Terrarium

[duane mcdowell]

I cleaned the glass this morning - thank you for the encouragement! Seems like the same conditions that are good for Pleurothallids and mosses are good for algae on the glass...

This one shows the plexiglass "ceiling" of the terrarium. The fan blows upwards. The tube is the output from the fogger.

This one shows the front of the terrarium with all the workings. There's a timer for the lights and one for the fogger.

Plants in the terrarium

Front view showing how it looks most of the time.

 

[ohio-guy]

What is on the bottom? is that living spagnum? how did you set it up? It looks great.

 

[Paph_LdyMacBeth]

I need one of these.
What temp do you keep it at?

 

[Shiva]

Very nice looking! I'm also considering making a terrarium in a large old window frame between my kitchen and solarium. It would be perfect for Phrag. sanderianum among other plants.

 

[Hera]

Very nice, interesting.

 

[wojtek]

Solid work k

 

[Clark]

Nice use of available real estate.

 

[W. Beetus]

I would love to set up a terrarium like that! I like how it appears the plants are floating over the moss.

 

[duane mcdowell]

What is on the bottom? is that living spagnum? how did you set it up? It looks great.

I have 1" of styrofoam sheeting on the bottom, with a 1/2" layer of coir (like peat moss from coconut husks) over the top. It's planted with regular green forest moss.
When I rework the terrarium, I plan to put a much thicker sheet of styrofoam on the bottom for better support for the wires. 1" isn't thick enough to prevent the plants from tipping if they are topheavy.
The only real engineering in it was the top part (where the lights are). I wanted that to be somewhat isolated from the terrarium to avoid heat buildup. Here's a diagram of how I did that.

 

[duane mcdowell]

I would love to set up a terrarium like that! I like how it appears the plants are floating over the moss.

Thanks, Nick. I really like the approach. Seems like the plants do, too.

 

[duane mcdowell]

Nice use of available real estate.

Thanks! It's too crowded right now, but everything's still doing all right. I plan to thin down considerably this spring.

 

[duane mcdowell]

I need one of these.
What temp do you keep it at?

During the summer, it's in the sixties at night and mid-seventies during the day (Fahrenheit). During the winter, it's in the mid-sixties during the day and maybe as low as 55 at night. It's our basement.

 

[NYEric]

I cooked lots of my pleuros in a terrarium so I have to check your light/heat isolation out carefully. The aluminum angle allows the light box to sit flush with the top of the tank? What is the "reptile fogger hose"? Is the fogger not in the tank? If so, how do you move the fog?

 

[duane mcdowell]

I cooked lots of my pleuros in a terrarium so I have to check your light/heat isolation out carefully.

Definitely a risk, Eric! I built a box with lights in it, and a fan pulling warm air out of the box. The fan is on the same timer with the lights. The reason I went with a closed-top box is that I wanted the additional reflection that I got by lining the inside of the box with mylar. Otherwise, I would have left the top off of the box and just allowed the warmth from the lights to rise naturally away from the fixtures. There's also a layer of plexiglass between the bulbs and the top of the terrarium. The box isn't sealed to the top of the terrarium, either - there is a gap at the front and another at the back (probably 1/2" by 3"). Between these, there isn't any significant heat buildup in the tank itself.
I have to add that the primary reason this whole thing works (in my opinion) is that compact fluorescent bulbs just don't give off as much heat as standard fluorescents.

 

[NYEric]

THanx. I had (very bright) actinic aquarium lights also! = very hot, with a pump making a waterfall and an ultrasonic fogger in the tank!!! sad situation.