Orchid display case

11 years ago

So I found two of thesee aquarium units at my local Habitat Restore for $10 each. I wanted to use them as temporary grow chambers or display cases. My house is very dry in the winter so I am looking for a way to better display my orchids outside of my growing area. The lid closes on these so maintining humdity is easy, and I can mount small computer fan for air circulation. My issue is lighting. The units came with a full spectrum 13 watt light. Orginally, I was thinking I could simply put in a new ballast and a higher watt light. But that seems like a pain now.

Any thoughts on boasting the light in this unit? I was planning on adding mylar sheeting for the bottom and back. I am hoping this should be sufficient for a display area. There is not much ambient light where it will be located so the 13 watt bulb is about the only light source. It gives off about 250 candle foot.

Featured Answer

westoh Z6

11 years ago

Darlene,

I used mine over a 20gal tank. As far as the light set-up, the total cost was @$130 6-7 years ago. I purchase my replacement bulbs from another source, usually 1000bulbs.com. Mine is a CFL set-up, the U-tube/4 pin type. Again, I'd go with an LED set-up now-a-days as heat was always an issue in my tanks. I ended up just building an area where I can use a pump sprayer and mist my mounties 3x a day, this ended up being much less hassle for me. I basically constructed a 4' tall, 3' wide 1' deep box with mylar covering the inside and bottom with a flouro light egg crate type piece attached to the back wall to hang the plants from. I have 5 or 6 mounties and some bare-root mini-vanda types in this set-up currently. I've bloomed a mini-vanda and D unicum under this already this winter, looks like a couple of others are getting ready to start spiking too. Again, a lot less of a hassle for me than my tanks (20 and 55 gal) were in the past.

Bob

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Comments (6)

westoh Z6
11 years ago
Darlene,

I used a 2x55 watt unit from this place when I used a tank, that
was @ 6 years ago. I'd go with LED's today because of they run so much
cooler. I still use my 2x55 over some mounties in the winter.

AH Supply

Bob
Darlene (GreenCurls)
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks Bob. How large was your tank?
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Darlene (GreenCurls)
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks for sharing all of this information, Bob. I am also considering building a larger structure to house some of my collection. I have a room that receives a large amount of East and south light. I would like may larger vivarium in there, eventually. Would you mine sharing a picture of your set-up.

For now you have given me a lot to think about for the smaller containers. I don't want to invest too much in them if I am not going to use them for the long haul. I love the idea of the LEDs but the price makes me take pause a bit.
Darlene (GreenCurls)
Original Author
11 years ago
To add to my set-up woes, my lid can not accommodate the length of the 15w LED. It plus the socket and end caps will be too long. I might add something like this to my current light. It is only 11 inches total It is only 4.62w which should produce about 400 lumens (According a couple of comparison charts I found online). I am hoping the led plus the current 13w CFL will work out.
westoh Z6
11 years ago
Darlene,
I used the kit in the link included and added a 24" wood 'hood'.
CFL Kit

The AHSupply LED lamps are very expensive, you should be able to find them for less dollars via Google.

Bob