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Shower stall as a grow chamber

I was at the hardware superstore today and was looking around for something to do and I ran across prefab showerstall kits some which look very nice and could be a nice focal point of a room - especially with nice big Nepenthes growing in it!

I would imagine it would be a simple thing to get a sheet of plexiglass cut to set ontop and put some light over it. The front has clear glass the sides and bottom are waterproof once assembled and caulked so I would think this would make a good nepenthes chamber. But before I drop a good chunk of change on one (apx $200 not including top glass and lighting) I thought I'd see if any of you have tried this yet and what your experiencess are.

I have built plywood and polyethylene plastic dropcloth chambers but I've always wanted something that looks a bit nicer, holds humidity better and of course taller and since I need to upsize my lowland chamber I'm thinking of going with one of these in the next month or so.

Thanks for any thoughts!
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I have never tried nor even considered such a thing, but I think it sounds like a great idea. I think it would work and look really good. Having a shower randomly in the middle or actually side of a room would be so great. If I ever have the money (hope and pray to someday have money) I might steal or rather borrow your idea if you don't mind and if noone here finds a problem with it.
 
I've always wanted to shower with my Nepenthes Truncata too!
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I see no problem except with a stall being so tall you would need a great amount of light. That sounds like the only problem to me.
 
How would you place the plants in there? I guess you can hang neps various distance from the top. Seems a horizontal orientation would be better, except that it would look funny
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For less than $200, you can build yourself a nice grow chamber out of plexiglass
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Horizontal is OK for smaller plants but some of my lowlanders are getting nearly 3 feet tall and I want them to continue climbing. To help the plants climb I was thinking I could attach some of those "repti vines" by Zoomed to various spots.

The showerstall I'm looking at is a pentagonal corner model 74" H x 38"W x 38"D with a three sided glass front.

As for lighting I have some metal halide fixtures which are only collecting dust in my closet. I figure on using either the 175W or the 250W, perhaps two chambers, one for lowerlight lowlanders and one for higher light lowlanders...
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Great idea Swords,

Idea for lighting....I have seen in Home Depot these flourescent (spelling?) fixtures that stick to a surface, so you could mount them at intervals up the wall.

Failing that, you could just screw the suckers into the walls at intervals. Would look a little like a stand-up tanning chamber!
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Seems to me you could even plumb in the drain to an expanded sump, Talk about soil moisture controll. Some models of shower have an optional FG cap piece with a place for a light, definately not true for all models, check with your supplier. with proper frameing and surrounding architecture ( man I wish I could spell ) It could be a stunning center piece to a room.


Oh ya..; FG = Fiber Glass (sorry)


Ghrey
 
I went to Home Depot to purchase the unit but a thought occured to me while I was looking at the tremendous size box (although surprisingly light), will I need to build a wood frame to keep the walls vertical or will this be able to stand on it's own? Have any of you redone your bathroom in your home with a 5 piece kit before -how rigid is this plastic wall material?

Instead of getting the thing I thought I'd ask first, below there's an image of the unit I'm thinking of getting for my lowland Nepenthes
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I figure a 250 W metal halide with a "spiderlight" reef reflector will sufficiently light the chamber (as well as warm it). Will normal plexiglass be able to be used over the chamber if I'm using MH? How high would the MH have to be above the plexiglass to avoid fires and warpage? I can build a stand for it to sit 12 - 18" above the plexiglass andd attach an exhaust fan if need be.

Thanks again for any thoughts!
 
Swords, I'm not much of a DIYer, but I think you'll at least need a  2X4 frame layed flat on the backside to stiffen it up and give it support.  They would also give you something sturdier to mount additional shelves and lights to, down the road.  Just my 2¢.
 
  • #10
schloaty, when you mentioned screwing the lights to the side, i was remided of a stand up tanning bed too. For that reason, I think it might be effective at getting all sides of the plants... If I'm not mistaken it would take less power than a metal halide, and produce less heat if a highland chamber is what you are aiming for.
 
  • #11
i used to work construction and upkeep for high end housing for interior decorating and the such and ive seen huge showers in the middle of rooms or right against walls that were all glass. usually only one side to the wall and the other 3 out usually about 6x6 or 6x10. it might take about $500 more or less to build one probely less if you do it by yourself.
you could mount an air conditioning unit in the growing area, i found a great one at lowes for $150 that has a thermostat on it. Its made for rooms no bigger than 10 -20 square foot or so it would be perfect. lowes also sells a high powerd florecents and their fixtures, they put out like double per tube what reg. tubes do, 6000 or 9000 lumens or something like that. and i had an idea for the glass to put that one way tinting film that is like a mirror on one side, on the glass so that you can see in but the light is reflected back at the plants.
oh and if you have a friend who is a contractor youcan get stuff a lot cheaper, if he or she will let you purchase on their account.
I am just going to use Pvc and that foil coated stirofoam insulation which you can get for some thing like $ 10 for a 10 x 6 ft sheet or some thing like that. then i will put a window unit AC in should only cost me $200 to put in a 10 x 10 room on my outside porch, maybe 300 withthe lights.

Joel
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  • #12
Swords, You will probably have to do some framing to make the unit rigid and structurally sound. This should not discourage you, but rather prepare you....


Ghrey
 
  • #13
I was back at the hardware store (not HD this time) and I found 4 ft x 8 ft sheets of fiberglass tub surround so I decided I would try and refurbish my highland tank with these walls and bottom (attached to a 2" x 2" frame) and seal it up with caulk. I also found a cheap 5 ft wide x 5 ft tall sliding shower door for $37.99 (cheaper than the next nepenthes I'm looking at! ) so I will definately build the lowlander tank myself now! I just could never find the uncut fiberglass wall panels and cheap sliding door before, now it's party time! The girlfriend made the best face yet when I came outta the hardware store tonight...!
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  • #14
Must have been priceless. Does she also have botanical tendancies?
 
  • #15
WOW! I can imagine the neps cascading down with beautiful pitchers! You'll be saying, "Welcome to my neps collection. On your right is the....on the left is the...." Way to go, swords! It'll be a real master piece.

My boyfriend used to think I was mad when I converted an entire window for my CPs. Now, he's the one to fuss over them.
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  • #16
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Cindy @ Sep. 25 2002,02:49)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">My boyfriend used to think I was mad when I converted an entire window for my CPs.  Now, he's the one to fuss over them.  
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Wow, I wish my boyfriend would be similarly converted!
That shower stall thing soulnds AMAZING! If you do it will you post some pics so we can all copy you?
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Rosie
 
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