Vivarium after three months
 

Well it been about three months and I have got to say that this has been a very special way to enjoy orchids, brings them inside like never before. I have several Paphs., Phals. and other orchids that grow well indoors, but the Epiarium, has allowed me to grow all those special minitures and some leafless orchids that I knew before the requirements I could not meet, even with my greenhouse.

I have made it so it looks good in front living room, it has a south facing window with plenty of light and a T5 4 light fixture, a humidifier that I turned into a fogger, which comes on for an hour prior to light coming on and it also comes on when fan comes on during day since fan is mounted on top of Vivarium and pushing fresh drier house air in. an come on every hour for half and hour while light is on.

Right now 44 orchids are living and growing well in there new home, I have found that orchids that like a drier condition do not like it in there, goodbye Lealia sincorana.
So I have acquired several new ones that do like these conditions, so far so good.

I used Charcoal that I got from a nursery for bottom and then I used Hydroton for the top layer then Colored Glass for front, the Vivarium came with a Styrofoam Rock type back that I cut up and used for the staggered shelves that you see in side view picture.

I'm thinking of doing something similar to this, how did you convert the humidifier to a fogger? Got pics?

It looks really good! I'm jealous. :D

Great job! It looks fantastic. I also am thinking about doing something similar as i have run out of room in my current setup ;)

I just used PVC irrigation pipe found at most big home stores, I had to reduce from 2" opening on humidifier down to 1/2 inch size to fit diameter of tube going into Vivarium. I used some silicone to get a good seal around fitting that goes into humidifier. I also used a quick release part, that allows me to remove unit for cleaning and filling. You can see part in picture. then I ran some tubing up behind Vivarium and to a PVC connector thru hole in Plexiglass, which I drilled. When drilling slow and low power is the way to cut plexi.

That looks really good!!

Thanks for the info and pics. My humidifier is a different type so I'm going to have to rig it differently but this definitely gives me ideas!

Hello.

A really nice setup! :bowing

Could you please tell me something about the tank - the size and what type and intensity of light you use?

Which plants do you have successfully in it?

It seems, that you use some wood slabs with hygrolon on it for the mounted ones - or am I wrong?

Regards
Frank from Germany

Hygrolon EpiTubes
 

Tank:

Exo-Terra 24"wide *24" tall * 18" deep, all glass except top which is screen mesh. Doors open towards you when opening, they have a snap type lock to keep them closed.

I am very happy with this tank, the only thing I would like to see is a drain plug in bottom glass, that would be so much easier then using a turkey baster to remove bottom water every few weeks. On top where screening material is, I cut out what I needed to for fan and fogger inlet and got some Plexi glass cut to fit and drilled some holes in it. Drilling Plexi is tough, I had extra Plexi cut because I knew I would trash some. Light is a T5 4 tube, 2' long and 24 watts per tube, but I also have a South facing window which for about 6 months gets direct sunlight and very bright light the rest of the year.

Plants:

3 Dendrobiums
3 Dendrophylax
1 Eurychone
1 Oncidium
5 Lepanthes
2 Masde.
4 Restepia
2 Jumella
4 Neofinitia
1 Phal.
And several other that may or may not live there lives in there, time will tell.

EpiTubes:
That's what I call them

I use 1/2" PVC tube for irrigation and cut to length and then cut Hygrolon so that it can warp around pipe twice and leave at least 2" on both ends, then I warp pipe with Hygrolon and stuff left over material on ends inside pipe till it all fits nice and tight. tie a hook and then mount.

I find that the extra material that you stuff down tube acts as a water wick and to hold water.

Here's some Pictures

Hi

Thanks for your fast reply & hints.

Seems, that I have the same tank - but from sera.
Till now I only have some chilos in there. But my lighting seems not to be effective enough (exo terra compact top 2 x = 6 x 24W compact bulbs).

You have a big angraecum (leonis?) at the bottom of the tank - I am curious, if you could get it flowering...
But you said, that there is a lot of light due to the window. That's what I don't have. I only have the artificial light.

How is your experience about epiweb. I wanted to test it but I read at Karma's blog, that she had a lot of problems about fungi.

What temp do you have in the tank? Your list shows a lot of different genera (Lepanthes and Jumellea... Neofineta
warm and cold in one tank or am I wrong?)

Regards
Frank

Plants:

The temps in vivarium highest 81f. Low 62f. Seems to be holding these temps. Which should be okay for a large variety of orchids. Except Dendrophylex lindenii I have tried 2 of them just to watch them die. I have two other Dendrophylax that are producing new roots and new green tips on older roots.

Yes that is a leonis, it grew well in greenhouse and flowered okay, but I thought I would try in Viv. If it started to go downhill I would put back in greenhouse, so far new leaves and roots.

Epiweb:

Not a fan, like Hygrolon so much better, I to read Karmas blog and that is why I went with an individual plant setup as opposed to a more natural branch look like in alot of vivarium's. This way I can look at each plant and if something gets ill or I notice fungus I can pull plant and save.