forgot to say, my lighting is 4 32watt T8 bulbs and 2 26watt compact florescent bulbs (the screw/twirl shaped kind), the T8s are like 16" away from the shelf and the CF bulbs are 14' away.

I can answer some questions about an aquarium/humidity set-up, but not much about light - I'm still learning about that for these plants myself.

Take a look at the thread in the link below, and then let me know if you have more questions.

As follow-up to that thread, my humidity runs at about 70-85%. It falls to 60-65 if I fail to water a few of the plants every day, and it jumps to 90%+ for a period after I water/spray inside. I'm very happy. The masdies look lusher, and the drac, which I received from Ecuagenera in Feb has now put out a new growth. A Lepanthes zamorensis that was on the decline has incredible new growth. A Chiloschista lunifera is undecided (looks good, but I'm waiting for new growth. just came out of bloom, but that was pre-aquarium).

I have a hi/lo temp/humidity remote sensor that lives in there. I recommend that you invest in one so that you can watch the environment. When I see the humidity go to less than 70%, I know that I forgot to water or the resevoir is low. Mine came from radio shack as a 'weather center' at $40, and I bought an extra remote unit (it takes 3 remote units). The main unit is in the orchid room, the remote is in the tank.

Let me know if I can help :)
Carolyn

Here is a link that might be useful: My hi-humidity aquarium set-up

What is your average winter, spring, summer, fall night and day temps as well as outdoor humidity? From what little I know of N. Cal, I question your need to do anything but stick your plants outside in shade. Even I can do that 9 months of the year in Florida (and pulled it off 7 months of the year in NC). Most masdies and dracs do wonderfully well between 40 and 80, as a day and night spread, and everywhere in between. You don't live in a desert environment, so natural outdoor humidity shouldn't be a problem. Think night time dew, tons of humidity.

For that matter, if you are the type of person who leaves their windows open most of the year with ceiling fans going unless it's really stinkin' hot, your temps and humidity inside your house might be fine.

I think you are making this harder than necessary. The key to these plants is keeping the roots cool. So, in my case, in the warmer months, I bring them in during the day and set them in trays with just enough water to evaporate during the day (the AC sucks the humidity out of the air and dries them out). Then stick them back out at night for the 90% humidity, even if it's still 80 degrees outside.

We live in a much more temperate climate than Carolyn (no offense, frankly you are a better grower than I), take advantage of it.

Laura

Laura- Thanks for the compliment- have you seen my compost pile? ;)

Personally, I think that I'm going to have a hard time with the cool requirements of these plants, actually the problem may be the temperature differential, since I grow at ambient temp (a heated house in the winter, and whatever the temp is during the rest of the year).

You're lucky in that you don't need special humidity. Here (even a few miles from water) our typical humidity is not much more than 40-50% in the house (35-40% in the winter). I set up the aquarium really for humidity.

Carolyn