# Preventing vivarium glass condensation



## jash3 (Aug 17, 2020)

I have been keeping my 18x18x24 exoterra vivarium for my tincs at 70-80% humidity and I also have the front top open by 1.5 inches, but my vivarium glass always has condensation obscuring the view into the viv. I mist twice a day for 20 seconds. I see people posting pictures of their vivs/frog rooms with no condensation on the glass. Are people doing anything special to prevent the condensation?
Thanks for the help!


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

If you're not adding supplemental heat to the viv, then regular condensation on the glass indicates that more ventilation would be good. 

As to the 'anything special' question, I'm running my Exos at 50% screen top (screened part in the back).


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## jash3 (Aug 17, 2020)

Socratic Monologue said:


> If you're not adding supplemental heat to the viv, then regular condensation on the glass indicates that more ventilation would be good.
> 
> As to the 'anything special' question, I'm running my Exos at 50% screen top (screened part in the back).


What is your humidity at with 50% screen top? I’m sure if I had 50% screen top my viv would definitely be dropping below 60% humidity.


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## eMCRay (Mar 24, 2020)

jash3 said:


> What is your humidity at with 50% screen top? I’m sure if I had 50% screen top my viv would definitely be dropping below 60% humidity.


The better question is what is your ambient (room) humidity? That is a big factor in how much you want to cover up. If it's very low (because you may be running a heater for example), you either need to mist more frequently or install a fan.


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

jash3 said:


> What is your humidity at with 50% screen top? I’m sure if I had 50% screen top my viv would definitely be dropping below 60% humidity.


I don't measure humidity in frog vivs -- not with a digital meter anyway. So I don't know.

I watch the frogs' behavior patterns and how those behaviors during and right after misting events change as the viv dries over the course of the day. I watch the leaves, hardscape and leaf litter to see how fast (and where) it dries over the day. I watch the glass, condensation on which tells me with perfect accuracy when the humidity exceeds saturation at the inside of the glass (this is affected by both ambient temp/viv temp differential, and ventilation independent of viv RH, keep in mind). I don't actually 'watch' the vivs; they're in my reptile room, where I'm usually cleaning a snake tub (or twelve) or feeding geckos or vacuuming the floor for the fourth time that day -- I just look in occasionally and make a mental note ("late afternoon and the vanzolinii are out and about -- looks good").

I'm certain there is a place in any of my vivs below 60% humidity --- right inside the door vent, probably. I'm also certain there are places with 100% humidity, or at any rate places where frogs can go to take on water without losing it all right away; I've designed the vivs to have as many of them as I can fit in there (under leaf litter, inside cork tubes, near/within/under plants, in the dead-air bottom back corners) given all the other different microclimates the frogs need. 

Given the freedom to place a hygrometer (which may or may not be reading accurately anyway) anywhere in the viv, I could get it to read anything between 60% and 100%, so whatever number the thing spits out at me isn't going to be any more straightforwardly useful to me than just asking the frogs and plants how things are going.


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## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

Socratic Monologue said:


> Given the freedom to place a hygrometer (which may or may not be reading accurately anyway) anywhere in the viv, I could get it to read anything between 60% and 100%, so whatever number the thing spits out at me isn't going to be any more straightforwardly useful to me than just asking the frogs and plants how things are going.


I'm sure if you could place it anywhere then you could get a reading under 50% , I know I could with my tanks, but my ambient humidity is quite low right now (heating air in Canada leads to really dry air)


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## Obliv79 (Oct 31, 2007)

I cut out squares in each corners one blowing in in fresh air and blowing out old on timers but their needs makes it difficult. STAY ON TOP ON THE MISTING DURINV THE AIR CYCLE. Also build a water fall feature to he help


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## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

Obliv79 said:


> I cut out squares in each corners one blowing in in fresh air and blowing out old on timers but their needs makes it difficult. STAY ON TOP ON THE MISTING DURINV THE AIR CYCLE. Also build a water fall feature to he help


How does a water feature prevent condensation buildup? They increase the humidity inside the tank (and take up valuable floorspace that the frogs need, and often saturate the substrate with water)


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## Obliv79 (Oct 31, 2007)

fishingguy12345 said:


> How does a water feature prevent condensation buildup? They increase the humidity inside the tank (and take up valuable floorspace that the frogs need, and often saturate the substrate with water)


I'm.saying if he/she can't mist during cycle


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## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

Obliv79 said:


> I'm.saying if he/she can't mist during cycle


They haven't made any reference to not being able to mist the tank.


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## Chris S (Apr 12, 2016)

Obliv79 said:


> I'm.saying if he/she can't mist during cycle


A water feature in no way compensates for lack of misting or extremely low humidity levels, this is poor advice.


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## Obliv79 (Oct 31, 2007)

Chris S said:


> A water feature in no way compensates for lack of misting or extremely low humidity levels, this is poor advice.


Not here to argue and yes cycling water is natural condensation


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## Chris S (Apr 12, 2016)

Obliv79 said:


> Not here to argue and yes cycling water is natural condensation


There is a myriad of reasons as to why a water feature is not an answer to this problem.


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## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

Chris S said:


> There is a myriad of reasons as to why a water feature is not an answer to this problem.


Agreed, particularly in an 18x18x24" terrarium for tinctorius... Anything that doesn't maximize USABLE floor space should be avoided at ALL costs.


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## Obliv79 (Oct 31, 2007)

fishingguy12345 said:


> Agreed, particularly in an 18x18x24" terrarium for tinctorius... Anything that doesn't maximize USABLE floor space should be avoided at ALL costs.


Lord you're all taking things out of context I've done done this many times with great success, but maybe I'm taking this wrongly. You're join dates suggest you're new to the hobby. To O P seems this forum is going downhill


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## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

Obliv79 said:


> Lord you're all taking things out of context I've done done this many times with great success, but maybe I'm taking this wrongly. You're join dates suggest you're new to the hobby. To O P seems this forum is going downhill


And yet, I know enough not to use up valuable floorspace with a water feature in a tank that ONLY BARELY meets the minimum requirements for a species. ;-)

PS, join date has NOTHING to do with how long someone has been in the Hobby.


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## Frog&Toad (Nov 21, 2015)

fishingguy12345 said:


> PS, join date has NOTHING to do with how long someone has been in the Hobby.


Can confirm...
I literally started 2 weeks ago lol


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## Chris S (Apr 12, 2016)

Obliv79 said:


> Lord you're all taking things out of context I've done done this many times with great success, but maybe I'm taking this wrongly. You're join dates suggest you're new to the hobby. To O P seems this forum is going downhill


What context is this supposed to be taken in? You suggested that a water feature is beneficial for a tank of D. tinctorius, and suggested it can replace a proper misting cycle. I believe this is not the case, unless you can explain as to why a terrestrial frog would benefit from having a large percentage of it's available footprint taken up by a water feature. If you have something to add to defend your point, then by all means please do. 

Oh wait. I see you joined the forum in 2007. Sorry, I apologize. You are obviously well equipped to answer all questions and give good sound advice.


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