DRY terrarium

From: Marcelo Andre' Karklin Fontana (makf@unisys.com.br)
Date: Mon Nov 17 1997 - 12:37:24 PST


Date: Mon, 17 Nov 1997 18:37:24 -0200
From: "Marcelo Andre' Karklin Fontana" <makf@unisys.com.br>
To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com
Message-Id: <aabcdefg4385$foo@default>
Subject: DRY terrarium

To the terrarium builders,

I have a terrarium of size 80cm X 40cm X 55cm (32" X 16" X 22"). At
bottom, 5cm (2") of water. At the top, 4 20W fluorescent tubes. The
terrarium is always closed. The ballasts were placed away from it, to
prevent overheating. Also, it doesn't receives any DIRECT sunlight. The
lamps heats the aquarium up to 30C (86F) inside it (yes, it gets too
hot). There are several pots with CPs and seeds for germination at
17,5cm (7") from the lamps.

Now the problem. I don't know why, but all the superior part of the
terrarium (roughly the superior half) dries very quickly, even with that
great amount of water in the bottom. The water evaporates but umidifies
only the inferior part of it.

The result is that I must water all the pots almost daily !!! Isn't a
terrarium a self-sufficient environment ? I've already lost lots of
seedlings and plants, due to lack of care.

Can someone please explain to me why this occurs ? Any help is greatly
appreciated.

Happy growing,

Marcelo Andre' Karklin Fontana
_________________________________
makf@unisys.com.br
http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/1155/makf.html



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