# Humidity Gauge



## connorology (Oct 6, 2018)

Would any of our esteemed forum users be willing to point me in the direction of a decent humidity gauge that isn't garbage (and ideally isn't insanely expensive)?

I have a decent one for my chameleon that cost like $15-20 if I remember, and it's held up over a few years, but it's huge and would be super awkward for a dart frog vivarium. I bought a little one off of Amazon, but it seems to be junk and is giving me readings that contradict my higher quality gauge. 

Thanks!


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

I own over a dozen of these:

https://smile.amazon.com/ThermoPro-...TF8&qid=1541298146&sr=8-4&keywords=hygrometer

They work well. A lot of people here seem to forgo numerical humidity monitoring and instead simply watch their plants and animals. I don't actually use these in frog vivs, since it is simply too easy to tell what the humidity is doing by just looking at the viv. Plus, many frogs aren't actually that sensitive to humidity; mine do fine so long as it isn't bone dry (<60%) nor sopping wet (~100%). I do use these hygrometers on plant light racks, and in other reptile enclosures, and to measure ambient temp and humidity.


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## varanoid (Jan 21, 2011)

I haven't found a cheap reliable one that works well long term. Like Socratic, I have learned to get a feel for things through observation of my tanks.


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## Kalle (May 14, 2010)

If you're a little technically inclined you could wire up an Arduino, Raspberry Pi or something like that to monitor your temp and humidity. 

These sensors (DHT22) are cheap and quite accurate. I've heard of people running them outside for years without them breaking. But if it does you can just replace it with a new one and plug it in.
DHT22 temperature-humidity sensor


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## kimcmich (Jan 17, 2016)

Greetings,

Humidity monitors are sensitive to condensation and condensation happens all the time in most vivs. Temperature swings and misting schedules create opportunities for water to condense on the gauge on a daily basis in most vivs. Once a gauge has condensation, it will give incorrect readings and a gauge with chronic condensation will stop working well even when dry.

The cheap temp+humidity gauges on Amazon will work perfectly if you don't leave them in your viv all the time. And without careful housing, ventilation and regular maintenance, any humidity gauge will become reliable. All these problems lead most of us to use environmental clues instead of a gauge. Save the gauge for sanity checks or when setting up a new system or misting schedule.


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## S2G (Jul 5, 2016)

I just check periodically I've yet to find a cost effective one that will hold up.

It just an experience thing imo. You'll get the hang of it. Once everything gets established it should be pretty stable. 

At first I spray a fine mist 2x a day full coverage. Once everything gets established I taper it off as required. Keeping it more humid during the summer then drying it slightly for winter.

Aquariums retain a lot of humidity without vents down low like an exo.


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## Esmi (Oct 28, 2017)

Kalle said:


> If you're a little technically inclined you could wire up an Arduino, Raspberry Pi or something like that to monitor your temp and humidity.
> 
> These sensors (DHT22) are cheap and quite accurate. I've heard of people running them outside for years without them breaking. But if it does you can just replace it with a new one and plug it in.
> DHT22 temperature-humidity sensor


Hi Kalle,

I also looking into using a DHT22. Can you give some advice how to mount it in the viv and how to safely wire it inside? That would ne nice! Did some one do some long term use of DHT22 and how long they last at this extreme environments?


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## Kalle (May 14, 2010)

Esmi said:


> Hi Kalle,
> 
> I also looking into using a DHT22. Can you give some advice how to mount it in the viv and how to safely wire it inside? That would ne nice! Did some one do some long term use of DHT22 and how long they last at this extreme environments?


I've never tested myself in a viv but did some research about weatherproofing it. And found many that use it outside in small weather stations etc. They seem to hold up very well outside in cold temperate climates. I saw a picture of one solution that I think could work fine in a vivarium and that is to place it inside an upside down film canister. A guy kept it like that outside his window for several years (and it was in a place where they get both rain and snow etc, not a dry desert).

Another idea is to wire it up, remove that premade cover they often come with and expose the board and then just smear everything in silicone (without covering the sensor) and then cover the silicone in cocofiber or something. Before putting silicone over everything you could cover up the sensor with a blob of tack or something that you can remover afterwards.


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## Esmi (Oct 28, 2017)

great idears, thanks! 
I think the soldering/contacts must be very good to last under this environment


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## Kalle (May 14, 2010)

Esmi said:


> great idears, thanks!
> 
> I think the soldering/contacts must be very good to last under this environment




Yes absolutely. And at the least the whole thing has to be protected from direct misting. 

The sensors aren't that expensive so having a way to easily switch them out if they go bad is also a good idea. Like not bury the cables in background foam or something like that...


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