# Jason's orchid case build



## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

Well, soon I'll be taking a little hiatus from the hobby. I plan to spend a significant portion of next year living in a motorhome with my family. Since I absolutely must have a glass box to toy with, I decided on a low profile orchid case to display some minis. Luckily for me, an outstanding builder recently stumbled into town, and we were able to work out a deal to get me the case of my dreams  Wes, from V-Scape Terrarium Design delivered this to me yesterday. The dimensions are 18x8x18. 









Forgive the fingerprints, I have kids.

Here is a pic of the top vent.









You'll notice there is no screen. This is because this will house no animals, and this will have a hood with an exhaust fan, so I wanted completely unrestricted air flow.

And here is a pic of the sliding front door.









The lighting is 2 generic 13 watt screw in LEDs. These are a little bluer than i was wanting, so I may augment them. They will be mounted in the hood.

The plants in there are just for me to get an idea on color.

Stay tuned for more ....


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

Sweet! I've got a 30x18x18 from V-scape that I'm slowly working on! 

SUBSCRIBED


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## Spaff (Jan 8, 2011)

Jason, when you say exhaust fan, are you planning to introduce outside air into the tank and/or inside air out of the tank?


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

The fan will pull air out of the tank. There is another vent directly beneath the door, so it should keep everything clear. This should work well to vent the lights, also.


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## Spaff (Jan 8, 2011)

Ok, you may want to keep an eye on your humidity. I've had the most success in my orchid tanks with passive venting near the doors and a fan in the corner circulating tank air, much like what is used in frog vivs.


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

I have plans to keep the humidity up, but you'll have to wait to see 

I didn't mention it, but we'll be in coastal northern California and Oregon, so that ambient air will be pretty moist anyway.


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## Spaff (Jan 8, 2011)

Oh man! You need to try out some Dendrobium cuthbertsonii while you're there. At least you'll keep them alive for a year...longer than most of us have


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

There's a cool nursery up there that grows many clones and hybrids of cuthbertsonii. They basically keep them in a shade hoop that they cover during the winter.


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## Spaff (Jan 8, 2011)

Hanging Gardens or Golden Gate? Both are supposed to have some really cool plants. Might be worth getting in touch with Marni if you're in the area as well.


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

Neither, it's Orchids for the People in Mckinleyville.


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## srrrio (May 12, 2007)

epiphytes etc. said:


> Well, soon I'll be taking a little hiatus from the hobby. I plan to spend a significant portion of next year living in a motorhome with my family.


Well I am a bit sorry you are taking a hiatus, but sounds it certainly sounds like it is for a cool reason. Enjoy your orchid case!


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

Hey, thanks Sally. Some adventure will be great for us. I do hope to keep a few frogs, via long term frog sitting by friends.


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

OK, so I haven't had time to work on this, as I spent all weekend at the Phoenix reptile expo. However, while I was gone i got a box in the mail from Andy's. 

A trio of Pleurothallis. Top to bottom: leptifolia, sarracenia, grobyi.


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## randommind (Sep 14, 2010)

How is this build coming along?


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

Well, I decided to scrap my original plan and go back to the drawing board. I'm now thinking I won't use an exhaust fan at all. The LEDs I have produce more heat than I anticipated, and I think it will be enough to keep the air moving with just passive ventilation. 

My new idea is to use an ultrasonic fogger place inside a vertical length of pvc, with holes drilled in it for even distribution of the fog, if that makes sense. I'm brain storming ideas on how to have the fogger accessible for the maintenance I know is inevitable. I also need a way to hide the pvc upright.

My original plan was to use a piece of blue foam pad, the kind used for swamp coolers, with a sheet of hygrolon over it. On top of that I was going to glue a few pieces of cork bark to attach the species that want to stay a little drier. Now that I've experimented a little, I realize the hygrolon isn't going to wick all the way to the top anyway, so the drier growing orchids, and a few Tillandsia should be able to be sewn right to the top portion.

So that's where I am, basically back to 0, lol.


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

Also, as I mentioned in another thread, I'm looking for a 2 station timer that I can plug both the lights and fogger into, and will control them independently. I really don't want to use 2 different timers, as outlet space (and space in general) will be at a premium in the motorhome.


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

A small update. I layered the cooler foam in a way I found pleasing. I used gorilla glue for this.










I then glued on the hygrolon. I was nervous about the foaming of gorilla glue, since it is next to impossible to spread thinly on the foam. I found a product called python glue at walgreens that is also a PU glue, but does not foam much. I basically followed Dev's directions and spread it as best I could, then waited for it to set up some. I laid the hygrolon sheet down and weighed it down with some lava cinder. I chose to use the cinder because it is just heavy enough to keep the sheet in place without putting too much weight, allowing the glue to penetrate the sheet. I glued the background in last night, and as of this morning, this is where I am.










I am considering adding some half cork tubes over the "branches" to add some dimension, but it seems like they may create too many dark shadows. Also, with only 8" of depth, I want to keep the space open for plants, and I figure once it's filled in, the background will be completely obscured anyway (at least I hope so).


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

A few more things arrived from Andy's today.

Bulbophyllum moniliforme









Stelis pusilla









And, Stelis sp. (Mex. sm. green)









However, this last one is much taller than the 3" listed on the site, so I'm not sure I'll be able to use it for this build. It is huge and covered in keikis, so I'm going to pull some off and try them in a couple of vivs. Of course, I hate to sound ungrateful for receiving a huge plant


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## scoy (Jan 22, 2013)

I ordered the stelis mexico sp from andys twice. The first time it was a nice full plant, but the second time it was like yours. I seperated out and now have it spread all over the frog room. Its a nice little orchid very easy to flower, cheap, and very very hardy.


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## Giga (Mar 31, 2011)

Very nice orchids!but what is keikis?


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

Keikis are the plantlets that form on various parts of certain orchids, such as the tops of stems or on the inflorescence. Think of a keiki as a well developed bulbil.


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## FroggyKnight (Mar 14, 2013)

epiphytes etc. said:


> Keikis are the plantlets that form on various parts of certain orchids, such as the tops of stems or on the inflorescence. Think of a keiki as a well developed bulbil.


AHHHHH, of course! 

Keiki, bulbil, two words that brought me to thank God for google once more

Remember, not all of us are well versed in botany. Even the uneducated enjoy reading about cool plants


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

Sometimes, when you're learning to swim, it's better to be thrown right into the deep end


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## FroggyKnight (Mar 14, 2013)

epiphytes etc. said:


> Sometimes, when you're learning to swim, it's better to be thrown right into the deep end


Absolutely! If you hadn't mentioned those terms, I wouldn't have learned something new 

Not sure if I mentioned this already, but your orchid case is off to a great start! I'm following it all the way man


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## LizardLicker (Aug 17, 2012)

I really like the look of that tank. I am looking forward to see how this turns out. 

I wish somebody like Wes would stumble into this area with some tanks like that….


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

Here is the initial planting. I still need to add the moss, and probably a few more orchids. I know it's a bad pic, but at least it gives an idea.


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

Plant list so far:

Pleurothallis grobyi
P. leptotifolia
P. sarracenia
P.teres
Bulbophyllum wendlandianum
B. puditum (fascinator)
B. alagense 'Small Form'
B. monoliforme
Dendrobium leonis
Restrepia sp. Lost Label 
Stelis pusilla
Stelis sp. (Mex. sm. green)
Dischidia nummularia variegated
Microgramma heterophyllum
Peperomia prostrata
Neoregelia 'Small Fry'
Neoregelia lost label- I know I have it somewhere


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

If anybody has any suggestions as far as placement (or replacement) of any of the plants, please do not hesitate.


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

Not much of an update, but the moss mix is really starting to take off. It's a home made mix consisting of Java, weeping moss, two different Manuran mosses, a species I got from james67 a couple of years ago, a dwarf sphagnum (this one isn't doing anything), and Riccia. I'll get a pic later.

Also all of the Pleurothallids are showing growth.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

Did you buy your B. fascinator labeled as putidum? They aren't the same.


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

No, I bought it as fascinator. I was under the impression they had been lumped.


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

I haven't updated this in a while. There have been two more rounds of planting, I may have over done it a bit. I'm having some troubles with the camera, so I'll try to get pics up this evening when I have more time to fiddle with it.


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## alex111683 (Sep 11, 2010)

If you still have this tank it must look amazing by now


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

I do still have it. I've lost some plants and added some plants. I added a few before leaving Tucson that I knew would get too big, but which I wanted to keep. Well, They definitely need to come out now, as they're choking out some of the smaller stuff. 

Here are a few quick phone pics.


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

Here's a update shot from this morning, the third incarnation.


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## GOSKN5 (Dec 31, 2011)

Looks great.. what light are you using?

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

The light is an 18" Finnex Ray2, and runs 14 hrs.


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## HunterB (Apr 28, 2009)

Nothing like a gorgeous grown in tank, beautiful


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