I've maxed out my window space, so I've got to start growing under lights, but I have cats, nosy cats, who would make it impossible to have a bunch of pots sitting on a table.

So I need something with at least three sides, preferably with a top and doors. I know there are enormous fish tanks, but I don't know where I could get one for a reasonable price, they all seem to be in the thousands.

Any suggestions at all?

Brooke

I have 3 very nosy cats too. One of which is a HUGE plant predator :) So, I know where you're coming from.

Penelope

A nylon cover could be all of one piece with tie-downs, or panelled with velcro tabs at strategic points on the corners to keep side and front panels closed until you open them to tend to your orchids. If you sew, making such a cover should be fairly simple and a whole lot less costly than a tank or acrylic box.

Sweetcicely

I love the closet idea, but I'm living in a small apartment with a roommate, and there really isn't any closet space that I can appropriate! I've got only my bedroom to work with.

Would it be possible, do you think, to buy a several tier shelf of metal or plastic, and build a case of plexiglass to fit around it? Is it possible or feasible to work with that stuff?

When you go to a lumber store, in the wood working area they have unfinshed wood in packages for walls they come in a certain lenght 32 inches long and 12 planks, get two pieces of wood I used pine, 10 inches wide, have them cut it there 32 inches long, get 4 dowels for the legs get the sturdy ones,
screws or nails 1 1/2 inches long and some shorter ones,
stain if you want
cordless drill, maybe you have one
light fixtures make sure they are small enough to fit in the skirt of the box 30 inches or smaller,
take a piece of the small planks hold thin side to one of your big boards measure and mark with a pencil the edge of the board then take the dowel and hold vertical and mark with a pencil, make a line in the box that you just marked to find center do that for all four sides, drill a small hole through the big board, now if you can find a second pair of hands it would help.(I never can find that, everyone scatters when I start a project lol) keep the dowel centered in the box for it that you marked screw or nail board to dowel leg, complete all four, the table will be very wobbley so be very careful in this stage, the legs will break off the big board I need to mention that you should have marked both big boards and drilled holes 8 in all, turn it over legs sticking up and put the other board on the legs match up marks and repeat, by this time it is much more stable but still fragile. Take one of the small planks and drill it to the legs, remember you made marks so that it should fit flush on the legs and right under the big board still use caution do this on upper lower and front and back, now the sides, this is where I have a power tool you may not have a electric saw, but you can use a had saw, the small boards are not thick so if you measure the distance from the inside front to the inside back and mark it and saw the plank it should be the hardest part of this project. Now it is very sturdy. you can now put stain and varnish if you like thats what takes time, then after it drys you can put your lighting in I put black satin with velcro attaching at the back for the one that is finished you can put what ever you like from cloth to hard plastic, I hope this helps or at least gives you an idea. Deanna

I'll build a frame out of 1x2" thick pieces of MDF, then cut up and nail the stuff you panel walls with to the frame. It's thin, so it needs the frame for stability.

I built it in 3D to make sure I have the dimensions right, and I've figured the cost, including everything, to be $128. (Not including the shelf stands and lights and stuff for the inside, just the box itself). Not too bad!

Here's a rendering of front and back