Shelving Units & "Mini Greenhouses" for growing indoors. Advice?

[emmajs243]

Alright guys. I really am not trying to totally overthink this. Just looking for problems one might encounter when trying to grow orchids on a shelving unit in front of a window. I would like to do a slightly lighter shelving unit so I can move it slightly away and towards the window during the seasons to ensure they don't get too cold during winter in idaho!

Here are my thoughts on shelving units. Costco has a black metal made one on sale right now, deep shelves, lots of space between shelves, the shelves are just solid pieces of metal (no uniform thick slits) which I kinda like because it helps prevents water from dropping off one plant to the ones underneath IF a spill or accident happens. I am not saying it still might happen but it will be less likely to hit my ENTIRE collection underneath like it would If the shelves had inch thick gaps all throughout.

My concerns, if the shelves are deep And solid (even with them having about two feet between shelf heightwise, will the sun still hit the lower shelves? I guess my thought is that the shelves with the gaps throughout will allow more sun to flow below...maybe not if my shelves are packed with plants?

My second concern is the metal heating up. This would probably be great during winter and still not a problem since they are all on seedling heat mats anyways. During summer however, has anyone had issues with shelves overheating?

Basically, has anyone bought shelving units they wish they didn't? If yes, what made you regret the purchase? Has anyone bought shelving units they absolutely loved in comparison to others? If so, what made them a favorite?

Lastly, I have seen these mini greenhouses (shelves with a clear cover basically. People have then hung clip fans in the top area to keep air flow, there's is a door you can open for more airflow. Has anyone tried these with their orchids? My thought is in my dry climate, it would be a lot easier to keep humidity higher in one of those then an entire house. I don't expect it to do too much in the way of temp besides maybe ever so slightly protecting against a draft here and there but they aren't built THAT nicely.

Thoughts? Recommendations? Ideas or worries I haven't thought of? Regrets? Just looking to avoid buying a large shelving unit then getting it home to find it really doesn't work as nicely as thought!