Thoughts on converting a 110 gallon aquarium into orchidarium - Orchid Board

DelawareJim · #1 11-03-2010, 10:45 AM

Hi all;

I'm contemplating tearing down my 110 planted aquarium and converting it into an orchidarium.

Dimensions are 48" wide by 18" deep by 30" high.

I'll start with the lighting hood I currently have; a 2-250 watt MH and 2-40 watt T-12 fixture. I plan to add a couple of muffin/computer fans for air and set up some sort of pvc pipe/egg crate shelving system inside. Not sure if I'll be adding a misting system but I'm sure it'll probably come down the road.

Concerns I have are:

1. Standing water in the bottom of the tank from misting and watering. 30" is a pretty tough reach from the top and trying to suck it out with a turkey baster is not going to be fun.

2. No front entrance. Since this is a glass tank, I can't cut doors into the front. Is top only access going to be a problem?

For those with experience with large tanks/boxes, any input would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.
Jim

Becky Jo · #2 11-03-2010, 08:12 PM

I have the same problem with the fish tank set up. I got some moss and put it on the bottom on top of the eco web stuff. I do have a misting system but I don't have much water build up. But I did buy a cheap wet vac for 20$ and it works great.

Lars Kurth · #3 11-04-2010, 06:13 AM

Jim,
although I have a terrarium with front doors now, which I use as a display case, I used to have an aquarium for a long time.

Quote:

1. Standing water in the bottom of the tank from misting and watering. 30" is a pretty tough reach from the top and trying to suck it out with a turkey baster is not going to be fun.

Standing water is no fun, even if you have front doors. If you use it as reservoir for misters, etc. you still will need to do regular cleaning as debris will fall into the reservoir. That often means taking everything out, etc. What I ended up doing is to have a 3" layer of small hydroleca through which I run a heating cable that is on during the day, off at night. This will increase humidity and will ensure that any excess water from watering evaporates quickly. Above the hydroleca I have a sturdy plastic grid (the type you frequently find in elevator light fittings or office light fittings), but epiweb does as well. The main reason is to have a nice surface on which to put pots as the hydroleca will move around, the cables get displaced, etc.

Quote:

2. No front entrance. Since this is a glass tank, I can't cut doors into the front. Is top only access going to be a problem?

I guess it depends on how you arrange things. No less convenient then looking after an aquarium...

tropterrarium · #4 11-12-2010, 01:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DelawareJim

Hi all;

I'm contemplating tearing down my 110 planted aquarium and converting it into an orchidarium.

Dimensions are 48" wide by 18" deep by 30" high.

I'll start with the lighting hood I currently have; a 2-250 watt MH and 2-40 watt T-12 fixture. I plan to add a couple of muffin/computer fans for air and set up some sort of pvc pipe/egg crate shelving system inside. Not sure if I'll be adding a misting system but I'm sure it'll probably come down the road.

Concerns I have are:

1. Standing water in the bottom of the tank from misting and watering. 30" is a pretty tough reach from the top and trying to suck it out with a turkey baster is not going to be fun.

2. No front entrance. Since this is a glass tank, I can't cut doors into the front. Is top only access going to be a problem?

For those with experience with large tanks/boxes, any input would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.
Jim

I've got a 90 gal 63 long x 13 deep x 24 tall tank. I am a 6' guy, and can just about reach the bottom with my hands. For 30 inches to reach the bottom, you need to be able to bend down into the tank, or you need some sort of manipulator arm. Also, a canopy hood will be a problem, as it will be difficult to remove it. Rather think of some suspended lighting. You will be fiddling in the tank more often than you think.

MH lighting can be interesting, as it can have high CRI with the right kind of bulb and you can use dimable ballasts to mimic natural lighting changes. Not sure what the T12 are doing, as their light output will be so much lower than the MH lights. Rather go T5HO if you want to add some spectral quality. CRIs of the best T5HOs is lower than that of the best MH (90 vs. 96). I use suspended T5HOs (60" 4 x 80 W).

Fans over the lights will help keeping temperature down for sure. Easy to set up. I put mine on a variable voltage transformer, so I can adjust noise (and blowing speed).

Re misters, unless you either are a stay-at-home guy, misting the plants every few hours manually, or you want to specialize in desert species, a mister is a must. The mistking system is AWESOME, but it ain't cheap for sure. I assume your tank has a fairly tightly fitting glass/plexi lid.

Standing water: by adjusting the misting cycle, I've been able to set things up so that there is nothing pooling at the bottom. Chances are that this kind of tank uses tempered glass, so drilling a hole is not an option. But you could put a fine bore tube to the bottom, and attach it to a small pump to help you get rid of excess fluids. Regardless, never put plants right on the bottom glass, but put some spacer in between. E.g., orchid bark, styrofoam, expanded clay pellets, ...

A couple more things: have you decided what kind of a environment you want to create? Temperature range, humidity range? Given your local temperature and the heat input from the lamps, you may have to either cool or heat the terrarium, I have to do both depending on time of year. Heating is relatively simple, cooling is more tricky, but can be done.