Dracula orchids for a vivarium?
 

Hi,

I'm a frogger who loves the look of the dracula orchids. I'm wondering, are there any small enough and suited to the high light/high humidity of a frog viv?

-Nish

Try Dracula lotax: http://www.orchidboard.com/community...a_lotax_02.jpg It tolerates shade better than most and blooms whenever temps start getting cooler (sub 70s) Takes lots of water. When it outgrows it's place in your tank, just break off the older parts (be agressive) and let the younger growths mature. Mine has grown to the point I now have three spiking plants. Mine are kept at 99% humidity and 700 FCs or so. If light gets above approx 1000 FCs (rare in a frog tank) then the leaves start "spotting".

Heyas,

My vivs are usually kept between 72-80 degrees with 80-100% humidity. My tank has 18 inches to work with but I'd rather not have the plant take up all of that nor all of the 12 inches of width in the smaller tanks. Would this still work well and if there are others what are they?

Thanks for the reply,

-Nish

D. lotax is probably the smallest and should be fine. Doubt you'll find another better suited to your intended environment. My newest divide is approx 3" wide and 4" tall if that helps.

Foot Candles
 

Could you give me some help here to estimate my Foot Candles?

I have two 39 watt T5HO over three 20H verts vivs in a row. That's 12 inches per viv width meaning you're effectively splitting up the two tubes at 1/3 per viv.

So, 39 watts at a guestimated 90 percent watt/lumen ratio with a reflector gives:

(39*2)/3= 26W * 0.9 = 23.4 or 2340 lumens

Being that foot candles are in a foot radius or square footage being easier, and the top of the viv is 12" x 16", that would be 1.5 ft^2. This many lumens (not coming from one point but assuming it did at the top of the viv) divided by 1.5 ft^2 = 1560 foot candles. This starts three inches or so above the viv, goes through 1/8" Solacryl UV passing acrylic and then has approximately 18 inches from there to reach the floor of the viv.

Depending on frog species, the temps go from 77-82 degrees F maximum with most going to a night time low of 72 degrees F. I'm even considering doubling that light output as the Bromeliads/moss etc.. do well in high light. I could place these orchids anywhere in the viv and possibly create an orchid area in some shade (though I'm not sure what the best way to do that would be).

Any suggestions?

-Nish

I did find this Drac hybrid at J & L Orchids - Dracula Jester
(lotax X platycrater) - J&L Orchids ~ Our Miniature Orchid Selections
and Drac lotax (just scroll down the page)
There is a nice list of miniature orchids there :)