Hygrolon wick properties, noob questions

[Trollsvans]

I'm in the planning stage for a 50x50 cm vertical hygrolon planting.

1: I've read that hygrolon can wick water to about 32 cm height, and my planting will be 50.
Can I place the water container higher and let the sheet wick from the top and down, or will the cloth siphon all the water over the edge of the container?

Also, spreading the wick effect (let's say from a base to a hygrolon wrapped branch, or an orchid on a cork bark mount), is that plain material contact (hygrolon to hygrolon), or does it need to be grafted, spliced, glued or whatnot?
If plain contact, is it surface to surface, or cut end to cut end?

[harpspiel]

My only experience is with Spyra, a similar material available in the States. For your setup, I would recommend wicking from both the top down and the bottom up. However, I wouldn't trust that it actually wicks 32 cm up - in my case the Spyra only keeps around 12 cm reliably wet, and farther up is only moist.

As far as attaching pieces together, you probably only need to lay them against each other, but a joint like that will also probably be less effective at transferring water.

Just do some experimentation before you add plants.

[Orchidgirl83]

You might want to search for posts by a member here named TOMMYMIAMI, he has done something similar to what you want to do. I do not know what the thread title is.

[Trollsvans]

Got a reply from Micke@Dusk Tropic yesterday, and it confirms my first thoughts:
Wick from both topside and bottom side, but not the full width of the cloth.

So, current plan is to wait for the order to be delivered, build the acrylic setup in the meantime.
I'll be cutting the ends of the cloth to fronds and try my way to the appropriate number of wicks to use before I trim the remaining fronds off.

I'll check Tommy's threads. I've read a handful of them, good builds.

[RandomGemini]

Originally Posted by Orchidgirl83

You might want to search for posts by a member here named TOMMYMIAMI, he has done something similar to what you want to do. I do not know what the thread title is.

You're looking for the Hygrolon Cylinder thread. Search the forum for Hygrolon Cylinder and you will find how Tommy set the whole thing up and see current progress with it as well.

[Ray]

How well it wicks will be determined by the evaporation rate - if that's high, the wicking distance will be limited.