attempts at getting higher humidity

[slc]

I think your set up sounds great for getting those plants back to good health. If you want some greenery to cover the bottom of the tank, order some aquarium moss. What is commonly called "Christmas moss" would grow in the lower light that Phals enjoy and I have some that breached the surface of the water and is growing immersed, so I wouldn't be surprised to see it cover the bottom of your tank with what would look like a lush green lawn. Cryptocorynes might grow for you too. These aren't orchids, of course, but they'd be pretty additions.

[Optimist]

Thanks for the responses. I am in Clovis New Mexico. That is 34.4125° N, 103.2047° W. Right now it is 97 degrees F (36 C) and 10% humidity, so it does get below 30%. I am in Old School NM, and no one has air conditioning in the old part of town like where I live. We have a few ceiling fans. We do not really have a furnace either, the house is heated with electric wall heaters. There is no humidifier.

I am pretty willing to do a lot of things remembering that I am just doing this for fun and am not willing to spend a lot of money on it. The environment is an old 20 gallon fish tank, the cork cost 5-7$ each piece, the plants cost on average of 3.50$ per.

If...if...if this works out and the plants get happy, I will want to buy a few more plants perhaps. These are full size orchids, so they cannot stay indefinitely in the small fish tank-- but I feel they are okay for a few years. I am interested in Air plants, and I bought a small philodendron plant as well.

I have managed to get air flow, the temp to about 87F, The humidity lingers between 30 and 40. I feel that I may just need to for for the moss and the fish tank plants (cryptocorynes). I want to get the humidity up to about 70% as a regular thing, and the temp down to 80%.

Well, 40% is much better than 10%.

[Island Girl]

I understand not wanting to spend a lot on this, for sure... Which is why I think just a reg room humidifier (cool mist, designed to be put beside ur bed while u sleep, etc) would work for you... There's all kinds and sizes of humidifiers, just find one that suits your budget. There are some at Walgreens for like $20-$30, even more online, that u can find cheaper... They have around a gallon-sized reservoir (give or take, depending on brand, and design) you'd prob have to refill it every day tho.

I finally broke down and got what is considered to be a "whole-house" humidifier (it does not connect to A/C or heat or anything, just plugs into the wall socket) I can't remember how many gallons it holds, I think it's rated for like 500 sq. ft. I only have to refill that like every other week or longer (you'd prob have to refill it more often, b/c of your lower RH), got it at Lowe's for around $90... But it's worth it to not have to refill a smaller humidifier everyday.

Good Luck! and check out other (older) threads here on the OB, there are a few ppl on here that have the same issues with severely low humidity... Just do a search for "low humidity", or something.

[Optimist]

I have been experimenting all day long now.
What seems to work is about 2 inches of water (more than I thought) at the bottom of the tank. All plants hang over this. With the fan on, temp then goes to 86, and the humidity is then at 70%. With a fan on a timer the humidity goes to 40, so if I have the fan cut on for about 10 minutes it will bring the temp up to about 40%, keep the temp at 86, and then fan cuts off and the humidity goes to 70%, keeping the temp nearly steady at 86 (or so never above 90), the humidity goes up and down, but stays between 40 and 70, and the air is moved about by the fan. According to all my reading this is a good enough habitat for Phals.

With this set up the moss and the water plants seem like a good idea because I will need to keep about 2 inches at the bottom.

[Kanaka John]

You might want to check the internet for a swamp cooler,, with the temp and the humidity, you could cool down a roomor two in the house. It is put through a window, hooked to a hose for water and a motor spins the blower and a small pump circulates the water over the pads. Several of my relatives live in rural AZ and they have found the swamp cooler very effective in temp and humidity. Look for a used one, check for rust out and the motors run. I think that will be your least expense and will help cool the house some too.

[No-Pro-mwa]

I have a swamp cooler and I love it. It really does put humidity in the air which we also need. But not as bad as you do. It's been a humid summer this year it seems. It will drop down to 50 at night but when I turn on the cooler it will jump up to around 60%.

I don't know if I didn't turn the cooler on every day if it would go below 50 in a few days. I haven't put my humidifier, what ever you call it, detector outside to see what it is out there. But I may try that. I guess all my ranting is what I am trying to say is they do work...and cool the house oh so nice.

[Optimist]

I live in someone else's house, and he does not want any cooling except his window fan. Anyway, I have been able to keep the temp inside the tank at 81F degrees and 40% humidity. It is about 75F degrees in the morning, and my first watering brings it to 90% humidity. The wood is able to get totally dry by evening. I moved the tank closer to the interior part of the house, much farther from the windows. The light is still good. I actually removed the light, put a piece of glass over the tank, and a fan directed into the tank.

The plants seem okay.

This is a picture of the set up anyway. Two of the phals are mounted on a large piece of cork, the other is in a net bag, just hanging, there is also a philodendron and an African violet in the tank. I am hoping to get some air plants or bromeliads once I get the temp and humidity within reason.

[GardenTheater]

Originally Posted by Kanaka John

?... it was one my of my duties to go along the exhibitors table and talk about the plants that had been brought in. I raised this beautifully grown dendrobium and said how it must be grown in the greenhouse. A lovely 70+ lady spoke up and said she grew it on her patio. I asked where she lived, it was on the beach, a warm microclimate. So I restated that it is grown in the greenhouse unless you live by this beach. I never did an absolute statement again. Those sweet little old ladies will kill the expert!!!

Oh no, I'm one of those sweet little old ladies. Recently, one of the experts held up my blooming, healthy windowsill-grown orchid and said it must be grown in a greenhouse. I did correct him. Later, I found out he's a judge and I hope he's not hard on me at the next show.

---------- Post added at 11:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:22 PM ----------

Optimist, the setup looks good. On my window, I have a pot in front of the fan to weaken the air flow. Not sure if you need to break the rapid air flow. Something to keep an eye.

[Optimist]

Originally Posted by GardenTheater

[/COLOR]Optimist, the setup looks good. On my window, I have a pot in front of the fan to weaken the air flow. Not sure if you need to break the rapid air flow. Something to keep an eye.

Thanks, I actually moved it to an area where it gets natural light so I will not have to light it. Now, the temp lingers at about 70 to 75 and the humidity is staying at about 50%. -- more if I spray, of course. I am keeping the lid open mainly. I don't know what will happen during the winter, but I think that I can adjust now that I know how to tweak the settings. I am looking for a slower fan.

[Kanaka John]

A direct fan blowing cooler air on the plant can cause the plant to get chilled and not grow well, using a turbulator to break up the air would be beneficial; especially on phals.