New to terrariums...how to provide heat?
 

Hi all, I'm new to this website hoping to get some help on my Vanilla Planifolia variegata that I have growing in a small homemade terrarium (along with some moss for humidity and a theobroma cacao, not orchids but living happily together with the vanilla)

The temperature is pretty consistent at 74 degrees, but I'd like to recreate the conditions the Vanilla likes as much as possible, and while the humidity is always around 80-90%, I'd like to be able to reach 80-90 degrees during the daytime, and let it die back down to 70 degrees at night...does anyone have any ideas how I can heat my terrarium?

I've attached pictures of my terrarium, there is an slim opening along the vertical to allow airflow.

If you shone a light on it, it will heat quickly. Alternately, you might consider a reptile tank heater. Some have adhesive that sticks them to the bottom, and the warmth in the root zone will benefit the cocoa plant, too.


Ray Barkalow
firstrays.com

Hello,
I has Vanilla Planifolia "Lemon splash" in my orchyterarium
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...lla#post225887 post 140, photo 3. It grow inside 3 years and reached 4 meters, but no one flower for 3 years. Temperature in orchyterrarium decreased every night till 25C and increased till 36C every day.

How cool! Someone else growing a Theobroma cacao! :)

Hi Ray, do you mean by reptile tank heater a heater mat? I don't think I'd be able to place one in my terrarium between all the vanilla and moss, I'd be afraid to snap some of it. Also, i have it rotating under a southwest facing window, so both the vanilla and cacao get the right amount of light already...that's why I haven't placed a light, and also I want the warmth to reach the vanilla that is resting at the bottom of the terrarium...

Hi Leafmite, that's great! How is it doing? Any pictures of its progress? I know my terrarium is small for the cacao, but I built it so it can be expanded to accommodate for its growth, and hopefully I can add more of my orchids if I can figure out the kinks to terrarium growing :)

I actually have two of them. One is four years old and is getting pretty large. No blooms, though, not yet. The second one is new. Right now, they are indoors again as we have cooler temps (40's 'F at night) for a couple of days but they spend the summers outside on the porch (in the shade).

I had to bring my Vanilla planifolia inside as well, one of the few other things I grow that really objects to the temporary cold night temperatures.

Put a tiny aquarium heater - like for betta fish - into a jar and put that in your terrarium. You need to be sure the jar stays filled with water or the heater will burn out. Perhaps you can cut a hole in the lid, run the cord through the hole and seal it with silicone. Then the water would not evaporate. Do Not Put Uncured Silicone Into A Terrarium! It releases chemicals that will kill plants or animals. Wait a couple of days after it hardens.

I would be careful with aquarium heater, as it also increases humidity, IMHO excessively. Been there, done that. Besides lights, I also use a soil heating cable that I put in the base of the tank and run along wood branches. This is for a tall tank (60" tall, 36x24 footprint). For a low terrarium, there are also reptile heating mats that can be attached to the underside/outside of the tank. Be sure to get the Rainforest type and not the Desert type; RF has lower temperature than the DT. I tried heat rocks, but if you leave them off for a while, the circuits go bad due to high humidity or water.

Another way using an aquarium water heater is to put it adjacent to a fan. Be sure it is NOT a glass heater, but a plastic/ceramic one. The airflow will then prevent the heater from overheating. You can often set the water heater to a pre-defined temperature, so you won't need a separate temperature controller.

I control on/off settings with a herpkeeper AP1 probe in the tank. Be sure to seal the phone jack connector with some tape or plastic wrap.

You shouldn't need one, IMO. Lights in a terrarium put out enough heat to raise the temperature 5 degrees.