click hrer to see larger
click hrer to see larger
click hrer to see larger
click hrer to see larger
click hrer to see larger
| Finally ready to show to the world, after
some two and half years of work.
The tank is a 125 gallon terrarium (72L X 18W X 24H). The stand and hood are custom built,
with all the electrical controls hidden behind the furthest left door on the stand.
The hood contains two 15W Black-Phosphorus bulbs for nocturnal viewing (switch
in stand) and supplemental heat (controlled by an in-hood thermostat), 6 4ft
40W fluorescent bulbs of varying wavelength (each pair is on a separate timer
and switch below, so the “sun rises and sets”), there is also a timer and RF
shielded rheostat controlled ventilation fan, an integrated irrigation system,
and a switch controlled circulation fan (it runs 24-7 though). The vent fan
pulls air in through PVC duct work in each back corner; forcing the air vented
out the back of the hood to be pulled up from the bottom of the tank (this is
necessary for the many epiphytic orchids). The circulation fan pulls air into
the hood on the right side of the tank and blows it out through a duct on the
other side of the tank; this is done at low velocity to mediate desiccation of
plants in the exit path. All the electrical components are grounded (very
important). As for the flora, the tank was originally setup to house a growing collection of orchids and bromeliads. Unfortunately due to an unforgiving learning curve a sizeable portion of the original collection was lost within the first few months. But, I have prevailed. Here is a quick over view of what I grow: |
| Orchids Orchidaceae |
(2) Species of euglossine pollinated orchid, Gongora spp. and Stanhopea oculata |
| Oncidium‘Sherry baby’ ‘Sweet fragrance’, and an inter-generic hybrid in the Oncidium alliance | |
| Catteleya‘Mini purple’ | |
| Bulbophyllum lepidum | |
| (2) Miniature species Dendrobium (non-hybrid) | |
| (2) Hybrid Phalaenopsis | |
| Encyclia cocheleata | |
| Ludisia discolor | |
| Bromeliads Bromeliaceae |
Aechmea‘Suenos’ |
| Vriesea hybrids | |
| Neoregelia hybrids (‘Fire-ball’, ‘Red-eye’, and ?) | |
| A hybrid Guzmania and G. lutea? | |
| Tillandsia cyanea,T.usneoides, and T.ionantha | |
| Asclepiads Asclepiadaceae |
Dischidia pectinoides, D.ovata‘Watermelon leaf’, D. platyphylla |
| Hoya spp. | |
| Ceropegia woodii | |
| Aroids Araceae |
Alocasia amazonica‘Poly’ |
| Philodendron‘Prince of orange’ | |
| Syngonium podophyllum (the Butterfly hybrids) | |
| Anthurium spp. (non-hybrid) | |
| Spathophyllum spp. | |
| Others… | Selaginella unicata (Lycopodiaceae) |
| Several un-identified ferns, Peperomia(s), Pilea(s), and Aroids (not listed above) |
| Because I am a botanist and not a herpetologist, I won’t break the frogs down like above. The tank houses two Red-eyed leaf frogs (Agalychnis callidryas), two Dendrobates auratus, one D. tinctorus, and two Phyllobates bicolor. However, expanding the frog diversity is in the plans. |
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