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DIY Wardian Case

orchidflowerchild

16 years ago

I admit it, I've done it before, but this is the DIY wardian case I built a couple of weeks ago, in preparation for renewing my collection of pleurothallids and random other cool growers...

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It's made out of Schedule 80 1/2" PVC (the frame), that orange safety fencing you see at construction sites (painted white), the shelf is aluminum wire mesh, and the whole thing is covered with 4 mil plastic sheeting, then there are six 4' shop lights with a mixture of cool and warm tubes (40 watt, I think). The temps stay between 60 and 75 and humidity between 50 and 80%. THat is, of course, with no plants in it...they tend to make their own little microclimate, once you fill a space up....

THoughts?

-Cj

Comments (7)

elvinwei
16 years ago
very interesting
i have never thought to put the lights side ways

i've thought to doing something similar, but in the end i figured i would not like that i could not see them clearly when the plastic is down
barbara_in_la
16 years ago
That's kind of neat! I'd be interested to see your case again once it's filled with your new pleuros... I'm using a reptile tank, trying to grow cool growers. Keep us posted!
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orchidflowerchild
Original Author
16 years ago
Whoops... I flubbed a couple links!

-Cj
garyfla_gw
16 years ago
Hi
Curious as to the long term effects of light from the side.?? How do you keep the temps so stable??? gary
orchidflowerchild
Original Author
16 years ago
From previous experience, light from the side is no big deal as long as it is not just from one side. With the light all around, like that, I shouldn't get too much phototropism. As for temps, the case is in my bathroom and that room is actually quite easy to regulate temps in, because it is small and my a/c apparently has a jet engine in it. If I set the thermostat in the hall at 70, the bathroom easily plunges to the 60's, when the a/c is blowing. I just keep the door closed so that the cool air is trapped. The lights, you will notice, are outside the plastic, which keeps the heat from the ballasts out of the interior (not that the flourescent lights have that much excess heat). There is an intake hole cut in the plastic just behind the humidifier, so that it is pulling in a/c air and then humidifying it. Again, helping to keep the temps down.

The biggest trick is that the room itself is easy to keep cold.

-Cj
Driftless Roots
16 years ago
That's pretty cool. I presume you used the fencing as something to hang mounts on. When I was growing pleuros in a big aquarium I was pondering mounting the lights on the sides rather than the top just for easier access. In the end I just got rid of the whole setup and its contents. Now I kind of wish I'd tried a different approach first. Maybe. Some day. Show us again once you get filling it up!
orchidflowerchild
Original Author
16 years ago
Shady: Yeah, I like mounted plants. For me, they are a no-brainer. I mean, if you can overwater a mounted Pleurothallid, you have some serious water obsession!

I should be geting a box from Andy's, today, so I will definately be posting updates.

-Cj

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