# Misting system



## Dominic (9 Mar 2014)

This is probably a very stupid question, but, here goes-

Is there any harm in using a weak misting system on an open top tank? In terms of damp in the house etc etc?

And are there any more 'sensitive' timers? Say, to turn the misting system on for like 30 seconds?

And could anyone point me towards any cheap misting systems?

Thanks


----------



## Nathaniel Whiteside (10 Mar 2014)




----------



## Dominic (11 Mar 2014)

Too cheap mate haha


----------



## darren636 (11 Mar 2014)

Dominic said:


> Too cheap mate haha


 Yeah, but you can employ a boy to spray the plants every 45 minutes.


----------



## darren636 (11 Mar 2014)

Have you looked at paludarium sites?
Something like exo-terra


----------



## James O (11 Mar 2014)

This timer discussed elsewhere can manage a 1min event up to 16times every 24 hrs.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/energenie-four-socket-power-management-system-n05kf

If this is a standard tank with emersed growth, isn't the tank water producing enough humidity already?


----------



## Alastair (11 Mar 2014)

Exo terra monsoon system


----------



## foxfish (11 Mar 2014)

What are you trying to achieve?


----------



## Dominic (11 Mar 2014)

Haha that sounds like a good idea darren   

yeah i have, they all seem too expensive for my liking tbh. I've found a DIY method (ish)- Buy a room humidifier, and stick a piece of tubing on the outlet and aim it where you want the steam to go! Job done! for around 30-40quid i'd say thats quite good. 

And i am hoping to grow some proper terrarium plants and mosses on the emersed section, and they need quite a bit of humidity, am i right? 

And would one of these timers work?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/7-Day-Dig...686?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1c3c0df406


----------



## Arne (11 Mar 2014)

those timers would work, for a few months, and then break. At least that's my experience. 
If the emersed part is completely open you wouldn't get much use out of an air humidifier. Terrariums use high pressure spray systems. These are not very expensive but would get the floor wet I think.

It might be better to chose some plants that don't require high humidity air. I don't know how big the room is but it's sounds like a very difficult task to provide a local climate.


----------



## Dominic (11 Mar 2014)

Alright i'll take that in mind, thanks  

Yeah, i'm thinking of it as like a emersed setup without a heater- requires more manual spraying, to keep the plants damp. So i'm thinking of it as like that- as long as it keeps spraying the plants. I like the idea of the air humidifier, as once a tube is put on it, the steam comes out and drops directly downwards, and i can aim it downwards, parallel to the gradient of the emersed section, just to keep my plants wet, if you understand what i mean? 

For example, if you skip to 3.30 of this video, you can see the stream of steam comes out at a slow, steady rate, and falls directly downwards.


----------



## James O (11 Mar 2014)

Pop ' Ultrasonic Fog Mist Maker Fogger Water Fountain Pond ' into fleabay for a £2 in tank option


----------



## GHNelson (11 Mar 2014)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BIG-MIST-..._Reptiles_Spiders_Insects&hash=item338153ca37
hoggie


----------



## foxfish (11 Mar 2014)

I would agree that it is very difficult, in our dry atmosphere houses in the UK, to grow tropical  emergent plants above your tank but, there are plenty of terrestrial plants that would do very well under the lights.
I grow all sorts of plants with just their roots in the water


----------



## Arne (11 Mar 2014)

I know what you mean Dominic, I have a very similar setup myself. Except it's inside my vivarium. During the day I have a high pressure spray system combined with a small Eheim pump for bigger "raindrops" and in the evening the ultrasonic fogger activates to simulate fog due to dropping temperatures. It works very well, but only because it's inside a closed and computer controlled and ventilated glass box 

I think the plants themselves will dry out, unless you spray (not fog) every hour or 2. If you only want to keep the roots wet, put the plants on some peat. If the peat is in contact with the water it will be moist all the time, if it's not to steep. At least the roots will be ok and the air directly over it should have a little better humidity.


----------



## foxfish (11 Mar 2014)

Like this


----------



## Dominic (11 Mar 2014)

Is the mister not like spraying then? :s So i should have more 'spray' like than misting like? Thats what i'm trying to do, get the plants wet every hour or so, and i thought the humidifier would be the same as spraying or am i wrong?

What should i use to 'spray' then? 

Darn it man


----------



## Arne (11 Mar 2014)

well yes, misting is generally used for the high pressure spray systems, I just wanted it to stand apart from ultrasonic fogging.

I'm not familiar with any of the UK based suppliers for terrarium and vivarium stuff but this is the general idea:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Reptile-Vivarium-Forest-Rainmaker-Automatic/dp/B008F8STPW

But as I said, it will get everything around your tank wet as well.


----------



## Dominic (12 Mar 2014)

Arne said:


> well yes, misting is generally used for the high pressure spray systems, I just wanted it to stand apart from ultrasonic fogging.



What do you mean mate? I don't understand how the mist could be so different? 

And thats a lot of money, i saw a diy forum which had an aquarium powerhead connected to a tube, with pinholes made in the tube for a spray system, what do you think?


----------



## Arne (12 Mar 2014)

a spray would be fairly large drops of water, a misting systems gives you really fine drops of water and an ultrasonic fogger gives you super tiny droplets of water. The problem with the fogger is that it won't really keep your plants wet. The droplets don't settle and you need a much longer time to get the same result as with a spray or misting system.

You can try with a powerhead and pinholes, but I think this will give you a stream, not a spray. You can aim it at the plant and give it water, but not prevent it from drying out.


----------

