Terrarium Setup

[bibliofloris]

A couple of people have asked how I set up my terrariums, so here's how I did it! Let me know if you have any questions, and if you set yours up differently, please share -- I'd love to learn more.

I decided to set up some terrariums because I was out of window space and my cats are plant eaters. Besides, I like tiny weird orchids best. I found really amazing photos of naturalistic vivariums online, and decided I wanted to try one with orchids. My terrariums are the same temperature as the rest of my environment, but I've also heard of people making warm or cool microclimates in tanks.

I have two terrariums right now, a 29-gallon and a 10-gallon. Both were used glass fishtanks, one given to me by friends who were buying a bigger one, and one from a thrift store/charity shop.

1. I cleaned the tanks well, but didn't bother to sterilize them.

2. I evaluated the covers and lights. The big one was okay for my purposes (built in fluorescent tube lighting with good air circulation), but I decided to get a mesh metal cover and screw-in compact fluorescent light fixture for the 10-gallon, to get better light and air circulation. I was ready to add computer fans if it looked like it was necessary, but my house is drafty and has forced-air heat and lots of air movement, so I haven't had any fungus or mold issues. I'm not using the pumps, heaters, etc that came with them.

3. I bought a coir (coconut fiber) block to rehydrate for the bottom of the tanks (maybe 1-2 inches deep?), and added some large fish gravel to the large tank and coarse bark to the small tank. For the backdrop, I used coir flower basket liner, which my local nursery sells by the yard. Some pet shops sell similar stuff for hermit crab habitats.

4. I also bought a bunch of pieces of cork and bogwood branches from the pet store (I didn't want them to rot too quickly). I decorated with these, a small gargoyle resin tabletop fountain, some ceramic candlesticks from the thrift store, some rocks, a couple of terra cotta pipes from a so-far-failed nanoviv experiment, a couple of general creeping plants and ferns, and, of course, teeny tiny orchids!

5. Most of the orchids are mounted, either on whatever they came on, cork, or the outside of terra cotta pots whose drainage holes have been sealed (I used corks). I bought them from Andy's Orchids, J&L Orchids, and vendors at a couple of orchid shows. As I've learned more, I realized I have some warm growers in with some cool growers (I was primarily choosing based on tiny size and low light levels), but they've done pretty well in fairly intermediate conditions.

About once a week, I fill a small watering can with a narrow tip with rainwater or distilled water (occasionally fishtank water) and pour water over the hanging mounts and fill up the terra cotta mounts. Sometimes the bottom water level gets a little high temporarily, but the air movement and open tank tops mean that it evaporates pretty quickly (plus, the coir substrate holds a lot of water if need be). I try to pull out dead leaves when I see them.

Over the years, moss started to grow on things (yay!); I didn't plant it. I lost a couple of tiny mounts at the top of the back wall, most likely to underwatering (they were closer to the lights and also less-established). Otherwise, they've been pretty trouble-free. (I'm not a beginning orchid grower, but I wouldn't call myself an expert, either.)

I haven't used standard fertilizer in these, as I was worried about buildup. I haven't had to pull them apart and redo them for any reason yet. I've been lucky not to have insect infestations, fungus, or other issues. The mounts do tend to grow together and to the decorations, so it would be harder to take apart now.

Any other questions for me?

[Julez]

Thank you bibliofloris, for your great instruction and descriptions. I am sure I will have some questions once I start my tank renovations. I will get supplies in the next couple of days.

[maiseymoo]

Thanks for the great description and sharing with us! Definately something to think about now I am fast running out of windowsill space, just don't know where I would put a tank either.

[bibliofloris]

Thanks, I hope it proves useful! I just messed around with it until I thought it would work. I'm just a beginner terrarium grower, though -- do check around and see what's out there! I was particularly amazed by the step-by-step vivarium setup at Black Jungle -- incredible! Their terrarium gallery is gorgeous, too. (I haven't ever ordered from them, fyi.)

[Julez]

That tank is incredible but quite simple too. I am so glad this topic came up before I started mine. I wouldn't mind a tank that size but me thinks I would need a bigger house too.

[Irene]

Uh oh, now I've been inspired. Hmm, seems I had an old 10 gallon tank around here somewhere..

Thanks so much for your post!

[lmartiny]

those look really good. Very nicely done.

[bibliofloris]

Thanks! I've enjoyed them.

I would say that if you want to grow a lot of tiny thin-leaved orchids, you may need to either water more often or try out mounting them on tiny terra cotta pots filled with water (so the terra cotta "sweats" as they need the moisture).

Julez -- thanks for asking for more info -- it's been fun to share the proess!

Irene -- that's exactly how my project started! Good luck!

lmartiny -- thank you! I fuss and fuss over them until I like the way they look -- the design doesn't come very easy to me, but luckily I can move sticks around as much as I want to before plants are involved.

My next project is to set up another empty tank as a grow box to hold the masdie babies from my first flasks, and then hopefully some day turn it into a planted terrarium for the adults... I hope it goes well!

[Irene]

I hope you don't mind me adding to your thread. You really put the fire in my belly!

So today I received my terrarium orchids (just let me say, I am now in love with Andy's Orchids. Very nice plants!). I also stopped by a pet store and grab some substrate and grape wood. Once I get my terrarium established and healthy, I want to add some dart frogs

And since my Ghost orchid (which seems to be doing fine btw) appears to be more than one (and maybe as many as 4), I might pull one off and put it in the terrarium to see how it does in there. (for those interested in the Ghost, I've hit him with fertilizer, SuperThrive and worm tea. Still alive)

Ok here's what I got from Andy's (criteria was cute, small, low light, I to W growing, likes it damp, 20 bucks or less ) :

Pleurothallis grobyi




Scaphosepalum rapax


Masdevallia zahlbruckneri


Platystele stenostachya

[bibliofloris]

Ooh, nice! I love Andy's too -- and I love my Pleuro. grobyi, which I hear is now Specklinia grobyi. Here's the photos of mine blooming.
And I love the look of that masdie!

I think it would be great if this becomes a general terrarium setup thread, and I definitely want to hear how yours goes! Please do keep sharing.

[PhalNewbie89]

Nice tanks. I have thought about tank growing myself but just haven't done it yet. I have been curious too if anyone has tried tank orchids and animals. I use to have hermit crabs and would love to be able to raise them with chids...they might eat my plants though :P...

[JungleMel]

Hi! I have a few questions. What humidity levels are you getting with having a mesh top and where did you get the background?
Edit: you answered my 1st question
Also just wanted to say your terrariums are beautiful!

Btw Black Jungle has a lot that isn't on their website. I worked for them last weekend at their vendor booth at a local flower show. I came home with a noid Masdevallia (mostly because I forgot to ask if it had a name) and a Nepenthes sibuyanensis to start off my experiment 10 gal cool tank. They had a few orchids for sale that weren't listed on the web and Richard and Mike are really nice, so don't hesitate to send them an email if you are interested in what they may have for terrariums.

[bibliofloris]

That's going to be a great tank, JungleMel! I hope you post pics! I love masdies and Nepenthes.

I just checked, and the humidity in my 10 gallon tank with the mesh top is 80%. I'm using the original Eclipse hood on the 29 gallon right now, and the humidity there is 85% with the hood shut. (It has a two-part hood that can be adjusted for more or less air flow, but this is pretty much the "closed" version.) Both readings were taken at ground level in the terrariums.

Let me know if there's anything else I can answer... And I bet Black Jungle had an incredible booth!

[Irene]

I'm so excited about the whole terrarium thing.

I took mine outside, early in the AM this weekend, to wash it out before setting it up. Put it in the cool grass, and, the glass shattered, lol.

Soooo, now I'm thinking that the 10 gallon tank wasn't big enough anyway. I'll be picking up a 20 gallon this weekend. I won't be washing it outside in the early morning dew.

Thanks so much for the corked off ceramic pot idea. I'm definitely going to use that in mine.

[bibliofloris]

Oh, no, Irene -- so sorry to hear that! But a bigger terrarium is a great idea!

Sometimes you can find tiny unglazed terra cotta pots without holes at all, and those are even better. The corks work, and are less mess than aquarium sealer, etc, but I have to wedge the pots in since the bottoms aren't flat and stable, and every once in a while a cork works loose. The orchids seem to love the constant moisture, though, and it helps keep the humidity up without swamping the tank. I got the idea from Mikael Karlbom's nanovivs (still totally want one of these someday!) I've seen comercial products around that do similar things, too, but haven't tried them.

[kmarch]

I see it looks like you have a lot of pleuros in there. Are oyu growing cool growing orchids in there? If so what are you rtemps in there?

[JungleMel]

Bibliofloris- Thanks its just the two plants with a temp/humidity gage and some egg crate in the bottom right now, and being as it is only 10 gal I won't put that much work into making it look pretty. just hoping it doesnt get out grown too soon! I'll post you a pic though in a day or two, because the masdie is just opening its bloom now.

Irene- thats too bad about your tank! Trust me though, and buy or make the largest one you can afford. I have a 150 gal. tall thats being outgrown by some older nepenthes and I'm trying to squeeze in orchids that like the warm environment I made that one into. I'm trying to put a shower rod across the top to hang even more.

[Julez]

bibliofloris, I loved Mikeal's idea. Did he have Sphag Moss in the tray that the pipe was standing in or was there moss in the pipe too?

[bibliofloris]

kmarch - I'm not trying to temperature control them, so they're pretty close to my house temperatures. Winter = ~65 degrees F during the day, down to as low as 55 degrees F at night; Summer = ~70 degrees F during the day (occasionally up to ~80 degrees F for a few very hot days), also down to ~55-60 degrees F at night. I have some of the warmer growers mounted closer to the lights, but if I was doing it again, I would have avoided them in my conditions; unfortunately I didn't get great information when considering every purchase. Aerangis citrata is fine; Phal. lobbii pretty much sulks. A lot of terrarium growers do warm or cool tanks, but I haven't gotten that fancy.

JungleMel - My small terrarium is 10 gallon too - but it fits lots of tiny orchids! I definitely want to see your 150 gallon one, though!! I like the shower rod idea a lot.

[bibliofloris]

Julez - here's a post that collected info from some of Mikael's posts in a forum thread (see comments for original source). If I remember right, he said the moss grew all on its own; he hadn't added any. I am definitely not an expert on his method, just someone who happened upon it and thought it was cool! My pipes leaked too fast so far, but I'm still considering trying it with pipes in a deep saucer full of water within the terrarium...

[JungleMel]

Ok well here is the 150 gal. looking like a mess right now. It was a fishtank that cracked at a seam, thought it was resealed, but it isn't (its leaking) so we are taking it apart in the spring to try and resilicone the bottom. I put in the wood pieces in the back to start hanging some orchids, and bought the strongest looking shower rod at HD last week (not installed yet) But anyway you get the idea. You can def. see 2 neofinetia in the pic, a rehabbing mini phal, and there are more hanging on posts in the mess of nepenthes. I end up moving things in and out of this tank if it needs a cooler winter or rest period, which is a lot right now.
...and the modest beginnings of a cool 10 gal. Any recommendations for this one would be great. Its in more of a public area of my apt. than the larger one, so maybe I will add some rocks, moss, ferns etc. to make it look more like yours.

[bibliofloris]

What gorgeous Nepenthes, JungleMel! I love your trellis sections in the big tank, too -- looks great! And that masdie sure is pretty... I think you'll come up with something awesome for that tank, too. Be sure and post pics when you get it set up the way you want it -- I want to see!

[Julez]

Hi All

Today I went shopping

Black silicone
3m x 5mm tubing
Expanding foam
A brick of Coir Peat
2 plastic cutlery trays
1 Large and expensive piece of Drift wood

Any thing else I need or any hints.... I am open to suggestions.

Nice setup JungleMel!

Oh and I have started emptying my tank so I am almost ready to start.........

[JungleMel]

Thanks for the compliments guys. I'll have some much nicer pics after I have to tear it apart. I'm going through the Black Jungle and Tropiflora sites for some nice moss or something for the bottom. If any of you are interested in some Neps for your terrariums, I'm cutting back the two larger ones and would be happy to give or trade the cuttings away rather than throw them out.

Julez- How large is the tank your working with? The 10 gal. seems fine with a slight crack to the lid (its glass) but the larger definetly needs the fan thats in there. Are you working on making it warm, cool, or intermediate tank? I really want to see how yours turns out. I just love projects like this!

[kid a]

Oh dear hahah! These are great pics. Sadly my whites tree frog has just passed a fw days ago to what I beleive may have been red leg :'( Anyways now I have a nice Zoo med tank with side vents and a precut hole with stopper in the back to add a water and a pump to I would so like. Its got me thinking.......and thanks to these wonderful pics from you guys...got me thinking even more. I was gonna buy a fish tank to put on the stand for all thr guppies since they keep having babies. But I have this awesome tank already so maybe I should do something with orchids instead. I always told myself if he ever passed I would give it a try.

[Irene]

Terrarium is well under way!

I built a background, a false bottom with LECA covered with screen, substrate with shreaded coco and chopped dried sphag. On top of that is coco husk.

There are 3 pieces of wood for plants and a small pond for my future frogs.

There is live sphag in the pond and on some of the wood. I'll probably drop some on top of the coco husk and hopefully it will grow.

There is a hose that runs down through the background, into the bottom, for syphoning. Don't worry katrina, I've learned that you can start the syphon with one of those round, squeezy sucker things for babies (have never known what those are called).

I took my Ghost out of his jar and made a Ghost orchid tree. When I removed him from his stick, he came apart in many pieces. So this will be interesting.

I have 1 rootless mini phal and 1 with 2 small roots.

Ok here are the pics (sorry all are top down shots. too much glare on the glass for outside tank shots):

Ghost tree and rootless phal


Almost rootless phal


Overview with the great minis from Andy's


There is a top with a florescent light for plants. It also has a cut out for a hose that I am going to put down into the top of the terrarium and attach to a humidifier, to fog the terrarium. I'll post a pic once that is set up.

[Irene]

Ok the sun is going down. Got a decent shot straight into the tank:



Now I need to find some nice creeping plants to fill it out.

[Irene]

I have a 6500k florescent light on the tank. The Ghosts started withering, I think from that light. So I draped their mount in live sphag. They seem to be improving. Here's a pic



LOL you can't see the Ghosts because they're shaded by sphag. Well take my word for it, they are improving

[JungleMel]

Nice set up Irene, it looks fantastic! I have always wanted to try ghosts, but haven't had a chance yet so please keep us posted on how everything is doing. This thread is making me more and more motivated to have my tanks looking less utilitarian. I bought some moss the other day so I'm working on it!

[Irene]

Do you want me to post my construction pics?

[Irene]

Since my tank will host not only orchids but also frogs, I had to add some plants for the frogs comfort. Here's an updated pic

[pugmom]

Originally Posted by Irene

Since my tank will host not only orchids but also frogs, I had to add some plants for the frogs comfort. Here's an updated pic

Attachment 32986

I was going to ask this.......

I was at the pet store today buying bulbs and an aquarium and inquired about the green tree frogs and if they could live in a tank of orchids and the guy told me that orchids were poisonous to them...... apparently he was wrong.

What type of extra care is needed to add a few frogs?
And does it have any benefits for the plants?

[Irene]

Hmmm

Well I am a novice when it comes to frogs, but, the frog forum I frequent shows the frog experts with orchids in their tanks. Orchids and frogs seem to do well.

From what I've read, the frogs fertilize the orchids

The frogs (I will be getting Dart Frogs. Not sure if the same applies to Tree Frogs) will require high humidity. I plan to put a screen over the top of mine and then a piece of glass that covers maybe 80-90% of the screen, to hold in the humidity. I will also probably attach a small computer fan to keep air circulating. I've read that you can just hook them up to an old computer power supply (I happen to have several laying around, lol).

My tank has a false bottom: a layer of LECA, covered with screen on top, and then shredded coco and chopped dried sphag for soil on top of that. And then coco husk. I have topped off the whole thing with some live sphag moss.

The reason for the false bottom with LECA is that the LECA allows water to wick up into the substrate to keep it moist, but not soggy. I have water in the tank about half way up the LECA.

The orchids I have are moisture loving, and do not require high light.

If you do a tank of your own, be sure to check out the miniature orchids at Andy's Orchids. Big selection and the plants I got were very healthy.

eta: I have never had a terrarium before. This thread is what made me finally do it. So I am in no way an expert.

[JungleMel]

Sure construction pics would be great. As you can see from my photos, my tanks do the job but aren't much to look at (aside from the plants) Did you do anything special to make it more hospitable for ghosts? My warmer terrarium sounds like it might work, but with so many people having a hard time with them I don't want to waste my $ and time if its not.

Pugmom- Frogs should get live food,so if the sound of crickets chirping late at night bothers you you may have to move the tank far from where you sleep, lol. Depending on the type of frogs you may need to add a water feature. They also need placed to hide so you may want to integrate that into your design or add some plants with large leaves or some braches. You also have to renew the substrate every so often from the waste. I don't have any myself because they are more maintenence than I want right now, but have a freind whos really into them, so this is just what I've been told.

[pugmom]

I have the same set up, I only have one orchid now but its a mini phal, we are having an orchid society meeting in 2 weeks and I plan to get some more low light, high moisture minis, maybe 2 or 3 more to start.

The tank I got just has a normal fish type lid, with an opening at the front or you can close it, I got a 26 w CF bulb that puts out 1600 lumen and I only put one bulb in one of the sides so its bright on one side shady on the other ( I may add another light at a later time but for now one works).

I have a coconut husk bottom, it keeps the moisture really high, it has been between 70 and 80.

Never heard of the LECA would that be available at the petstore?

Anyways we have never had reptiles and my son has been bugging me but I will continue to do some reading about the different types of frogs.

[pugmom]

Sharing some pictures of what I did last night
(although its nothing compared to what others have done I am pretty damn proud of myself lol)

Looking back I probably should have picked a flatter piece of wood, the one I picked is pretty much like a little tree trunk, but it looks neat and has big cracks through it for the plants to grip onto.

[Overgrown]

Cool setup! Thanks!

[bibliofloris]

Wow -- y'all have been busy! Nice looking tanks out there!

[Julez]

With a big thanks to my Hubby my tank is well under way, I have taken lots of photos and will post as soon as it is finished. I am in the process of trying to find small/mini plants. I have several tiny orchids and one on the way, some good old spanish moss.

[Julez]

I have finally finished planting today and have moved it to its permanent position. My very clever Hubby, who did all the work with the expanding foam, black silicone and pump said he would let me do the hard stuff, so I got to add the plants.

[Julez]

here are some more pics

[Julez]

more pics

[Julez]

A few more

[Julez]

Chids I have used:
Spanish Moss? Tillandsia usneoides
Dendrobium Alliance-
Davejonesia lichenastrum
Davejonesia prenticei
Silbophyllum toressae
A tiny noid that I have had for sometime which I divided and put in the mesh pots with bark mix with sphagnum moss sitting on the top of the pot.

Bublbophyllum Alliance-
Adelopetalum elisae

Vanda Alliance-
Plectorrhiza tridentata

Catt. intermedia 'alba' x Catt. intermedia 'pink' when I was repotting this chid it broke into 3 pieces so I put the larger pieces into a new pot and the tiny piece in here. As an experiment I dunked it into Clonex and it has sprouted 2 new roots.

[koshki]

Julez, wow, what a great tutorial! Thanks for showing all your hard work!

[bibliofloris]

Looks fab, Julez -- and like you're already having fun with it! Thanks for the pics -- very inspiring!

[Irene]

Gorgeous Julez! I'd love to see you grow some Ghosts in there

[Julez]

Thanks guys.

Irene, maybe one day, I will find one here or win lotto and import one.Very cute.

[Julez]

Hi everyone

I need some help, I have found some meldrew in my terrarium. I removed the lid a couple of days ago but is there anything else I can do to stop it coming back.

I have two types, one is dry and powdery and the other was really wet and yucky and furry. I have totally removed the latter.

[Hornet]

Your lucky your hubby did the silicone and expanding foam, that stuffs a nightmare to deal with. I started my tank about 2 weeks ago and am on to the siliconing stage now, god its messy, have to do patches at a time. What brand of foam did you use? Any recent pics of the tank?

[orchids4me]

Originally Posted by Irene

I have a 6500k florescent light on the tank. The Ghosts started withering, I think from that light. So I draped their mount in live sphag. They seem to be improving. Here's a pic

Attachment 32970

LOL you can't see the Ghosts because they're shaded by sphag. Well take my word for it, they are improving

Hi Irene,
Your set up looks great did you ever get plants to fill in the areas? And where did you find live sphag? I would love to get some of that.
Thanks
Emmaye