I can help you with the fan thing. I have a computer fan built for your type of set-up, and I have another one ready to be put together (fan + power supply).

Later tonight- no time right now.

I'd be happy make a deal if you wanted these - I no longer have my aquarium, so I don't need them. and they're exactly as brand new.

Carolyn

Yes, you are clearly insane. I refuse to take any blame for that. I will take blame for a certain amount of Ang interest.

Your construction ideas remind me of my Sangtuary © about five years ago. It will certainly evolve over time and no doubt it will eventually be as outlandish as mine. Good luck!

Shoot! I'd hoped to find my old post about this, but the archives no longer go back that far.

So for $5 I bought a computer fan at radioshack, $15 for a variable output power supply from HD. Put the 2 together like you're splicing speaker wire, and you have a variable output computer fan driven orchidarium fan.

I still have 2 that I don't need ;)

Got away from the minis - I now bow to slippers, esp phrags. And they ain't small!

Carolyn

Quinnfry, have you thought about using plexy glass? Its cheap, translucent, & flexible! I'd love to see your setup once you have made it! Are you planning to install some type of watering system? Or will you just water them by hand?

-Ray-

First things first... Sangtuary? Ha ha ha... that's awesome! Tee hee... Um, yes, moving on...

I would definitely be interested in the computer fan, or both. Let me know. Might take me a week or two to pull it off, but yes, definitely interested.

About the plexiglass... Haven't looked into it, but I'll certainly do so. The acrylic idea was just what came to mind first. Acrylic would be nice for clarity and rigidity, and apparently acrylic cement bonds pieces really well, which would also be fun because I could do things like attach handles, or a hinged lid, without having to drill or anything like that. But I'm very much still in the brainstorming stage, so nothing's a given yet. As far as a watering system... that would be me : ) I am thinking about a removable tray filled with stones so I wouldn't have to worry about being careful about extra water, and for added humidity as well.

We'll see how this all pans out. If it works well, I might just have to build another one. A bigger one ; )

Along these lines, my husband has a 30 gallon aquarium that he doesn't use. I was thinking of turning it into an orchidarium for increased humidity. My question is, would it be OK to put the aquarium/orchidarium in a place where it will get intermittent sunlight? Does the glass focus the light? Will I burn my children?

Thanks, florrie

Florrie,

What type/amount of sun exposure window? My little aquarium was directly in front of a NE exposure window (not a lot of light), and I had no problems with it. I actually supplemented the light with CFLs through the glass and plexiglass top.

Carolyn

I hate to bullox plans up, but if you're already starting with ~80F ambient temps, adding supplemental light and/or a possible stray sunbeam from a window is going to skyrocket interior temps beyond what you want...even with the addition of a fan. You can construct a poor-man's recirculating chiller underneath with a large undergravel-type aquarium bubbler and a tub of ice water. You'll have to change out water and add ice daily, but it'll give you lower temps, and perhaps, depending upon the timing of the addition of ice, a nighttime differential.

Bruce C.

I didn't start with temps near 80, but the heat certainly did not rise as Bruce cautioned. I had a thermometer and hygrometer in the tank (I was most interested in the humidity levels) and the temp never varied far from the ambient room temp (65-75 winter, maybe up to 85 or so in the summer). This is a spare bedroom. While the CFLs in the room do warm it noticeably over the temp in the other rooms, it has never been too much for intermediate growth orchids. I don't grow any real cool or warm loving orchids. Maybe the fact that the lid had about a 1 in opening helped, but I can't believe that it did very much at all. I also kept a lot of water in the bottom of the tank because I wanted high humidity.

Carolyn

I read the article about "Nano Viv", how that guy in Sweden designed in an enclosed container, with a unglaze terra cotta tube in the middle of the "tank" filled with water to keep up the humidity. Eventually the clay tube has moss grown all over it in about 6 months, and he just kept it top off with good water. I read a thread somewhere that someone expand the idea and top off with cold-pack crystals to keep the temp on the cool side. I wonder if that'll work with a 10 gallon aquarium tank? Because I am having a heck of time to keep up humidity. The fan is on 24/7 in the tank (one of those small ones you can get from Wal-Mart for $6) and I think maybe the airflow is too strong & drying up all the moisture?

I tried the room humidifier, but it is way too loud and I don't really sleep well in a greenhouse condition at night :(

kckerobe,

I don't know what size fan you are talking about, but I think you're right, that you're blowing the heck out of your plants! A computer fan is maybe 2 in across, and in such a small space as a 10 gal aquarium (mine was only 5) I set the variable power very low. Damn, I wish I could retrieve the pics in the archive!

I always had a 1/2 inch or so water in the bottom of the tank, and put the plants in 2 x 8-10 in round plant trays (whatever fit) that sometimes floated on the water pool below. That, w/ the fan generally gave me 60-70% humidity (don't forget it was closed on top except for maybe a 1 in strip along the short end).

And I always felt that the humidity reading was realistic because every time I opened the lid for spritzing or to replace evap'd water, the humidity reading would fall, and then really rise (90%) if I spritzed the heck out of it.

You need a smaller fan!

Carolyn

Just to make a note on the Aquarium question (with regards to sunlight). The glass on the aquarium is presumably flat (unless it is one of those fancy curved front aquarium), so it should not focus the light on the plants. The thing to be concerned about is the rising temperature when light does shine directly into the enclosure (if you are facing North or directly South, direct sunlight may not be such a concern, depending on which part of the country you live in). If this setup is in your home, use a very small fan that barely moves the air so that it is just enough to pull the hot air out from the top & allow the humidity levels to stay up. If you have the aquarium outside, I would say to rethink the aquarium idea.

-Ray-

Carolyn, really appreciate your detail explanation on your old tank setup. The fan I have only has one setting -- ON or OFF. It is about the size of computer fan, but more industrial heavy duty in comparison. It sure churns the air a heck lot harder. I haven't really try my hands on rigging a computer fan to a DC adaptor but I'll see if I can get my father-in-law, who is a electrical wiz, to help me when we visit him during summer. In the meantime, I will try moving the fan outside on the top of the hood blowing down thru one of filter openings (it currently sits on the bottom of tank, blowing up,) and see how that goes.

>>If this setup is in your home, use a very small fan that barely moves the air so that it is just enough to pull the hot air out from the top & allow the humidity levels to stay up.Ray,thank you for explaining about the air movement expected within an aquarium. My poor plants have been exposed to hurricane!!

KC

I found the earlier post! I couldn't find it via search here, but I found it via google!
So here's some more talk and some pics
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/orchids/msg0314053213952.html

Here is a link that might be useful: Earlier thread about aquariums and fans

Thank you Carolyn for looking up the previous thread on the fan. I did stop by Radio Shack & bought their mini computer fan and adjustable DC adaptor. Except they aren't as cheap anymore -- the fans were $12.99 & adaptors were about $20 and up. I was too tired to try hunting down cheaper prices, so I sucked it up & bought them. It was very easy. I'll keep my eye out for any "spare" parts, since I found an old display case in a garage sale and it is ideal for the taller orchids, once I have the times to work on it.

Now my orchid addiction is slowly twisting into something more... LOL

I agree about the adjustable adaptors being necessary - unfortunately, they are pricey (well pricier than I thought!) I tried going for a regular DC adaptor, but at 12V the fan is blowing the heck outa the plants...even with 2 fans in series (so 6V each) there is too much breeze....I think I'll need to find an adjustable one...*sigh*...

The variable dc adapters are at HD for $12-15, at least here near NYC.

Here's one made and the parts for another

{{gwi:159255}}

Carolyn