Cool that you grow orchids, so do I although of late I have been neglecting them terribly. All of my orchids a few cats, dems, vandas, and phaly's are all hanging on an old clothes line underneath shade cloth in the back yard waaaaiiittttiing for the bush house to finish being made then they will mostly be getting put into logs or on depending on each plants preferance so I don't have to muck around repotting the more vigerous ones all the time.
It being winter here in the middle of the North American Continent (literary I live few hundred kilometers south of the geological center of North America)My Orchids would love the sun you've got, however they enjoy the extra humidity above the fish tank and their weekly dose of fish water.
Any way back to topic...
Great that you found a place that knows the plants they are selling by its scientific name and not just some dodgy common name, I would defiantly be getting more plants of them as you need them.
By the sounds of it the 'mondo' is already getting ready to throw its little roots to the heavens and keel over.
The 'mondo' on the timber would probably do really well potted up near your orchids, true Central Queensland is hot (sub tropical) and generally sunny but almost every time I have ever seen any mondos looking any good is when they are in shade or dappled shade instead of full balzing sun. It really does depend on the particular variety (and of course your local weather conditions) but I would give the plant a go up beside your orchids and if it still isn't happy try a brighter spot. Just remember they aren't the speediest growing plants so any improvements will be a bit slow at appearing straight away. But once it hits its straps and is happy and healthy you should end up with a really lovely healthy plant.
I recently purchased a black mondo that was nearly dead and reduced on a throw out table, since putting it where it gets a good amount of shade along with rain water run off and fish tank water (when we drop the tanks) it has gone a head in leaps and bounds and you would never suspect it was the same bedraggled almost dead plant from before.
I'm glad to read that 'Mondo's like shade, my apartment is lucky to have a south kitchen window but I still don't have that much sun. I'm not sure it would survive a winter out doors so hopefully it enjoys a potted life. Anyway I'll definitly be shopping this other fish shop from now on. It has been fun chatting with you, thanks again for your help
Oh a last thought regarding the orchids as both my mum and I have ponds and orchids we both use the sludge that accumilates in the bottom of the ponds for our orchids and other plants. They seem to really enjoy the stuff and I figure because the ponds are fresh water there is little chance of getting a salt build up which can happen when using liquid sea weed solutions for fertilizing all the time. Just a possible use for all that lovely
fishy water besides going down a drain.
