# Drip Wall



## IndianaJosh (Jun 20, 2008)

Hello Everyone!

I am in the process of building a 18" x 18" x 18" Exo-Terra. I want to build a drip wall on the rear wall. I bought my wood and 404 pump and everything from Chris, UmbraSprite (a GREAT seller by the way) and he was giving me ideas on how to do my drip wall. I liked the reservoir idea that he gave me. Something along the lines of the viv he built for Kristy, found here --> http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members-frogs-vivariums/30381-18-x-18-x-18-exo-kristy.html

I am not necessarily looking to do a waterfall, just more along the lines of a drip wall.

Any help and suggestions are greatly appreciated!

--Josh


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## IndianaJosh (Jun 20, 2008)

no one? hmmm


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## Jeff R (Jul 1, 2005)

Use CPVC for the rigid plumbing to the top then across the back top with perforations for the dripping.


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

Hey, I like to use little adjustable drip heads for irrigation, found in Lowes. They are black and you twist the top to constrol the flow, and they push into a hole that you will need to drill in the pipe.


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## IN2DEEP (Aug 7, 2007)

Take a piece of tubing that fits your pump to a aquarium store and get a piece of the rigid (clear) tubing to fit inside. It's thin wall and drills easy or heat a paperclip and push holes in it (hold paperclip with pliars, gets HOT!). You can plug off the end with hot glue or insert a 1/4" tube and then backfill with hot glue, giving you another way to reduce pressure on the "drip" part without restricting pump, run 1/4" tube into resevior or make into another drip line. When building your creation, just remember if it water comes in contact with your substrate it will all be wet. Use gravel wisely to "confine" un/expected leakage.


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## mille981 (Sep 9, 2008)

I have always used CPVC and drilled small holes in it. I would place a T connector in the middle and pump the water in from there. This way half of the drip wall is supplied on each side of the pump outlet. If the water pumps in at one side of the CPVC there will not be enough at the end furthest away from the pump. I usually drill slightly smaller holes near the T for this reason as well. Tree fern or cocos panels make the best drip walls because there is something for the water to run through. You can even include a waterfall in the plumbing design by adding another T connector but you may have to play with the pump size and add a ball valve to the outlet. If you use the cocos panels, you can finish the project by gluing coconut fiber to the exposed tubes to cover them up. With treefern you can glue pieces of the roots on.


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## IndianaJosh (Jun 20, 2008)

Thanks everyone!

The CPVC method... is there any way to decorate/hide the PVC?

The reservoir method... what should I use as a reservoir?

--Josh


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## IndianaJosh (Jun 20, 2008)

OK, millie, at first I was thinking you meant hiding the tubes carrying the water behind the panels. I did not know you meant the actual PVC.


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## Ridge (Jun 7, 2004)

I have a drip wall in one of my vivs - I used a false bottom to hide the pump, clear plastic tubing runs up the back and there are small adjustable drippers (from Lowes) that allow the water out. The tubing is plugged on the other end so all the water exits the drippers. I concealed the water supply line in two ways. I rolled it in silicone and covered it with the same material as on my background and I also added some other vines of various sizes around it. You can't tell it apart from the natural vines. Highly recommend the false bottom as your reservoir, it is not easy to control the flow of water from a drip wall.


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## IndianaJosh (Jun 20, 2008)

Ridge said:


> I have a drip wall in one of my vivs - I used a false bottom to hide the pump, clear plastic tubing runs up the back and there are small adjustable drippers (from Lowes) that allow the water out. The tubing is plugged on the other end so all the water exits the drippers. I concealed the water supply line in two ways. I rolled it in silicone and covered it with the same material as on my background and I also added some other vines of various sizes around it. You can't tell it apart from the natural vines. Highly recommend the false bottom as your reservoir, it is not easy to control the flow of water from a drip wall.


That is what I decided to do. I am unsure though about using the false bottom.. I will be posting my construction journal on here in the morning. Hopefully, from there I can get input from everyone as to what will be more beneficial in my situation.

Thanks

--Josh


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