Will my Flaskling propagation area work?

[Undergrounder]

Hi. I had another thread about my flasklings not looking to good. Good news is, they're looking a lot better! But i'd still like to turn my aquarium into a humid box for my flasklings, since i'm going to have to smash some new flasks soon.

I want the lighting and fanning to be automated (easy) and i don't want to have to move the plants to water them if possible. Obviously i'd have a problem with drainage though. If i used fertiliser, any runoff would in theory collect in the bottom and even if the water evaporated the ferts would collect on the glass

So how's this:

The bottom layer is vermiculite, about an inch's worth. Planted directly in the vermiculite is soleirolia. A lush groundcover that never gets about 10cm high, likes moisture and likes low light.

Poking through the solerolia are some plastic piping for stands that hold two long planks of plastic on which i sit a few seedling trays on which i hold my seedlings. There's a fan hanging in that's on a timer and a light on top that's on a timer. The top is mostly glass, except for two 1inch holes that let the fan wire through. I could seal them up a little better if required.

The idea is i can water liberally, the runoff will run through into the soleirolia, who will eat the nutes, drink the water and stop the bottom getting mouldy. I'll cut the soleirolia back occasionally.

Can anyone foresee any problems?
Is 1 x 36" T8 Quad Phorescent tube enough light?
Is the fan on for 15 minutes every our suitable air flow or can i even shoot for less?
Is 14hours of light about right?

P.S The orchids are mainly Phalaenopsis flasklings, den kingianum flasklings, Cymbidium flasklings, Paph flasklings and maybe a grown up Masdevallia

Thanks! Ill put up photos if it works.

[Tindomul]

If you can keep the plant alive, then yea, it would work nicely. Otherwise wet vermiculite is a no no. How about you use hydroton/leca, light expanded clay pelletes instead. It won't disitegrate, light weight, and plants love to grow in it. Releases humidity very nicely when wet.

[Undergrounder]

Im worried the clay might just make the whole thing too heavy, or maybe the roots on the sol are too fine for the LECA ... what's wrong with wet verm? I'd aim to not keep it constantly wet

Edit: Actually ill come clean i've also actually already got a few spare bags of verm so it'd just be easier

[Tindomul]

They sell small sized leca for fine rooted plants. I was under the impression the vermiculite would be wet all the time. Sorry for misreading. And I agree, most of the time we just gotta use what we have on hand.

[Undergrounder]

Thanks tind, i'll go ahead with it then..

I don't think LECA is that big down here, the only place you can get it is a dedicated Hydroponics shop and they generally only have the big kind.

[Undergrounder]

Well the tank's done and the lings are inside.. I guess now we just see how they like it...