# Terrarium version 2



## tetra73 (Aug 2, 2011)

Terrarium version 2. It took me a week to complete it. Growing some plants inside a container with no air circulation is more complicated than I thought. The version 1 didn't work out that well and the tank was too small and the soil was not right and too wet. I converted my 40g aquarium, 36"x18", into a terrarium with more lighter and less compacted soil mix. The tank, an acrylic tank, has the right opening to vent out odor and stagnant air. Unfortunately, there are a lot of stains on the tank surface. 


40g terrarium tank. by vracing, on Flickr


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## Raymond S. (Dec 29, 2012)

Looks great !!!
Not a fan of Philidendrom, but it's your tank so...
One Blue Tail skink should go nice in there.


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## tetra73 (Aug 2, 2011)

Raymond S. said:


> Looks great !!!
> Not a fan of Philidendrom, but it's your tank so...
> One Blue Tail skink should go nice in there.


Thanks but my first time with Orchid and so I have to see how these will thrive. They are potted inside a plastic container and the roots aren't in contact with the soil. I can easily take them out and to water them if needed. I could add more Orchids in 2 to 3 weeks or so and to tie them to the driftwood. I have to let the soil to settle in first and to see if any pests would develop. Last time with first terrarium, I got some thrips and they were damaging the flower buds of my African violet. I have been using some neem oil on my first tank and it worked. Unfortunately, my old soil (left over from my dirt low tech tank) has too much ferts in it.


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## samee (Oct 14, 2011)

TBH when I opened the thread and saw the image all the plants looked like fake plastic plants, thats how clean and spot free they are. Very well done.


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## CannaBrain (Oct 3, 2008)

Not sure if he meant phaelenopsis or philo.. anyways, seems like thrips are hard to avoid with a lot of commercial African violets, especially the very violet colored ones. They are almost a constant presence in the African violets in the green house I work at. They only munch on and affect the flowers though so often if you trim back every bud fur a while, you can get rid of them. Yeah keep an eye on those orchids, they will drop their blooms to quickly if over wet, so they should let you know soon how they're feeling in there.

Overall though, great composition


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## tetra73 (Aug 2, 2011)

samee said:


> TBH when I opened the thread and saw the image all the plants looked like fake plastic plants, thats how clean and spot free they are. Very well done.



Thanks.. It would be better if I could make my own 3D background from some foams and foam spray. Too much work. See if I could find some cost effective and easy way to cover all the blue background....

Hey, I kept a fish tank in order to grow plants. Why not just grow plants all together, without algae and daily fert dosage.... All the plants are locally purchased from Lowes and Homedepot and one from my local nursery. Not like aquatic plants you have to order them online...

Bump:


CannaBrain said:


> Not sure if he meant phaelenopsis or philo.. anyways, seems like thrips are hard to avoid with a lot of commercial African violets, especially the very violet colored ones. They are almost a constant presence in the African violets in the green house I work at. They only munch on and affect the flowers though so often if you trim back every bud fur a while, you can get rid of them. Yeah keep an eye on those orchids, they will drop their blooms to quickly if over wet, so they should let you know soon how they're feeling in there.
> 
> Overall though, great composition



Thanks. I am totally fascinated by orchids at this point. They are mostly air plants and no soil sediments are needed. They get their nutrients from the air and the moisture in the air. Too bad my tank isn't tall enough. I could have hang them upside down.


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## CannaBrain (Oct 3, 2008)

They are epiphytes, yes, but will still certainly need nutrition, especially if you'd like them to bloom again. They are not like _tallandsia_, or "air plants," and they do need ferts. There are all kinds of orchid ferts out there, but you'd wanna go for a bloom formula (NPK = low - high - high) while in bloom like yours are.


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## tetra73 (Aug 2, 2011)

CannaBrain said:


> They are epiphytes, yes, but will still certainly need nutrition, especially if you'd like them to bloom again. They are not like _tallandsia_, or "air plants," and they do need ferts. There are all kinds of orchid ferts out there, but you'd wanna go for a bloom formula (NPK = low - high - high) while in bloom like yours are.



Hmm..I have some dry ferts here and wondering if I could use them???


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## tetra73 (Aug 2, 2011)

Some updates...

I managed to get a hold for some gold club moss at a local, NYC, orchid wholesale store. Wow, that was some sights seeing all the orchids and of different kinds!!!! They are about $5 to 10$ more expensive than those from Lowes or Homedepot though. 

DSC_3482 by vracing, on Flickr


DSC_3481 by vracing, on Flickr


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