My "cool" growing area

looks great!
do you introduce 'fresh air'?

 

You can try a 4 tube t 5 fixture and place in front of the door. I tried something similar using a freezer unit with a thermostat. Unfortunately it failed miserably. I'm not sure if it was the humidity (lack of). I'm thinking it was the plants did not like the closed air space. Good luck! Pete

 

I did not open it too often. I did try to mist it everyday. One mistake might have been i did not vary the temperature between day and night. I think i set the thermostat at 55.
Pete

 

you can always try. As long as you have good humidity, they should like it.
Pete

 

with 73F/55F year round? Maybe. but without good air movement(fresh air from time to time), I doubt the plants would be happy tho.

Are you having fungal or mite problem now? I see some spots and markings on the leaves..., for such a small, enclosed growing area, any dead leaf should be removed as soon as possible. Just my two cents. Good luck and please bring us update.

 

Goods, I agree with Tom about fresh air.

Also, you definitely need improved lighting.

 

Hey Tom, are you thinking 55 is a little on the warm side for lowest low?

 

Chris, it won't hurt(for Den. cuthbertsonii) if the night time temperature is few degree lower(than 55F)...
What I am saying is a slightly cooler day time or night time temperatures during part of the year would be even better. Some seasonal changes are a good thing. While temperature drop at night daily and naturally is fantastic, the next best thing is to have some seasonal changes.

 

year round 55-73F is okay(not great) but if you keep it cooler for some part of the year(let say in the mid 60s for winter day time), your cuthbertsonii will be happier.

About the air venting--I know you might vent it daily but "how often" is the question. If you can bring in some fresh air every hour or so, you should be okay.

 

Goods, don't underestimate the power and brute force of compressor-based refrigeration. My guess is that if you drilled a small (less than 2" hole) in the side of the fridge (MAKE SURE THE CONDENSER COIL ISN'T WHERE YOU'RE DRILLING!) and installed a small PC fan over it, you could still get temps in the 50's. I very much agree with Tom that fresh air is going to be a major consideration. My tank growing experience has taught me at least that you can't get enough fresh air.

 

I have some small fans if you need a couple....the intermedius tank in the frognet gallery has a custom plexi panel that I put in two small fans for the orchids....one 60mm blowing in and one even smaller one blowing out....I need to set that up again. But the fans are pretty quiet on a lower voltage setting and I simply wire them up with a variable 12 volt transformer....you can get those lots of places.

 

Goods, I had a severe mould and soft rot (bacterial, most likely Erwinia) issues, growing in enclosed environments. As it was already mentioned, regular fresh air intake will help. My DIY orchidariums ranged from 50 to 150 cubic feet and have 5 minutes of fresh air intake hourly during 20 hours. Unfortunately standard digital timers have possibility only for 20 settings. Make sure that you have not only fresh air intake opening (bottom area of the refrigerator) but exhaust air opening as well (top area of refrigerator). Otherwise inside space will be pressurized and intake fan will have low efficiency.
Another approach to prevent mould/bacterial issues: do not follow Mather Nature with higher relative humidity and dew at night. On contrary, keep high humidity during day time and drop it at night.
Contradicting to wide spread idea can tall, that air movement itself (up to ”hurricane” air velocity) does not prevent mould/bacterial issues in highly humid enclosures.