# Humidity in an open fronted paludarium?



## Aloe_danielo (Oct 16, 2018)

I want to make an open fronted paludarium with a large water section at the bottom and a lush, tropical terrestrial section at the top. It will be enclosed on the sides back and base but I would like to keep the front open to provide an awesome statement piece.

Can I still grow mosses, orchids, bromeliads etc like this or will there not be enough humidity? 

Will using a misting system completely wreck my living room?

Would I better with an enclosed roof or leave the top open?

PS, it won't have frogs only aquatic species - the upper parts will be purely plants only


----------



## Captain Awesome (Jan 13, 2018)

You shouldn't have a problem. Misting nozzles would need to be pointed inward more and would need to go off more often. I would have a top as that will help keep some more humidity in. Think of the grocery store produce aisle. It's open and sprays frequently. Chameleons are frequently kept in screen or open enclosures with frequent misting. You may be limited away from some super high humidity living plants but the open water below will actually supply quite a bit of humidity.


----------



## BostonFrogs (Jan 16, 2018)

I think it'll work but you'll probably end up losing some water to evaporation, especially if you live in a place that's not very humid. 

Like you mentioned, if you decide on a misting system, you'd need to really consider the number and placement of the nozzles so you're not watering your room as well.


----------



## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

Aloe_danielo said:


> Can I still grow mosses, orchids, bromeliads etc like this or will there not be enough humidity?


The vast majority of orchids will _not_ grow (or are much much more difficult to grow) in a typically-set-up frog vivarium; the species that tolerate constant 75%+humidity, little to no daily temperature variation, and relatively low air movement are few and far between. So, yes, orchids will do fine in your setup, but they won't necessarily be the same species people grow in frog vivs. For example, a setup like the one you're describing would grow Cattleyas really well (with sufficient light), but there are only a couple of Cattleya species that tolerate enclosed vivs. 

Similarly with bromeliads, I think: there was a recent thread here regarding growing Neoregelias outdoors in Arizona, and I'll bet you could grow Tillandsias, which like to dry out between waterings.


----------



## Aloe_danielo (Oct 16, 2018)

Captain Awesome said:


> You shouldn't have a problem. Misting nozzles would need to be pointed inward more and would need to go off more often. I would have a top as that will help keep some more humidity in. Think of the grocery store produce aisle. It's open and sprays frequently. Chameleons are frequently kept in screen or open enclosures with frequent misting. You may be limited away from some super high humidity living plants but the open water below will actually supply quite a bit of humidity.


Oooh good point about the grocery store aisles! I'll take a closer look when I next go shopping


----------



## Aloe_danielo (Oct 16, 2018)

Socratic Monologue said:


> The vast majority of orchids will _not_ grow (or are much much more difficult to grow) in a typically-set-up frog vivarium; the species that tolerate constant 75%+humidity, little to no daily temperature variation, and relatively low air movement are few and far between. So, yes, orchids will do fine in your setup, but they won't necessarily be the same species people grow in frog vivs. For example, a setup like the one you're describing would grow Cattleyas really well (with sufficient light), but there are only a couple of Cattleya species that tolerate enclosed vivs.
> 
> Similarly with bromeliads, I think: there was a recent thread here regarding growing Neoregelias outdoors in Arizona, and I'll bet you could grow Tillandsias, which like to dry out between waterings.


Thanks that's really interesting. Yes, I guess it could open me up to a lot more plant possibilities. Hmm, lots and lots of plant research required then


----------



## cam1941 (Jan 16, 2014)

Andy's Orchids has a great search function that allows you to search orchids with very specific criteria, ie. Temp parameters, suitability for a vivarium, etc. etc.


https://andysorchids.com/buildsearch.asp
​

If you figure out what your parameters will be (The more precise the better) You will give yourself the best chances at success.


Sounds like a cool project...








Aloe_danielo said:


> Thanks that's really interesting. Yes, I guess it could open me up to a lot more plant possibilities. Hmm, lots and lots of plant research required then


----------



## jgragg (Nov 23, 2009)

Also I'd just point out that if you wanted to grow some higher-moisture plants, up away from the substrate - you could have a drip wall. I have a lot of these, using the cork mosaic method with a perforated water line tight up under the viv rim. Avast makes a great pump for this use - great flow, amazing head:

https://www.avastmarine.com/products/diaphragm-pump

Thanks Dendroboard for hosting the community that taught me that one!



> Andy's Orchids has a great search function that allows you to search orchids with very specific criteria


+1, I have found this very interesting and helpful also; especially if you already have some taxa that do well for you under your conditions, you can then enter the same parameter values in a search and see new-to-you taxa that take similar conditions. Careful - this can be a "gateway drug"!

Good luck, I agree this sounds like a super-neat project. The more vivs I do, the more open I'm getting to having some just for plants. Plants are fantastic.


----------



## Okapi (Oct 12, 2007)

Not having a front wouldnt be a problem. A lot of people have open top aquariums that are similar to what you are describing. Most tropical house plants used in vivariums do fine in ambient humidity, hence why they are used as house plants. 

Here is something I found after a quick search:
https://m.imgur.com/gallery/shROcVI

You may want to look into ripariums for inspiration as well:
http://scapeclub.org/forum/showthread.php?22842-23G-CAD-Riparium
https://www.reef2rainforest.com/2018/03/08/the-celestial-swamp-a-riparium-aquascape-by-nigel-tobey/


----------



## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

Okapi said:


> Not having a front wouldnt be a problem.


I agree with this, but it did remind me of something that might affect your choice of 'aquatic species': some aquatic newts can and do climb out of open-top tanks. I've had a firebelly newt leave an aquarium through a pretty small hole in the hood, and had a terrestrial eastern newt scale the glass to escape a 5 gallon viv (so, about 8 inches of climbing up glass).

Some fish can make some pretty good vertical leaps, too. I'm not trying to dissuade you from your plan, rather just pointing out some issues that might need research.


----------

