# Defogging tricks?



## DaFrogMan (Oct 8, 2004)

I want to place a small copper pipe along the bottom of the glass in my next vivarium. It will have several small holes about an inch apart. Then I want to blow air through it with a computer fan. Hopefully it will defog the glass like a car's windshield defogger.

Anyone tried anything like this? Are there any other good ways of keeping the glass relitively fog free?


----------



## Lukeomelas (Mar 15, 2005)

I think you would be better off using some type of plastic piping and some sort of compressor instead of the computer fan. I think it would give you better air flow. Sounds like it would work thought, as long as you don't end up drying out the tank too much.


----------



## Guest (May 24, 2005)

That seems like an awful lot of work and complication for something that could be much simpler. Why dont you just use a small section of screen over the lid a couple inches from the front. You can custom make screens of any size by buying a kit from home depot or lowes or have them make you one instead. If you still have fog after using just the screen, you could add a fan on top of the screen, but I dont think you'd need to.

Heres a pic to give you an idea of what I mean. I have no fans and all the fog is clear less than an hour after I turn on the lights










Let me know if you have any other questions.

-David


----------



## DaFrogMan (Oct 8, 2004)

David-
Do you have a humidifier or a misting system set up with that vivarium? What percent humidity does it stay at? Do you have any fans for air flow, or does the glass stay defogged without on its own without any fans? 

That's a good idea, I just want to make sure that I can keep the humidity high if I do something like that. Do you have any problems keeping the humidity up?


----------



## Guest (May 24, 2005)

i have a similar set up as David, with the screen section in the front. i have no additional air movement and my display panel always stayed clear. i recently added a wood canopy to my viv, and it seems to retain moisture a little more now. once i open it the glas clears within a few hours though. i mist the tank every day (now thanks to Marty at http://www.mistking.com ), but even before (when i misted randomly) my humidity stayed over 80% with no misting for days.


----------



## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

I defog my front glass pane the same way. At first when i setup the 115gl I had trouble getting the fog off. The front glass pane is 36 x 30 inches, so it is quite a large area to keep fog free.

First I installed 2 vents in the top of the hood and fastened a 12v fan (they are currently running at 4.5v) into each vent:



The top of the tank is covered by a sheet of acrylic which holds the mistking misting system:


In the front of the tank above the front pane of glass I put in a 36 x 3 piece of screen for ventilation:


Then I added another vent on the right side of the hood and attached a piece of dryer duct to help direct the air flow:



The hot air from the hood is sucked out by the two fans/vents in the top and is replaced by cold air getting sucked in from the side vent, which is directed over the front pane. This controls the heat in the tank (3x96w get hot) and the cool air blowing over the front glass pane eliniates the fog in one or two hours after lights go on.

Lights go on at 8am and off at 10pm and misting goes on for 1min at 9am and 8pm. Humidity is 99% in the morning and at night and during the day can drop to 75%, but usually stays above 80%. The temps in the tank are around 65F in the morning and reach 75F (bottom) and 85F (top) throughout the day.
Hope this helps.

Luke


----------



## Guest (May 24, 2005)

So where can i buy all of this equipment. 
The cover piece of glass with a hinge/hande on it so i can lift it up to feed?
And then leave a couple inches of space in the front for the screen, and have them fit together perfectly?


----------



## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

The glass covers are usually sold at all fish stores, or you could make your own. The screening is made with screen door repair kits from lowes or home depot.

Luke


----------



## Guest (May 24, 2005)

So you purchased your glass piece(can u lift it up, like by a handle and it bends in half, like most do) that was a few inches to short for your tank at the local pet store? I didnt know they sold these covers for tanks that were purposely to short?
And then u went to lowe's/home depot and got this screen(does it matter it if it mesh or metal?) and then it came with like a trim that you could put on it?
And then did u simply set them both on top of the tank so they linned up and then pushed them lightly togehter?(is there anthing that is holding the glass and the screen together?)


----------



## Guest (May 24, 2005)

most aquarium ids are too small on purpose. there is a small plastic piece that goes behind them so you can have pohercords or filters mounted back there. 

other than that i answer all questions with a yes :mrgreen:

and there is nothing holding the screen and glass together. you may want to add a piece of tape or something to keep the fruit flies in, but i didnt


----------



## Guest (May 24, 2005)

thanks for all of your help, and i think i am gonna try this method.


----------



## Guest (May 24, 2005)

one off topic question:
Where do you purchase your "plastic tubes" to attach to your pumps so you can bring water from your pump up to the water fall?


----------



## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

It's just plastic tubing from any fishstore or hardware store.

Luke


----------



## Guest (May 25, 2005)

DaFrogMan said:


> David-
> Do you have a humidifier or a misting system set up with that vivarium? What percent humidity does it stay at? Do you have any fans for air flow, or does the glass stay defogged without on its own without any fans?
> 
> That's a good idea, I just want to make sure that I can keep the humidity high if I do something like that. Do you have any problems keeping the humidity up?


Luke and Landon covered everything else already, but I just wanted to answer your questions about my tank. 

I dont currently have a humidifier setup, though I do own one, but it's just sitting in a cupboard not being used. I only bought it because it was 75% off at Target  I just have to get arount to figuring out a way to pipe it into the tank. I have a misting system that sprays 5 times a day for a minute each. I have no fans blowing into the tank and the glass still remains clear of all fog. My current humidity is 64%, but it will go back up to 80% once it gets misted again. I dont think you'll have any problems keeping humidity up. I personally cant have too much humidity and stale air because I have a few orchids and other epyphitic plants that would rot in such conditions. 

Good luck, Im glad your going to give the screen a try and let us know if you have any other questions as you go.

-David


----------



## DaFrogMan (Oct 8, 2004)

Thanks for your help guys. I think I'll try using a small screen and see how it works for me.


----------



## Guest (May 27, 2005)

Theres actually a computer fan designed specifically for that kind of flow. Here ya go.










Surpisingly this Dutch company sells them

http://www.vivaria.nl/home/intro.html


they have everything ya know


----------



## HansV (Apr 15, 2004)

I have a testviv with 2 fans inside the light hood and I have built a PWM regulator to regulate the fan speed. I can see now how delicate the environment is inside the vivarium. If you change the speed, the humidity is also changing. So it is not so easy to get a good environment without trying out some things. 

fans in hood








PWM print


----------



## Guest (May 29, 2005)

Aight, so back to the idea of having the screen up by the glass. So when i have this i will have my glass cover touching the back of my tank, so then how do i get the power cord from my pump out of the tank without having to lift the glass, setting it on top of the cord, and having a crack available for frogs to escape?
How can i either cover this opening?
Or is there another way to get the cord out of the tank?


----------



## Guest (May 30, 2005)

Anyone?


----------



## Blort (Feb 5, 2005)

You can drill or have drilled a small hole just the width of the cord. Then you can cut the cord toward the plug end, feed it through the hole, and patch the cord up. I recommend using heat shrink tubing to reclose the cord and to be sure and have a drip bend upstream of the cord patch.


----------



## Guest (May 30, 2005)

I dont know, cutting the cord sounds a little to complicated to me any other ways?
And how would i cut a hole in the glass to fit the cord?(will home depot do it for me?)


----------



## Guest (Jun 7, 2005)

bump


----------



## Guest (Jun 9, 2005)

Perhaps you could cut a notch in the plastic aquarium rim to run the cord through, then just push the glass up against it. Granted the glass wouldnt go all the way back anymore, but at least there shouldnt be a gap for frogs to escape. Let me know if you dont quite understand this and Ill try and draw you a quick diagram. 
-David


----------

