Humidity Trays for Light Stand - Help!

[Becca]

Hi Everyone!

Ok I just bought a wire rack as an addition to my growing space. I've been searching but just can't find exactly what I am looking for. I guess if I have to, I may not be able to use the entire shelf space since I can't seem to find a humidity tray that has the dimensions I need. The shelf of each rack is 48" long x 18 inches wide. It is one of the standard one's you can buy at Home Depot or Lowes. So far I have found a 13.5 x 10.5 humidity tray. I could get 4 of them....but I would have about 6 inches of room with no humidity tray on one side and about 4.5 inches on another side. I also have to keep in mind the 4 metal posts that will be holding the rack together so maybe not having an exact fit would be good? I need the humidity trays so that water won't drip on the T5 lights that are mounted the the rack below them and I would like something that would keep the orchids out of standing water and something that looks nice. I'll probably end up installing a drain tube on whatever I get so I can water the orchids in place and not have to take them to sink any more. Any ideas would be great. This is a link of what I am looking at and I must admit I have found them cheaper elsewhere...just using the link as an example: Single Grate Humidi-Grow Humidity Tray

[Becca]

*bump*

[trdyl]

Hi Becca,

Here is a link that might be worth looking into. This place also does custom sizes.

Standard Plant Trays

[Ray]

Becca, a standard nursery tray is 22-7/8" long by 12" wide, but that includes a 3/4" lip all the way around, meaning that - with overlapping - they can be considered to be as small as 21-3/8" x 10-1/2". The sides are tapered, so the base is 20-1/2" x 9-1/2".

In your situation, I'd put 4 of them sideways on the shelf.

[Becca]

Hi you two! Thanks for your responses! While I knew the dimensions of the shelves I would be using, I was able to measure them once I had them put together. With the 4 posts in the way, I think four 10.5 x 13.5 turned sideways is going to work best. No overhang to worry about, and the 4 posts won't really allow for overhang. Plus the 10.5 x 13.5 size will fit perfectly in the dishwasher for cleaning! I'll have to have a drain tube installed in each one that can be capped off...hubby is going to be busy!

No I'm trying to figure out my next dilema that is non humidity tray related. The heat in the room from all of the lights! I keep the door and window closed to maintain humidity around 50%. But right now the weather is cooler and the room is getting to be around 80 degrees and a little warmer. I'm afraid of how warm it will get in the summer. I'm hoping maybe having the AC on during the summer will help. I'll start a new thread if I need two. Just gotta make due for about two years until I get afford a greenhouse!

[calvin_orchidL]

Hi Becca! Kind of an old post but I thought I'd chime in. What kind of lights are you getting? I'm assuming tube lighting, which is most suitable for shelves, in my opinion. These don't generate too much heat so you're good...I have a similar wire shelf, I think from HD.

RE humidity, what are you planning on growing? I'm a total jerk when it comes to talking about humidity trays...I really don't believe they do much at all, to be honest. For real high humidity loving genera, it simply isn't enough, and for everything else, they can do without it. I have yet to hear about a phal or an oncidium or a cattleya *die* from low humidity...

Of course, I haven't formally experimented to test the benefits of a humidity tray. I have, however, seen MANY successfully grown phals, cattleyas and oncidiums at 30% ambient humidity. And really, when you think about it, how far up above the tray do the humidity effects last? Unless you're growing miniatures within inches of the water well, I am suspicious whether it's really worth the trouble.

If you want to humidify the entire room, use a humidifier (although I'd advise against it! Mold is a terrible terrible thing to have growing in wallpaper)

If you really do plan on growing high humidity things (mounted plants, for instance) just get a fish tank, pop it on it's side, and you have a mini terrarium which will be 10 times more effective than a humidity tray.

[Connie Star]

Hi Becca,
I have a somewhat similar set-up on the type of shelves you are describing, as well as some yard sale shelves. I have 2 solutions that might help you. To drain the trays, I use a syringe and tubing to start a siphon action. You could also use a suction bulb and aquarium tubing if you don't have access to syringes. To protect the lights that are under the trays, I took wide aluminum foil and slipped it between the underside of the shelf and the lights. I did it to make cheap reflectors, and it keeps any water that spills off of the lights.

[Becca]

Originally Posted by calvin_orchidL

Hi Becca! Kind of an old post but I thought I'd chime in. What kind of lights are you getting? I'm assuming tube lighting, which is most suitable for shelves, in my opinion. These don't generate too much heat so you're good...I have a similar wire shelf, I think from HD.

RE humidity, what are you planning on growing? I'm a total jerk when it comes to talking about humidity trays...I really don't believe they do much at all, to be honest. For real high humidity loving genera, it simply isn't enough, and for everything else, they can do without it. I have yet to hear about a phal or an oncidium or a cattleya *die* from low humidity...

Of course, I haven't formally experimented to test the benefits of a humidity tray. I have, however, seen MANY successfully grown phals, cattleyas and oncidiums at 30% ambient humidity. And really, when you think about it, how far up above the tray do the humidity effects last? Unless you're growing miniatures within inches of the water well, I am suspicious whether it's really worth the trouble.

If you want to humidify the entire room, use a humidifier (although I'd advise against it! Mold is a terrible terrible thing to have growing in wallpaper)

If you really do plan on growing high humidity things (mounted plants, for instance) just get a fish tank, pop it on it's side, and you have a mini terrarium which will be 10 times more effective than a humidity tray.

Hi Calvin! Yep I have an orchidarium and a terrarium for the high humidity needing mounted orchids!

I bought 2 4-bulb 4ft T5's from Ray. The humidity trays were more for catching the water when I sprayed them down for water and to keep water from driping onto the light fixtures, not necessarily for humidity.

I am having temperature problems...the room was up to 97 degrees today. I don't have any fans blowing on these two lights...but I have another 2ft 8 bulb fixture that I have a fan on. Hubby doesn't think purchasing fans to blow on the lights will help cool them much since I keep the room enclosed to keep the humidity up...with the room closed up it stays around 40-50% humidity. With the room open it is 20% humidity or below. My orchids really respond to the low humidity poorly. They are really slow to grow with the low humidity so I prefer to keep my humidity higher then 20% if possible. This is only a temporary set up for a year or two until I can get a greenhouse. I can run a humidifier...just not sure how it will be on the carpet and the paint (no wallpaper!).

Anyways...thanks for your input! Every little bit helps!

[Becca]

Originally Posted by Connie Star

Hi Becca,
I have a somewhat similar set-up on the type of shelves you are describing, as well as some yard sale shelves. I have 2 solutions that might help you. To drain the trays, I use a syringe and tubing to start a siphon action. You could also use a suction bulb and aquarium tubing if you don't have access to syringes. To protect the lights that are under the trays, I took wide aluminum foil and slipped it between the underside of the shelf and the lights. I did it to make cheap reflectors, and it keeps any water that spills off of the lights.

Hi Connie! Thanks for the suggestions and picture! I ended up getting a siphon pump....but I haven't had to use it yet to drain the humidity trays....plus I used it to drain my small exo-terra terraium and it was a pain in the butt to use...I needed 3 hands...but I only had two...lol. I like the idea of the tin foil. I was thinking of getting some plexiglass and cutting it to size to help protect the light fixtures that the humidity trays don't cover so I don't get over spray on them. I've run out of money for the now.....I mean I've decided to buy a few orchids instead...lol....so it will have to wait!