The basic climate of the vivarium is tropical. The humidity would be around 80 and higher, prefably 90% and higher. The temperature will range around 68 - 80 degrees F.
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Conditions and types of orchids
The orchids for a vivarium should require at least a higher temperature and humidity, if not they will simply rot away and die. Most orchids in the flower shops will not come from the forests of the poison frogs, but are originally brought from the rain forests in south-east asia. The frogs do not mind however, and these orchids are well available and through cultivation, provide beautifull flowers every year and bloom sometimes 6 months in a row during the summer months.
Most orchids will survive temperatures between 10 degrees celsius and 30 degrees celcius. Therefore they are more robust than most poison frogs. Some orchids however are not suited for a rainforest vivarium with poison frogs since they require too low minimum temperatures of 10 degrees Celcius, these species are the cymbidiums, odontoglossums. The best results in my vivarium are received with the commonly available : phaleonopsis, dendrobium and paphiopedilum species. In general warmth loving species that require a winter minimum temperature of 18 degrees celcius are suited for this type of vivaria.
Some orchids require more light than others, mosthly orchids do not like direct sunlight this will burn most leaves. Phaleonopsis orchids are the worst, they hardly need light ( but lots of warmth )and therefore i have placed them as far as possible from the UV light bulb in the vivarium. Within a radius of 50 cm, there is little chance of succes with this rewarding species. Paphiopedilum is a little more foregiving, while dendrobium species are most forgiving with respect to light. I have 2 paphiopedilum plants at 40 cm from the UV light source and sometimes they have burnt leaves, however they continue to send new bulbs and flowers.
During misting the orchids like to become wet, however they do not like to stay wet, so the ventilation and light heat should dry the leaves. Secondly orchids will rot in standing water, flowing or dripping water is OK on the roots, but not on the leaves. Especially not in the hart were the new leaves emerge. In case the orchids are constantly wet in that area they will rot and die.
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