Recycled aquarium... - Orchid Board

shakkai · #1 07-20-2007, 05:51 PM

Inspired by all of the wonderful set ups pictured here, I dig out an old aquarium that was lying around and it has been 'home' to few little Pleurothallids for the past 6 months.

They seem to be quite happy and settled - three have flowered recently, and I'm sure more flowers are on the way...

Left to Right: Dryadella hirtzii (tiny one up in the corner), Cryptophoranthus dayanus - now called Zootrophion dayanum? (larger leaves down towards the centre), Lepanthopsis astrophorea 'Stalky' (farther away, the tiny little leaves), "filler" air plants & carnivorous plant (the lime greeny leaves), far right you can just see one leaf of Restrepia brachypus sticking up.

This is a slightly closer shot showing Lepanthopsis astrophorea 'Stalky' a bit better.

Ross · #2 07-20-2007, 07:00 PM

Wonderful setup. This will surely lead to something more permanent and larger?

shakkai · #3 07-20-2007, 07:07 PM

Inevitable, isn't it??

Ross · #4 07-20-2007, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shakkai

Inevitable, isn't it??

Was for me

shakkai · #5 07-20-2007, 07:27 PM

I know its coming... and probably sooner rather than later.

Might make a good winter project?

BTW, I really like your signature quote!

Ross · #6 07-20-2007, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shakkai

I know its coming... and probably sooner rather than later.

Might make a good winter project?

BTW, I really like your signature quote!

I found really big orchidariums are easier to keep and maintain than small retrofit aquariums (at least for me). I hardly do anythin except watch the MistKing system kick off a few times a day. I dunk all the plants in fertilizer 2-3 times week. The RO water washes all the salts away in between. Pretty painless, if you ask me

With the world the way it is nowadays, I felt I needed to make my say about my part many years ago. Thanks for the thanks.

shakkai · #7 07-21-2007, 07:13 AM

I am fortunate in the natural ambient environment... I don't really have to control or modify things that much to keep cool moist growers happy. The aquarium is open on top and situated near the window (which opens at the top). I get good air circulation this way, my Min/Max thermometer readings for this month say: Min: approx. 16C/60F, Max: 21C/70F, and humidity never really drops below 70%, most of the time its in the 80-90% range, sometimes higher.

Sounds like you've got your system all worked out, and can actually enjoy seeing the plants thrive without a lot of the worry! I do love seeing the big orchidariums with the plants growing 'naturally' mounted around all sides. That's my goal in the long run.

Maybe a bigger proper orchidarium is the sort of thing I will need to set up in order to grow the warm types that would need a more controlled environment here.