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Post by Rymah on Jan 12, 2009 14:06:16 GMT -5
Hey im lookign for any ideas on Inexpensive indoor terrariums, im pretty handy so i can pretty much build anything.
the only thing is it has to look good cause it will go in my kitchen and my wife will FREAK! if i bring somthing ugly home.
im looking for it to hold 20-30 4 inch pots and keep it fairly humid.
the cheaper the better lol id rather spend money on plants and not there home!
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Post by sherkas on Jan 12, 2009 15:08:20 GMT -5
Build a plexiglass container. I have a setup (2 feet wide by 1.5 long) and I have close to 30 4 inch pots in there. You could buy a big sheet of plexiglass, get it cut them just silicon the edges. Once its built, built a top for a 2 foot t(12 or 8 or 5) light setup and your done!!
Me personally, I would rather build a setup then buy one.
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Post by hal on Jan 12, 2009 19:52:39 GMT -5
I've found you can't get much cheaper than an all-glass aquarium. You can add stained wood moulding top and bottom, and a lid to cover the the lights so it looks like a museum cabinet.
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Post by Flytrap on Jan 15, 2009 14:18:23 GMT -5
Check out your local buy & sell / craigslist. I've picked up dozens of old aquariums for next to nothing. Get the biggest ones you can lay your hands onto... and on the real great deals, you can find them for less than 50 cents per gallon (eg. 50 gallon aquarium, used for under $25)
An old friend of mine used to rig up a small water pump at the base of his terrarium, and placed it on a timer, so that every day, the pump would switch on to recirculate the water that collects at the bottom of the terrarium after it waters his plants from above.
Great setup. Very low maintenance.
He later went on to build a gigantic Edwardian case, and set the pump set on an auto switch off mode when the water levels collected up high at the base.
I'll try find photos of his old terrarium setup... with lush lowland nepenthes growing inside.
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Post by prmills on Jan 15, 2009 16:03:47 GMT -5
I second the craigs list or kijiji idea. I got my 55 gal with stand for $150. I had the same requirments as you, kitchen, look good, wife. Same one as in my avatar. I built a hood for it to and have had no problems
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Post by hackerberry on Jan 15, 2009 16:08:33 GMT -5
Plus, if anyone is interested. I got this technique from one of the guys in my Reptile and Amphibian forum on how to raise up your humidity by 20 to 30 percent. I can post some pics later or maybe just make a sketch out of windows paint.
hb
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Post by prmills on Jan 16, 2009 6:21:00 GMT -5
Anything to help would be great to know, please do
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Post by hackerberry on Jan 16, 2009 11:46:24 GMT -5
Below is a crude illustration [excuse the drawing] of the DIY that increases humidity on a small area or a terrarium. What you need: 2 liter Pop bottle Aquarium pump, hose and airstone - The illustration is self explanatory. Make 2 holes in the cap of the pop bottle then insert the 2 hoses. - One hose [input] should have an airstone submerged in the water and the other hose [output] near the top. - Plug in the other end of the input hose to the Aquarium airpump. The idea is to make humid air created by the airstone to be pushed out of the other end of the output hose. Other benefit would be air movement created but the humid air coming out of the hose. Hope you like it. hb
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Post by prmills on Jan 16, 2009 14:21:35 GMT -5
So it's kinda like a mister with moving the moist air where you want it, that's cool. That might be an idea I can use on a smal green house to up the humidity... hmm.... (mind creeking as it turns)
Thanks!
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Post by hackerberry on Jan 16, 2009 15:21:34 GMT -5
Kinda like a mister but only puts out small amount of mist but mostly humid air. You can maximize it by using a powerhead instead or a dual airpump and then adding some output hose.
hb
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Post by Rymah on Jan 21, 2009 8:22:13 GMT -5
i'v got all the stuf lieing around so im going to make this i just gotta wait until my wife drinks a 2L of pop... i could be waiting for awhile
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Post by hackerberry on Jan 21, 2009 10:32:38 GMT -5
I'm going to do an extreme version and use a 1 gallon container + aquarium powerhead. Should increase my humidity by 70 percent, hehe.
hb
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Post by Rymah on Jan 21, 2009 11:04:36 GMT -5
how much will the 2L bottle in crease the humidity?
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Post by hackerberry on Jan 21, 2009 11:32:42 GMT -5
Hi Rymah,
It will depend on how powerful your airpump and how fine the air stone is. What I do to have fine bubbles is I stuck something that will block the end of the hose and just poke the hose with needles.
Generally, it should increase the humidity of your terrarium by 20%.
And if you have lots of spare bottles, you can also try some simple hydrophonics ;D
hb
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Post by Rymah on Jan 26, 2009 12:40:57 GMT -5
hey Hb i made this on the weekend with a 10 gallon air pump it diddnt seem to raise the humidity very much at all (about 5%) any other ideas?
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