Building a new orchid enclosure.

[Wouter]

So it is finally finished =) Well, not finished but it runs, still have some tweaking to do and will wait a couple weeks to test things before i start with the aquarium.

In the pictures you can see how i attached a small AC unit to the tank using duct tape to lead the cold air to the tubings (which i would like to insulate for better performance). The ac is in a small storage room next to the tank leading the pipes over the falce ceiling to the tank for a clean result.

For the rain system i had ordered 3 new nozzles ontop of the 3 i already had. I thought they would be exactly the same but turned out they were different, everything fits perfectly but the new nozzles seem to draw more water than the old ones making the old ones just drip instead of spray when the system is turned on Guess i will order 3 more new ones somewhere in the future as i cant see how else i could get the new and old ones working together.



Other than that im very happy with the result and the new room for new orchids =)

[tropterrarium]

Nice set-up. Can you tell me a bit more about the air-conditioner? brand, model, airflow rate, BTU rating, required temperature drop, low temperature reached?

Second, how do you keep humidity up? As far as I understand, AC units rather dry air out (hence the dripping from AC units). I would see the following options:
- take relatively dry room air, cool it and send it into the terrarium. If the air is very cold, the flow rate could be low, but you may get very pronounced cold spots in your enclosure.
- take terrarium air, cool it, but I would think that a lot of moisture is lost due to cooling.
- Humidify cool air (e.g., bubble through water), but then you get back pressure on the AC unit, and heat exchange with water, so water also has to be cool.

You also mention, that you keep the AC unit in a closet. Doesn't the unit overheat in no time? Or where does the excess heat go?

I've gone a different route, cooling water and have air blow over the water feature. That way, if anything, humidity is increased. The water chiller is in the main room, so the air volume available for heat exchange is the entire house.

I took note of the expanded clay you use at the bottom of your tank, have done the very same!