My first Terrarium Build

I think I just found a place that sell dry ice so I am going to see if that works out this weekend. I treated my thrips problem with predatory mites which seems to have damped down the problem but I am not sure they killed all the thrips because I definitely saw something crawling around recently. The coffee/rubbing alcohol mix seemed to get rid the snails for a while, but I just saw one a day or two ago so they are still there. Other than that everything is great. The humidifer really seems to have helped everything out. I have ferns coming out the wazoo, the Scaphosepalum, Lepanthes calodictyon, Dinema porpax, Lepanthosis astrophora and one of the Restrepia are all blooming or have recently bloomed and almost everything else is showing new growth. I am asking for a hygrotherm humidity controller for christmas so I should have more even humidity going forward. I'll try and post some pictures later.

 

I have good news and bad new. I got the dry ice and CO2 bombed the terrarium (twice as the first time I don't think I sealed the terrarium tightly enough) so hopefully no more snail/thrips. The bad news is, on the second attempt, the dry ice and water I put in the terrarium to generate CO2 sort of exploded, spraying the super cooled ice on to several plants. The Trichosalpinx chamaelepanthes and two of the Restrepias have taken some frost damage and either have or likely will lose a good deal of their leaves. Hopefully, they will pull through though. I asked for a Hygrotherm and a Jungle Dawn LED lamp for Christmas so hopefully they will have more consistent humidity and better light towards the bottom of the terrarium shortly so hopefully that will help. On the plus side, my Lepanthosis astrophora took the two colder nights as a sign to bloom.

 

The trichosalpinx and one of the restrepias have officially died but the other restrepia seems to be ok other than dropping a leaf or two. I may have to petition Kelly for new divisions come spring. I thought I would post some old pics I have had in my phone. I also included a picture of my cat just for funnies.

 

My lepanthes calcidtyon seems to be not doing so hot. One of the leaves is yellowing. The humidity is set to 82% and temps are low 60s at night and mid to high 70s in the day. Any suggestions?

 

Hi Marni. I have not checked my pH but I use rain water to water and I use only a 1/4 teaspoon per gallon of orchid fertilizer formulated for RO/rainwater , flushing with pure water maybe a third or quarter of the time. It is pretty moist in there, but I have tried to cut back on watering since I added the humidifier. I think I may need to cut back further. Everything is mounted.

 

I figured out the problem. The power supply for my fan came unplugged. The calodictyon is down to one leaf but seems to be otherwise ok. I made some new additions , a new trichosalpinx chalepanthes ( the old one wasn't actually dead but it would look bad for a long time so I added another alongside) as well as a bulbo alagense.

 

I also added a Jungle Dawn LED 9w bulb which is much brighter than the outgoing 13w CFL. The new orchid additions are from Andy's.

 

I moved my Bulbophyllum lemniscatoides closer to the lights after my Lepanthopsis astrophora(sp?) died (I think mites ate all the leads) and opened up a space and its happy enough in its new place to bloom. Also the Lepanthes calidictyon finally put out a new leaf. The epiphytic ferns and mossare going bonkers. I keep having to cut the ferns back and rip out moss.

 

Some updates on the tank three years in. I’m back using low TDS water (now DI, was using tap for a while after leaving behind the rain barrel at my parents). Most of the original inhabitants have gone to the great mount in the sky but currently I have Bulbophyllum medusae, lasiochilium,auratum, Den jenkinsii and kingianum, a seedling B nodosa x Epi magnolias, the original Restrepia purpuera and trichoglossa from KellyW, scaphyglottis graminfolia, a mystery mini Catt, a promanea riograndensia, pleurothallis grobyii and restrepiodes string of pearls, and Phal Cornu cervi in there. Recently moved it to right against the cool outer wall of my apartment with the hopes of triggering some blooms as most don’t bloom regularly for me.

 

Thanks Marni. Also I forgot there is also a mystery Masdevallia, barbosella dusenii, platystele stenostachya and Restrepia brachypus in there.