Cool vivarium - IT'S DONE!

I figured I would start a new thread on this now that the build is done!!! Yes, ok... there is still some dialing in to do and A LOT more planting, but still. This enormous engineering project of a build is finally completed - and I am oh so pleased with the outcome!!! I am proud to present my very own Peruvian cloud forest - located in my Swedish apartment... I had quite a few Pleurothallids ready to move in already so it looks alright for starters, but there is a lot of room in here... I am also picking up a lot more from Ecuador at a show in a couple of weeks.

The vivarium measures 175 cm wide, 160 cm tall and 65 cm deep. I have installed EpiWeb walls with an ILS drip watering system, and a Vivaria rain system (x8 nozzles), a Honeywell 5 liters ultrasonic fogger, Dulux 80W lights (x4), 80mm computer fans (x4), a cool air intake with the help of a bathroom fan connected to a vent to the outside. Most of the year it will hold at temperatures of 18-20 day and 10-12 at night.

I have written a lot more about this build on my blog (the projects category is a quick way to get to all the posts on the build)... The earlier thoughts on this can be found in this thread. Here is a slideshow of all the photos I took documenting the build.

Here are some videos on the systems at work...
Rain, drip and fog running
Drip irrigation
Fog at work

 

THANKS A LOT GUYS!!!

Harry, that is the Dear Husband in the video, admiring the works....

Mrbreeze: I still have to test this thing, but so far it seems that the small addition of water from the rain system makes up for the loss from the drip system, but I still need to dial it in. The humidifier is a Honeywell HH 200E ultrasonic. It has a 5 liter container and very simple straight forward design with few moving parts. This one cost about 200 dollars... but works well.

 

Thank you all very much! It has been a fun, albeit demanding project... glad to hear that it is inspirational to some of you. Now the real fun starts!! I promise to share a lot more photos as I fill it with orchids.

 

Thanks! Yes, it was a lot of fun to plan and build - but it will be more fun to fill it! I am picking up a bunch at a show this weekend, fresh in from Ecuador.... I am happy to hear you found some inspiration in all those photos too Calvin.

 

Thanks!! You should only see how everything is thriving in there!!!! Even my Telepogon (from Peru Flora in April) is setting a bud right now!!! I really need to post some more pics...