue with it being around 40 then when i mist it goes up then it goes back down a few hours later. I would have to constantly sit there and mist it to maintain it.

Check out MistKing.com....Marty will take great care of you!

katierkincaid · #8 11-16-2010, 12:40 PM

Okay I will check it out, thanks

Did you end up setting up more fans for the Grand Cayman ?

ToddsterVonCattMan · #9 07-30-2011, 01:43 AM

I just got a triple lamp Maui and for humidity control I drilled a hole in the back in the acrylic, for a piece of 1/2" PVC pipe to snuggly fit through, and then attached this fogger to the PVC (the fogger's hose fit perfectly over the tiny piece of PVC pipe). The fogger is controlled by this hygrometer controller. The controller also controls, via it's thermostat, two reptile heat mats set under the Orchidarium. The controller even allows a user set temperature drop at night via a light sensing diode on the controller's main panel that senses when the light are out (I set mine for a 15F degree temp drop at night).

All of this has allowed my Maui to automatically hold VERY steady to my set parameters for intermediate and warm growers— 78-81F peak during the day, 63F-65F at night and 60%-70% relative humidity.

I find the circulation in my Maui just fine. It draws in plenty of fresh air, and the plants are often slightly moving in the breeze—and these are stiff leaved standard Catts too!

Now I just hope the three CF lamps are enough to get standard Catts to bloom...!