New tropical setup

[Redwood Ryan]

Hey everyone,



Just thought I would share with you a new tropical area I setup the other day. I made it from a $23 tote, $60 fogger, and a piece of $15 plexiglass. Here are the steps:

Step 1: Buy 50 gallon tote:

Step 2: Drill hose for fogger tube to fit in:

Step 3: Plug hose in hole:

Step 4: Line both sides of the tote with aluminum foil (to help reflect light):

Step 5: Replace tote lid with plexiglass:

Step 6: Turn the fogger on:

Step 7: Enjoy!

I found it an easy process and I've yet to place my trees in it, but when I do I will be sure to inform you all of how the trees do. As always questions/comments/concerns are welcome.



Ryan

 

[Si Nguyen]

Cool set up but too much work! You didn't need the fogger. With a lid like that, you would have gotten 95% humidity anyway. Now go out and grab a few small cheap mallsai ficus and put them in there. You should have a banyan forest in no time. I tried something this before. I just use a big trash can and a clear trash bag and leave it outside.
Good luck!

 

[mat]

Where does all the water go that gets pumped in by the fogger? It seems like it will eventually get wet in there rather than just humid.

 

[treebeard55]

I said this on another forum, but I think it bears repeating:

There are enough tropical-lovers in temperate zones that when it comes to winter care in our climates, the more ideas that are out there circulating, the better!

Seeing your pictures and reading about your setup just may give someone else that last piece of inspiration for taking care of their own tropicals.

 

[Brian Underwood]

FYI - This setup is PERFECT for growing edible mushrooms (fruiting stage). All you need now is an incubator, jars, medium, spores, and your all set!

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Cool set up but too much work! You didn't need the fogger. With a lid like that, you would have gotten 95% humidity anyway. Now go out and grab a few small cheap mallsai ficus and put them in there. You should have a banyan forest in no time. I tried something this before. I just use a big trash can and a clear trash bag and leave it outside.
Good luck!

Thanks Si. I found that without the fogger it takes a little more effort to produce aerials. I use the fogger in an aquarium and it works wonders for the trees.

Where does all the water go that gets pumped in by the fogger? It seems like it will eventually get wet in there rather than just humid.

That's the Achilles heel of this project. I'm still working that out, but I'll probably just use a layer of a few inches of gravel at the bottom of it, which is what I do with the aquarium. So far, so good.

I said this on another forum, but I think it bears repeating:

There are enough tropical-lovers in temperate zones that when it comes to winter care in our climates, the more ideas that are out there circulating, the better!

Seeing your pictures and reading about your setup just may give someone else that last piece of inspiration for taking care of their own tropicals.

Thanks Steve, that's what I'm hoping for!

FYI - This setup is PERFECT for growing edible mushrooms (fruiting stage). All you need now is an incubator, jars, medium, spores, and your all set!

Actually, I've found with setups like these that I've created that there are no fungal problems at all. I don't keep the lid on all the time. If I see it getting a little moldy inside the setup I'll leave the lid off for a few days and let things dry out.

 

[Klytus]

I've seen something similar in a basement,http://www.blackgate.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/dracula-58-van-helsing-stakes-lucy1.jpg

 

[Redwood Ryan]

I've seen something similar in a basement,http://www.blackgate.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/dracula-58-van-helsing-stakes-lucy1.jpg

Here are new pics with gravel and trees added:

 

[Randy]

You could try something like this for drainage. Normally for draining landscape irrigation but if you could figure out where the water will go outside the tub and where exactly to mount the drain itself.

Just a thought.

Toro Valve

 

[Redwood Ryan]

You could try something like this for drainage. Normally for draining landscape irrigation but if you could figure out where the water will go outside the tub and where exactly to mount the drain itself.

Just a thought.

Toro Valve

Thanks Randy, I am having to consider drainage now, as even with 4 lights on top, the setup isn't drying out to where I would like. Maybe a metal halide would help heat things up? Hmmmmm.

 

[treebeard55]

I understand that metal halides put out a lot of heat. But the evaporated water would have now where to go, unless you open a vent.

But maybe it wouldn't be so bad for your tropicals to have that much moisture in the air! Up to point, anyway.

 

[stacy allen muse]

ryan, go to one of the box stores and buy a water tight fiting one can attach to perhaps a drip irrigation hose.
drill a hole at the lowest point, or on one of the bottom ends, then lift the whole thing up on blocks, and slope it slightly towards the hole you have created. Then run your hose into a bucket.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Since the last post I've updated the setup quite a bit. I've drilled holes in the bottom for drainage and spray painted the sides of the setup flat white to help reflect light:

 

[Randy]

Are you going to put it on top of the plastic lid to collect the water?

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Are you going to put it on top of the plastic lid to collect the water?

I am indeed. However, the fumes from the paint worry me. I don't know as enclosing it with fumes like it has currently will make the trees too happy. I think I'll have to leave this guy out for a few weeks so that the smell can dissipate.

 

[treebeard55]

... the fumes from the paint worry me... I think I'll have to leave this guy out for a few weeks so that the smell can dissipate.

Probably a good idea, tho a week would probably be enough, IMHO.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Probably a good idea, tho a week would probably be enough, IMHO.

I may actually use it in a day or two, as I've had a fan on it for a few hours and the smell is nowhere near as strong now.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

I can hardly smell it now, but for some reason some areas are chipping. Oh well, it'll do its job.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

I'm going to place some test trees (cuttings) in this today and leave them for a day or two to see how they react. If they start wilting, I'll wait longer. If they do fine, the other trees will go in. But in all honesty, shouldn't even a few days be fine to put the trees in it, so long as I don't place the trees in it right after I sprayed it down? Surely the fumes can't still be strong enough to kill the trees.....

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Nothing has died or dropped leaves inside the box, I assume it's probably safe.