hello intro newbie

[debbielabella]

good morning!
I finally joined after reading many of the informative posts and seeing all the creative projects you are involved in. I have been growing orchids for around 5 years. I have a small greenhouse that I use in the fall and spring, but does not have the equipment needed for Summer and Winter. I have vandas and cattleyas, but my favorites are the masdevalias, draculas, and especially the lepanthes. I've just started with the lepanthes and can't fuss enough over them. I just got a 48x18x20 glass aquarium with a glass lid. I have fluorescents in front of a basement window that will just fit over the glass top. I ordered misters, muffin fan for inside the top, and was thinking left back glass panel will stay out with a fan clipped to top for exhaust. Might open top right front glass panel too.

I need to start reading up on moss and frogs... was going to just fill it with orchids but thinking might be nice to have a frog or too.. always getting carried away with this stuff. Will the frogs be Ok with the lepanthes?

Any suggestions are most welcome!!

Debbie

[Chubidubi]

Debbie
I'm sure you'll get lots of help from the experts here .
to the OB.

[sucuz]

Welcome Debbie.
There are several people here who have some wonderful terrariams, vivariams, wardian cases, etc. Some contain critters. I'm sure you can get great advice as soon as they come across your post. A great group of people populate this forum and the combined knowledge that they bring forth to share is awesome. Good attitudes, gentle hearts, and a lot of goofiness. You're going to love it here.

[debbielabella]

my husband installed the muffin fan in the aquarium today and set up the flourescents so they can be raised and lowered above the glass top. I have it completely sealed off now, and just in time, I could not believe my greenhouse was 80 degrees and below 50% humidity!! The aquarium very quickly went up to 80% humidity (it's in a basement in front of a window) and I'm thinking with the aquarium mostly sealed with a small crack for electrical cord from the fan, I may not need misters or more humidity. Maybe I'll put in a water container under the fan for good measure. I am very happy with my new 'mini greenhouse!!' Going to monitor it for a while before I decide what to add to it. I was kind of excited about adding a frog or toad (I know it's silly) but am having second thoughts because it's a little chilly at night in the basement, I have heat down there but am growing orchids on the cool side. I have a few lepanthes, that's why I set this up in the first place, but I'm not sure if they are going to be happy in the summer there. At night it still hovers around 68 in the summer. doesn't go above 74 during daytime though. I realy love those lepanthes, I was so upset that L. Caliodictyon lost a leaf yesterday (it only had 3). That one is my favorite. If they don't do well in my set up I will go with the Angracum genus and warmer pleurothalids and keep the basement warmer in the winter. Love the miniatures. Thinking about growing some moss on the bottom. I have some pebbles on the bottom now. Any idea what to put on top of the pebbles to grow moss?

this is fun!!