Orchidarium- Split Design Build

[SpookySpooder]

Today I am starting to test "plant" the bromeliad of the small/mini Neoregelia spp. I’ve decided to use!! Not sure what the final planting of them will be but I am liking what I am seeing thus far. And how they may fit around with where some of the orchids are pre-planned to go!

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Exciting stuff as soon as it gets time to begin planting everything!!

Nice choice on that bromeliad, I have the nurii cultivar myself. Planning on using it in an enclosure once I can propagate a few more plantlets from it

 

[Kada]

Those look amazing, very nice display!

Out of curiosity, do the crabs do much damage to the orchids?

 

[Smotzer]

Nice choice on that bromeliad, I have the nurii cultivar myself. Planning on using it in an enclosure once I can propagate a few more plantlets from it

Thanks!! There’s 3 different species and then 4 assorted cultivars I believe in that photo!!
And I don’t think I know ‘nurii’? And you should that’ll be great!!

 

[Smotzer]

Those look amazing, very nice display!

Out of curiosity, do the crabs do much damage to the orchids?

In general Geosesarma have not done any significant damage to any noteworthy live plants in a tank thus far, besides eating sone mosses and the miniature duck weed

 

[SpookySpooder]

Thanks!! There’s 3 different species and then 4 assorted cultivars I believe in that photo!!
And I don’t think I know ‘nurii’? And you should that’ll be great!!

My bad, words got crossed in my mind. I was shopping for Cryptocoryne nurii recently and it stayed prominently in my head.

So many random hybrid strains and common cultuvar names I often get things jumbled up.

I meant to say Neoregelia lilliputiana x "Wild Tiger' it is a hybrid I got off Etsy and it looks strikingly similar to Neoregelia lilliputiana x 'ampullacea'

 

[Smotzer]

My bad, words got crossed in my mind. I was shopping for Cryptocoryne nurii recently and it stayed prominently in my head.

So many random hybrid strains and common cultuvar names I often get things jumbled up.

I meant to say Neoregelia lilliputiana x "Wild Tiger' it is a hybrid I got off Etsy and it looks strikingly similar to Neoregelia lilliputiana x 'ampullacea'

Ahhh okay that’s makes sense!!
and how is it doing for you?

 

[Smotzer]

Got the drainage layer and screen all set up today, soil will be going in this week!

 

[Smotzer]

The Vision Coming Together! (Geosesarma Orchidarium)

• Smotzer
• Sep 27, 2023
• geosesarma orchidarium paludarium terrarium vivarium

Almost a year ago I dreamed up this split design tank with the pond being a focal point to join...

 

[SpookySpooder]

Love it! The continuality between tanks is really doing it for me

 

[Kada]

Looking great! If you're still looking for plant.species, I really like Gastrochilus retrocalla. we have them in a paludarium and the species seems to do very well on wood in a hot moist situation. Somewhat mini, ours leaves are up to about 10cm.

I also really like Erycina pusilla for it's true mininess

 

[slocoj91]

Look forward to seeing how awesome this is once planted out!

Geosarma sp. are interesting, I'm wanting to - in the, likely, far future - do a planted tank with some Nepenthes sp. plants. They've been observed to utilise them in their natural habitats.

I'm becoming quite fond of bromeliads too, particularly when £5 neoregalia plants Ive gotten produce 10+ pups over around 18 months. That's with leaving them attached until things start getting unwieldy too. Only question is what to do with more at this point - don't have the funds to spend on a few planted terrariums right now to give some a happy spot to grow in, and the window ledges are starting to get full. At least once the spare room is sorted I can always just attach some to some wood on a wall...!

 

[Smotzer]

Geosarma sp. are interesting, I'm wanting to - in the, likely, far future - do a planted tank with some Nepenthes sp. plants. They've been observed to utilise them in their natural habitats.

that's actually going to be the main ground plants for these tanks specifically, I have been growing in advance the exact Nepenthes that Geosesarma have been observed using!!

 

[Kada]

Are you guys saying they go in the pitchers like some insects, frogs etc? that would be pretty cool. Do you have any species names of nepenthes, I wouldnt mind spending some down tome reading about that. sounds fascinating!

As would pictures of such a sight once you're all setup!!

 

[Smotzer]

Are you guys saying they go in the pitchers like some insects, frogs etc? that would be pretty cool. Do you have any species names of nepenthes, I wouldnt mind spending some down tome reading about that. sounds fascinating!

As would pictures of such a sight once you're all setup!!

Yes that’s what I am saying! That behavior is called being phytotelmic where they inhabit small pools bodies of water on or inside of plants. I have a bit about it on my site I’ll make sure that page is live and then I’ll drop in in here for you to read more about.

 

[Smotzer]

The build took a big back seat but this weekend is planting weekend!!

Waking up with smell of forests and espresso as Ido some planting

 

[Wolfram1]

what kinds of plants have you envisioned

i sadly found out that dwarf white isopods seem to love munchung on Selaginella uncinata, so if you plan on using it i'd not introduce any, i'd also be worried about your orchids though i am not certain they would attack them

 

[Smotzer]

what kinds of plants have you envisioned

i sadly found out that dwarf white isopods seem to love munchung on Selaginella uncinata, so if you plan on using it i'd not introduce any, i'd also be worried about your orchids though i am not certain they would attack them

Yeah I don’t usually seed witu any isopods actually almost ever. Well all my mini orchids are getting back to me! So those are going in plus the Neoregelia and then some Epiphytic ferns. Plus I got planted the Nepenthes ampullaria in this morning. And lots of moss and leaf litter. I am keeping things simple this time and rather bare to start so it can fill in naturally. I can get sone Selaginella cutting in there to which I think would be good.

Also deciding if I shoykd put a Ludisia discolor in one of them or not.

 

[Smotzer]

Yeah I think this would look nice in the tanks too, good idea @Wolfram1

 

[Wolfram1]

Yeah I don’t usually seed witu any isopods actually almost ever.

better this way with just planted tanks, i really don't like them anymore because their populations always seem to grow so fast in my enclosures, probably becuase there is always lots of organic matter to feed on and enough moisture to breed...

Also deciding if I shoykd put a Ludisia discolor in one of them or not.

well i do like jewel orchids so i probably would try it XD

Looks like the large bromeliad is already sending out a stolon, looking forward to see how it spreads

 

[Smotzer]

better this way with just planted tanks, i really don't like them anymore because their populations always seem to grow so fast in my enclosures, probably becuase there is always lots of organic matter to feed on and enough moisture to breed...


well i do like jewel orchids so i probably would try it XD

Looks like the large bromeliad is already sending out a stolon, looking forward to see how it spreads

Yeah same I did isopods once and was like they can spread to fast as well!!

and yeah I think I am going to put it in, just not sure where?

Yes the brom is! Three different ones are doing so now which is exciting!