A few more orchids. These have all bloomed multiple times this year, so I'm pretty sure they'll be good recommendations for a terrarium for people trying them.

Pleurothallis alata

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5143/...54bf285ac1.jpg

Platystele reflexa (I have one yellow/orange and another orange/red)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5063/...45f648d3ac.jpg

Needs no introduction, though only bloomed when I got it in. It's put out some new leaves though

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5101/...d7d9f65a68.jpg

Pleurothallis alleni

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5187/...fd2b473fbb.jpg

WOW! Amazing flowers!

Can I ask what you are using for lighting?

-Tristan

The 4' tall terrarium has two 96 watt compact fluorescents (AH Supply), the 3' has just one 96 watt. I have a 3rd 'practice' one that was my first and that uses a double-bulb T5 HO (30" tall). I like T5 HO lights, but they're more expensive and I would have to run more bulbs to get the same amount of light, and depth of light as the compact fluorescents. I'd also recommend raising the lights off the glass, just as a precaution. Additionally, when it warms up I use the computer fans to blow across them to prevent them from heating the tanks too much. I previously posted these fans, and with the multi-power source you can just plug them in when you need them.

Looks amazing! I am still experimenting with enclosed glass containers for small Pleurothallids and hoping one day make a transition to something like yours. Thanks for sharing!

I too am still very much experimenting with things. Here's a shot of the left side of the newer terrarium with some less forgiving (of warm temperature) Lepanthes that I'm still really hoping will do alright.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5223/...87fcbc081c.jpg

That terrarium is incredible. I have a 30 gal. cube with 15 species of plants, 6 of them orchids, and I have just begun my foray into vivariums and orchid cultivation at the same time. Your terrariums are definitely a fine example for a new addict.

Is that Java moss covering your wood?

WOW, you have truly just inspired my terrarium design! I was working with one design that just didn't feel right to me for some reason no matter how much I tinkered with the levels of eggcrate. Needless to say I have not sealed anything in yet so I am not committed. I absolutely love your design of one layer for the floor, the background and two round corks with tons of sticks.

Where did you get the sticks and how did you prepare them for going into the terrarium? Did you put them in the oven after having soaked them overnight or something?

Also, I'm assuming that's corkboard you are using in the background. Did you cut the bottom off so it would not sit below floor level? I will have water in the bottom of my tank and want a flowing water feature to help with cooling and humidity. I just don't know if I should leave the cork board submersed in the water or not. I'm assuming it's a bad idea to leave it submersed.

The hardscape is fairly simple as it gets muted out with growth anyway. The cork was originally a 4' tube I ordered from Maryland Cork, I just cut it down the middle to try to make it look like 2 trees. Then I just took a few branches and cut holes in the cork and shoved them in. Between the cork is tree fern panels (from Black Jungle). The center wood are two separate pieces, one more 'netted' and a nice root on the bottom to hold it up. I thought it was a little flat (one-dimensional) so I added some small pieces with silicone on the bottom to make it look more like buttresses, then covered it with moss.

The moss I use is an aquatic type, similar to java moss but I find it grows slightly differently. My substrate is also very simple. The tanks have a drilled hole and bulkhead with PVC tubing and a valve that leads to a 5 gallon bucket for waste water. All the timers, misting pump and RO water reservoir are also under the stands as well. The substrate is just Fluorite that I cover with a layer of shredded Magnolia leaves and then a small layer of whole leaves. The idea is to slowly build a soil as the leaves decompose. On occasion I'll add some new leaves as well. The wood I collected from the levees, so I have the Mississippi to thank for it all. I don't do any soaking or treatment other than let it sit outside until I choose what pieces I want. I wouldn't expect the cork sitting in water would cause any issues, perhaps just expanding a bit.

I should also mention that the background on the newer, 'smaller' one is a different process. For that one I glued in the faux rocks, and then placed my wood branches, and sprayed expanding foam (Great Stuff) to hold it all in place. That was then covered with a mix of coconut peat and concrete binder, but to make up for the boring texture I smashed up some more tree fern panel scraps and pushed that into the wet mix. This gave me more of the texture I was hoping for, and provides more area for plants to hang on to. I also constructed the 'tree' out of a few pieces of driftwood that I fastened together with silicone (and a few zip ties) which was all covered in plants and moss. Both terrariums took a while to soak in, so initially I had the misting programmed for short sprayings a few times daily. Now I'm just doing 2 minutes in the morning. The closed-circuit fans run all day/night, barring 2 minutes before/after the misting system runs.

I think that's all the details now.

Here's a little progression of how things grow in:

Texture of background (described above):

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5107/...f37eb2ebd1.jpg

Freshly finished background (2/12):

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5027/...caa5f57d93.jpg

First orchids planted (2/12):

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5107/...a6c344d637.jpg

A few additional clippings/plants (2/26):

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5245/...10d12c3d90.jpg

3/4/11

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5030/...d100e3a520.jpg

5/1/11

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5303/...0d328678a6.jpg


To follow one part...

Branch 2/12/11

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5184/...87ae46f25a.jpg

Branch 5/1/11

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5283/...6d3592c36c.jpg

I planted this terrarium slowly and let it mature on its own. I wasn't sure if I wanted a background dominated by moss or not for some time, so I added it slowly. Hope this is of some help, especially to people who have trouble with patience for these types of things. My first terrarium I wanted grown in fast so I could enjoy it more. This one I wanted to focus on small leaved plants and let it mature and become more complex with age. I like this one much better than the first.