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My first terrarium I made was from a ten gallon aquarium.I put alot of thought into
ventilation and humidity,I'm glad I did because I rarely have problems with mold (seedlings)
and I never have to mist my tank.
Here are some photos of how I made the lighthood.

3016.jpg

I stained the peice of wood and I mounted this fan over one of the holes drilled in the lid,
when I turn the fan on it takes the warm air at the top of the terrarium and it blows it
out the hole on the other side of the lid.
Had I picked a larger fan I think that it would murder my humidity.
3014.jpg

I wired it up to a rectifier and I hooked the rectifier up to a ac adaptor.
terarium006.jpg

terarium002.jpg


Here is the bottom of the light hood.
terarium001.jpg

I just used a light fixture I had lying around.

This is a pic right after I got it set up.
growshelf003.jpg

I then bought my first cape sundew and it managed to produce a flower stalk
inside the terrarium so I think the lighting is good.
3052.jpg

I originally made this terrarium to germinate seedlings.In the little flat are my flytrap seeds they are no longer in their along with the flowering cape sundew.
Now all that is in the terrarium are adelae's

mostrecentpics011.jpg

mostrecentpics045.jpg

mostrecentpics047.jpg

All of those adelae's are from lowes hardware store,I bought one of thoughs cubes and there were three sickly adelae's about one inch in diameter.
Well the terrarium works so well, heres an idea of how humid it is inside

mostrecentpics001.jpg

There is a wavy form to the condensation on the glass,that is because of natural ventilation.
I don't have to use the fan for ventilation like I thought I would have to,I mostly use the fans when germinating seed because that is the only time I have had mold appear.
I might try to replicate the setup using a bigger tank.
If it wasn't so small it would be perfect for lowland nepenthes.
 
thats really smart mate! would you sell one?
 
even though the adelae may look great and the capensis is flowering(which may be totally unrelated to amount of light it is getting....more of a stress thing probably).... it still may not be enough light for most CPs. how many watts is that fluorescent tube?

Alex
 
even though the adelae may look great and the capensis is flowering(which may be totally unrelated to amount of light it is getting....more of a stress thing probably).... it still may not be enough light for most CPs. how many watts is that fluorescent tube?

Alex

I don't know how many watts but I know it has a high lumen rating,Around the same lumes I use on my ventricosa and it has nice coloration.
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r62/hive_man/mostrecentpics007.jpg
 
thats really smart mate! would you sell one?

It cost about 25 dollars to make and alot of it was stuff I already had.
the tank was 10 dollars
the little fan was 15 dollars
the ac adaptor was in the garage and the wood was leftover.
the mylar was about 12 dollars for a roll,I already had the fixture and a bulb.
Later I bought a new bulb at cost so that was 2 dollars.
It is glass and shipping and handling would be expensive.
The reason why I showed so many pics is so that you could make one yourself
and save money.:-O
 
This costs nothing! Space and light are free.

IMG_0056-1.jpg


This was just a little bit more expensive, at least initially.

IMG_0050-1.jpg
 
you probably

you probably will need this I made it real quick to help out.
rectifier.jpg
 
I really think your plants need more light. A lot more. That looks like only 15 watts. A ten gallon is hard to work with unless you have several, so then you can have a few 4 foot shop lights over them. Take the lid off, and then you can take out the fan, and then you don't have to take time to wire it up.

-Ben
 
  • #10
I really think your plants need more light. A lot more. That looks like only 15 watts. A ten gallon is hard to work with unless you have several, so then you can have a few 4 foot shop lights over them. Take the lid off, and then you can take out the fan, and then you don't have to take time to wire it up.

It is already wired upa nd all I am growing in their are adelae's they seem to like ti alot,I am going to make another one of these and I will consider getting stronger lighting.
 
  • #11
I think ya got D. adelae down pat!
 
  • #12
I think my guy is FINNALLY making leafs it has been months the neps are growing much faster I will finnally get my first leaf. Maybe they got stressed from barerooting ? I have 2 fixtures just like yours but I am instead gowing to use compact flourscent lights that put out 100 wat equivalant and will use 3 for my 10 gallon tank. I may use 1 of those small fixtures just like you have with my 3 compact warm flourscent lights. I am almost done other than I need 1 more socket to wire,some reflecters and mylar. I am going to get a fan by going to the thrift shop then buying a really cheap computer then pop that open for 2 fans. For the compact lights they will stick out of the wood top so I will have to make a box to hide the reflecters and cording (my mom is estetics,she buys nice pottery for my windowsill cps :D)
 
  • #13
BTW, here's ar old pics that should have some familiarity about it:

Strausplants001.jpg


Strausplants002.jpg
 
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