supply list?

[Becca]

Okay, perhaps I am being lazy, but I glanced through some of the old threads and did not see a supply list specifically of what it would take to set up an orchidarium. Is there a thread that some one might be able to direct me to? I did see different journals, but I never really saw a list of lets say "this is what is needed" or "this is what I am using."

I ordered a large orchidarium and I am still receiving it piece by piece, hopefully I will have it all on Friday. Should I just go by what the one I ordered has? I am wanting to create a smaller version at less of a cost for some cooler growing plants since I realize I can't keep all of my cool and intermediate to warm growing plants together in one orchidarium.

I hope I just missed a thread that has a list of what is needed....I am not to crafty when it comes to designing things like this so I do not know where to start really.

Thanks!

[Ross]

My story tells all the stuff I use (FWIW) http://www.orchidboard.com/Setting-u...om-Orchidarium Check at the end of the article for sources. Any specific questions, just PM me.

[Ross]

OH, just to be sure I understand, you are trying to do intermediate and cooler in different tanks? It is permissable to do both in same tank.

[Becca]

Oh okay, well I did some more research, and what I thought were more cool growers are not, they just have different light needs. I was thinking of setting up a tank for just my Paph's, or that's what I was thinking until earlier. I have a Paph. lowii, delenatii, dianthumm and a Paph Macabre.....I found out each are intermediate to warm growers from the cPanel® website. Most of my orchids going into my orchidarium that I just ordered are cattleya alliance orchids and dendrobiums, and some oncidium alliance types. Do you think it would be okay to put the paph's in with them if I used a shade cloth? I hope I have enough room in this thing....lol. Thanks a bunch Ross!

[Ross]

Originally Posted by RPfeiffer

Oh okay, well I did some more research, and what I thought were more cool growers are not, they just have different light needs. I was thinking of setting up a tank for just my Paph's, or that's what I was thinking until earlier. I have a Paph. lowii, delenatii, dianthumm and a Paph Macabre.....I found out each are intermediate to warm growers from the cPanel® website. Most of my orchids going into my orchidarium that I just ordered are cattleya alliance orchids and dendrobiums, and some oncidium alliance types. Do you think it would be okay to put the paph's in with them if I used a shade cloth? I hope I have enough room in this thing....lol. Thanks a bunch Ross!

I don't think you'll need shade cloth. Just keep the Cat alliance orchids closest to light (higher in tank) and place the Paphs near or on the bottom. The light further down might be 1/3 or less than that near top of tank.

In my tank I have hi light plants like dendro, maxillaria, cischweinfia, etc on a shelf right under lights. Mid way are the shade loving minis. On the bottom are the jewell orchids.

[Becca]

Ross, I was looking at the T5 light fixtures you listed and I noticed that they are light fixtures that hang....could these be used to sit on top of an orchidarium? It looks as though yours is barely hovering above yours but I can't really tell. Also, if I use a smaller aquarium for this, would the lights be considered to close to the orchids or is that what buying specific bulbs with higher K's are for (I hope that makes sense!). I will probably try them in my new orchidarium first, but I just thought I would check! Thanks again!

[Ross]

Originally Posted by RPfeiffer

Ross, I was looking at the T5 light fixtures you listed and I noticed that they are light fixtures that hang....could these be used to sit on top of an orchidarium? It looks as though yours is barely hovering above yours but I can't really tell. Also, if I use a smaller aquarium for this, would the lights be considered to close to the orchids or is that what buying specific bulbs with higher K's are for (I hope that makes sense!). I will probably try them in my new orchidarium first, but I just thought I would check! Thanks again!

They make a 24" long model as well as 48" both 4 bulb and 8 bulb (there may be a 6 bulb - not sure)

The only reason these come with hangers is they are really meant for hydroponics folks who hang them over salad greens, stawberries and the like. Min actually sits on an old aluminum frame, single pane storm window that helps keep the heat from building up in the tank. Mostly, the fan I run while the lights are on serves to get rid of most of the heat. These puppies are not your average florescent light like a shop light. Those run pretty cool. These run pretty warm (I forget the temp they are designed for but it's very warm - like 90 degrees!) So the answer in short is - no you don't need to hang them. However you probably want to invest in a piece of heat-absorbing glass from a glass shop to lay on top of your orchidarium before you sit the lights on it. Then you will need to adapt a 12 volt fan to run when the light timer comes on. I'll try to get a closeup photo that illustrates it.

Originally Posted by RPfeiffer

Also, if I use a smaller aquarium for this, would the lights be considered to close to the orchids or is that what buying specific bulbs with higher K's are for (I hope that makes sense!). I will probably try them in my new orchidarium first, but I just thought I would check! Thanks again!

The K figure is color temperature. Full sun at noon at equator is 5000K (which stands for Kelvin). Daylight color film is balanced for 5500K. I use 3 6500K bulbs plus 1 3000K bulb which averages out to be 5625K (pretty close to 5500K) I am after a close match to daylight color film.

The lumens output will determine how close you can have the bulbs. I really doubt having them too close will ever be a problem unless you want to grow jewell orchids or something needing about 500 lumens range. Then you'll need to keep the 'chids at least a foot away. My dendros, maxillaria and Cischweinfia are approx 2-7" below the bulbs and thriving.

As I understand it, the orchidarium you are getting comes with T5 bulbs (or an equivilant) so I would wait and see what they send you. By the way, the twisty compact florescents are just as good but more expensive. I use them also upstairs because of space. The expense is because the ballast is built into the base of the bulb so if it burns out, the ballast must be thrown away. With the long straight T5 multi-tube fixtures, the ballast is in the fixture and you only replace the tube. Otherwise they are interchangeable. So if you worry about size, look at these: Full Spectrum Lighting and Light Therapy

[Becca]

Thanks Ross! I look forward to the photo! I learn how to do things better by seeing them instead of reading them so that will help allot!

[Ross]

OK here is photo



To explain, The t5 fixture is sitting on the storm window pane which is sitting directly on the top of the acrylic of the tank. The fans I use are these: Coralife 3-1/8" Cooling Fan Kit I simply made a couple hooks from scrap sheet aluminum which I had laying around and used the bolt holes (the fan comes with Stainless bolts for mounting) and hooked it to a lip in the end of the light fixture. The tape holds the fan wire to the case in such a way it points up into the light. Quite effective. By the way you can see the second fand (identical to the other) bolted to the case running thru-wall. I use it every once in a while when I think things are way too wet. I sometimes run it overnight. It never lowers the humidity below 70%, but I run this tank at 90-99% most of the time and that's pretty wet!

[Becca]

Wow thanks for the picture...that helps allot! I would think that for fresh air circulation that any orchidarium would need a thru-wall fan, wouldn't they? I have been told that it doesn't do any good to blow stale air around. Do you have the heat-absorbing glass with yours as well? I thought you did, but you said your light fixture was sitting on the acrylic, so I was just curious. Thanks again for everything!