Need Some Input Re: Custom Orchidarium
 

Did you see my article http://www.orchidboard.com/Setting-u...om-Orchidarium where I describe my process? I used Autocad to do drafting. Paul at FirstClassAquatics.com does not use AutoCad. I had to convert drawings to pdf for him.

In answer to your questions:

1) My lights sit directly on an old storm door sash (aluminum frame) that sits directly on the acrylic. It helps in the cooling process. A small fan blows through the lights to help cool them.

2) My tank is drilled/cut for one through-wall 3" fan, plus 3 holes for MistKing mister heads. I also had holes drilled for 3/8" fiberglass rods I use to hang the minis.

3) I don't think it makes a difference in material. I used acrylic because mine was not framed, per se, but cemented at the edges. If you are doing an aquarium-type setup, then glass would offer you one advantage - it does not warp, as does acrylic. OPne draw-back, is doors are harder to frame and hinge.

4) Doors don't have to seal, just fit reasonably tight. You'll have more than enough humidity without a real tight seal. If the seal is perfect, then too much humidity might be your problem (something to think about.)

5) You need constant air movement (24/7) inside the container (I call it a tank). That means enough fan breeze to blow the orchids around - you need to see movement. You don't need high moisture unless you plan to grow high moisture requirement plants. Otherwise, just a loose enclosure will do just fine. Get the best lights you can afford. For me, that was t5's. You can always move plants further from the lights, but increasing light can become a problem. Be sure to allow some outside air into your tank. I run one fan 24/7 inside the tanks but I have another through-wall that I run several times a week just to freshen the air.

Hope this helps. It took me several months of design and planning till I got my first one done. Now I am ready for my next one and I know exactly what to do!

one thing to consider when weighing in the differences between glass and acrylic is that glass filters out about 5% more of the visible spectrum. so if you have chids, or other plants, that are sensitive to the type of light in vegative growth versus flowering growth, this is just another aspect to consider.

just like how glass is more suseptable to shattering, while acrylic is more suseptable to scratching.

the list goes on...yadda yadda yadda.

Can you post some pics of your design? It would be good to see then and enable us to give more advice.

Brett