Date: Tue, 13 Apr 1999 15:42:05 -0400 From: "Walter Greenwood" <walter@radserv.arad.upmc.edu> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg1329$foo@default> Subject: Re: Indoor Growing Chamber Suggestions Please!
Matt wrote:
> ... Feedback much appreciated, ASAP please! Hope to start building on
> Wednesday...
Matt,
I built one exactly 4'x2'x2' for use inside the house (I.E., leakproof
and good-looking enough to meet with Mom's approval) many years ago,
back when I had to worry about Mom's approval. I built it from 5/8" or
3/4" plywood, silicone-glued and screwed together with reinforcement at
the corners, and painted the inside surfaces with several coats of
brilliant white epoxy paint to make it water-tight and reflective.
There was a lip across the lower edge of the front to hold accumulated
water, and 2 sliding glass doors in front. I think I used some kind of
rigid clear plastic for the top, with the light fixtures mounted above,
out of moisture's way. Lowland and mid-altitude Nepenthes grew a bit
soft, but like gangbusters. Later in life, I built a few 8'x4'x4'
chambers by constructing frames from 2x4 lumber with plywood bottoms. I
glued a 4x8 sheet of styrofoam insulation to the plywood base and
erected panels all the way around, from 2" thick styrofoam. Some panels
were removable and the others I glued in place with silicone. I topped
these chambers with cheap flexible clear vinyl sheeting and mounted 8'
fluorescents above. They were nicely functional, but ugly, and I mean
butt-ugly. You can work out various contraptions for hanging small pots
to get little plants closer to the lights, or set them on top of
inverted pots or plastic storage baskets from K- or Wal- Mart.
- WG
-- Quidquid Latine dictum sit, altum viditur.
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