# Rain system concept for small arboreal terrariums



## konton (Nov 17, 2010)

I had this crazy idea a couple night ago while messed up on sleeping pills to build a mini mister rather than have a waterfall to keep the humidity up in a small vertical tank. Also waterfalls don't really clean off what your thumbnail dart frogs leave behind on the leaves. So I took apart an electric bathroom toilet sprayer and attached a flexible drip water mister to it. In the middle of all this I had to get some 6 volts of juice from 4 AA batteries. Took me a while to find a solution to that while falling sleep. But I managed to do so and built a crazy system that is really really loud.

Okay, so the spray is more like rain and less like mist. But I can always try different nozzles. Plus I don't want to use something that's had toilet cleaner run through it in a real tank. This is just a prototype test. 

My issues are that the spray only covers a 10-inch width and really needs a 20" height to do well. But it does pull water from the bottom of the tank and spray it back from the top of the tank. I figure get a 6v adapter and put this on a basic timer to go off for 15 minutes every four hours. Like a monsoon passing. Just an idea. It could just be the sleeping pills talking. But if the noise doesn't bother the frogs (or me) the system would be better than spraying the tanks manually, and run under $20 for the man with a single 15 gallon thumbnail tank.


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## WeeNe858 (Sep 13, 2010)

that is... better than decent!

May I diddle with this idea?


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## Venutus1 (Feb 13, 2010)

WeeNe858 said:


> that is... better than decent!
> 
> May I diddle with this idea?


oooh... beat me to it.
that does have what you would call : potential


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## rsain (Nov 5, 2011)

Very interesting idea! +1 for creativity and function.

As for the very loud sound - I'm wondering how much of that is because its sitting on the glass. Did you try to isolate it at all? 

- ryan


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## ruthieb (Oct 18, 2010)

Well, I'm subscribed! With the right nozzle - or perhaps with multilple nozzles for more tank coverage. 

You might just be onto something. Maybe a little toned down to more of a gentle rainfall......


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## Dizzle21 (Aug 11, 2009)

I would be worried about the misting nozzle getting clogged since it is pulling water from the bottom of the tank after it has picked up minerals and such from the soil. Great start, I agree a cheap mister would be nice for someone who's getting into the hobby.


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## konton (Nov 17, 2010)

Diddle away. Send me an PM and I'll send you the parts list. Right now I'm still is using a battery an no timer.

I didn't really try to fix the sound issue. I passed out. I think having the motor in a sound dampening container and not vibrating on glass would make a big difference. It was quieter when surrounded by plastic.

Not sure there is enough pressure for multiple nozzles. But that something worth trying! I do have more parts around the house from the rain drip irrigation systems. Any nozzle suggestions would be appreciated! Remember, this is not a high pressure system.

I agree, clogging could be an issue. So either an external water storage system, or a filtration system may be necessary to avoid large particles. I'll see what I can do.


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## Dizzle21 (Aug 11, 2009)

konton said:


> I agree, clogging could be an issue. So either an external water storage system, or a filtration system may be necessary to avoid large particles. I'll see what I can do.


I think with a external water supply there shouldn't be an issue.


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## WeeNe858 (Sep 13, 2010)

I think there's more hassle with an external supply, you get issues with draining and plumping and its another chore to remember. Running a simple hose from the tank's false bottom to the rain maker is easily done and there's no chance of flooding the tank. The easiest way to solve the problems that you run into with internal supply and debris is a home made filter. I'll post up my ideas for that later in the week.

Isn't that pump made to supply water that contains dissolved elements? Changing the nozzles for a finer mist would cause complications huh...


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## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

if the batteries are running in series, you could get rid of them and use a 6v wall wart  itll be better for the environment


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## xm41907 (Nov 26, 2007)

Looks great but man that thing sounds loud. You might want to build a soundproof box to keep the pump in!


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## konton (Nov 17, 2010)

The pump was made for insect repellent, fertilizer, and household cleaners. Not to mention great for squirt guns. I'd do mister because a general fogger/mister could get clogged with debris easier.





It really needs to be taken off AA batteries and put on an AC adapter with a timer.

Tonight I'll try attaching it to a mistking nozzle.


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## konton (Nov 17, 2010)

Quick update. I'm doing some testing with a electric sprayer used to clean RV's. Or maybe it's just for those that have arthritis. Anyway here are a few tests.

This one is with two raindrip adjustable nozzles and a 5v power adapter:





You can see this this video how the adjustable nozzle works to change the speed of water. This one if from orbit:





Here I switched the nozzles out with toro 3.0 GPH foggers.





This was just a mistake.





I don't think there is any pressure from this motor. Just about 4 GPH flow.


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## ritersofly (Oct 23, 2010)

I like that it isn't fine mist, I mean in the frogs real habitat, when it rains on them it's droplets of water falling from tree leave to tree leave till it hits the floor right? I'm sure pdf's can handle a couple of water droplets! The only not-so-cool thing about this set up at the moment I would say is the noise, and that with droplets of water, the false bottoms will probably fill up way faster than with a fine mist, but who cares this is great! keep it up!


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## WeeNe858 (Sep 13, 2010)

I just got the motor powered water pump. Can't wait to tinker after finals!

Which output gave you the finest spray? Was it the original misting head?


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## konton (Nov 17, 2010)

Well if you look at the videos, none. More like rain. Not fine at all.

I did connect the 3.0 GHP fogger to a mistking pump. Wow. What came out was some heavy mist.


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## Grrrit (May 30, 2011)

konton said:


> Well if you look at the videos, none. More like rain. Not fine at all.
> 
> I did connect the 3.0 GHP fogger to a mistking pump. Wow. What came out was some heavy mist.


I'd like to see a video of that! 

Also, I wonder how that motor would work with something like a spraybar/ sprinkler type of contraption. Similar to what you would see in rain chambers. I like the idea of recirculating the water, and for a rain, not mist application this could be something of note to the chameleon, and tree frog enthusiasts. 

Looking cool so far though!


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## konton (Nov 17, 2010)

It's bee pointed out to me in another post that bacteria in the recirculated water could become a potential problem. Something to think about. But you asked to see the mistking connected to my system in action. So I connected it poorly to 4 3GPH misting heads. Even with a bad leak, they still worked pretty well.


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