# What do YOU mist with?



## Markw (Jun 27, 2011)

Hi all. I'm wondering what everyone is misting their vivs with around these parts? From day 1, I've used nothing but bottled water to mist my guys with. I've noticed I've had to buy quite a bit lately. So, I was wondering if everyone else has been doing the same, or do you use some other type of water? I've set up a poll. If you reply to this thread, please vote as well.

Thanks!
Mark


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## Neontra (Aug 16, 2011)

Straight from the tap, my friend. Here in the mountains, I have spring water packed full of minerals, and has nothing harmful in it! After i've been misting with it, it does creature a film of mineral stuff where water is 99% of the time, but I feel there's a chance it's better for my plants and frogs.


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## fieldnstream (Sep 11, 2009)

I used to use aged tap with dechlorinator, but have recently switched to bottled distilled. Its cheap and doesn't leave spots all over the glass, so I'm happy with it.


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## Baltimore Bryan (Sep 6, 2006)

If it is just for a quick mist to keep humidity high, I can use straight from the tap. My tap water does not contain chlorine or any chemicals. However, for tadpoles or misting where it will affect the tadpoles (i.e. flushing tad rearing broms in pumilio viv), I use tap water that I "fix up" a bit, meaning I change the pH to around 7, add a bit of blackwater extract, and let it sit for at least a day.
Bryan


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

RO, to prevent mineral buildups on the glass. Bottled water is too vague a term. Some bottled water is purified, some is just bottled tap water.


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## tclipse (Sep 19, 2009)

I switch it up, whatever is most convenient at the time.... usually either RO or bottled from the 5 gallon jugs for the water dispenser, occasionally aged tap.


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## MrFusion (Jul 18, 2011)

I use R/O water myself. To be honest, buying R/O water from pet stores can be a hassle and bottled water can get expensive so I don't do it. What I discovered is that there are a lot of water vending machines outside of grocery stores that have better R/O filters than pet stores or anything you can use at home. I've verified that theory with my friend's TDS pen. At about $1.00 for 5 gallons, water vending machines beat the price and quality of pet store and home R/O water and bottled water by far.


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## Markw (Jun 27, 2011)

$1/5Gal?! I'd love to hear more about this one! I just paid $1.18/gal!

Mark


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## boabab95 (Nov 5, 2009)

it's $1/5 gallons up here too...it comes in those home-water dispenser things [the things people talk at in offices...LOL]


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## ZookeeperDoug (Jun 5, 2011)

Albertson's here in El Paso sells Distilled for 2(gallons)/$1 so I buy that and mist with it. I'm only misting 4 vivs, soon to be 12 though. 

I agree that bottled is too vague a term. You can get spring/ro/distilled/etc.. in a bottle.


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## Dizzle21 (Aug 11, 2009)

i mist with RO/DI because I dont want minerals and crap clogging my mistking nozzles and spotting my glass. its easy since I use Ro/di for my reef so i just make my own water


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## Markw (Jun 27, 2011)

When I said bottled, I meant things like Deer Park, Dasani, etc. I'll look into that $1/5gal water. My local walmart and convenience store both have a dispenser for bottles like that. Hopefully they're as cheap.

Mark


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## sstock (Mar 12, 2009)

RO. We have really hard water here. Cheapest solution for me.


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## james67 (Jun 28, 2008)

grain alcohol. my frogs like to get buck wild.

james


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## trevtron2 (Aug 27, 2011)

We have well water at my house so I feel it is safe to use.


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## james67 (Jun 28, 2008)

do you soften your water with salt?

james


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## trevtron2 (Aug 27, 2011)

Yes I do.... Is this a problem for the frogs?


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## Neontra (Aug 16, 2011)

No i don't think water softeners will harm frogs, but when I kept fish, my water couldn't be any softer (scientifically speaking)


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## MrFusion (Jul 18, 2011)

boabab95 said:


> it's $1/5 gallons up here too...it comes in those home-water dispenser things [the things people talk at in offices...LOL]


 The water dispensers I go to don't come with bottles. I have to being my own jugs. I should mention that I only use this water for my discus as well and it's been great. Just look outside of pretty much any grocery store in your area and there's likely to be one of these machines. Oh and most of the have info on the outside about how the water is filtered. The one I use even passes the water through a UV sterilizer. It's insane!


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## cairo11 (Jan 8, 2011)

MrFusion said:


> I use R/O water myself. To be honest, buying R/O water from pet stores can be a hassle and bottled water can get expensive so I don't do it. What I discovered is that there are a lot of water vending machines outside of grocery stores that have better R/O filters than pet stores or anything you can use at home. I've verified that theory with my friend's TDS pen. At about $1.00 for 5 gallons, water vending machines beat the price and quality of pet store and home R/O water and bottled water by far.


I have also been using r/o water from the vending windmills outside my local h.e.b. since day 1 of frog keeping. All my froglets have come out just fine and honestly... You cannit beat 5 gallons for $1.00 .


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## bristles (Jan 19, 2011)

I use bottles of distilled water, goes for about 79cent at the grocery


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## Markw (Jun 27, 2011)

I heard you really shouldnt use distilled at all because it's way too pure.

But what are some stores that have the $1/5gal RO water machines? I've so far only found $11/5gal..

Mark


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## james67 (Jun 28, 2008)

misting with distilled is fine, its soaking frogs, or using it with tads that, under the riht circumstances, could be problematic.

james


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Markw said:


> I heard you really shouldnt use distilled at all because it's way too pure.
> 
> But what are some stores that have the $1/5gal RO water machines? I've so far only found $11/5gal..
> 
> Mark


I think this thread will answer the question http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/beginner-discussion/70300-water-discussion.html 

Ed


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## MrFusion (Jul 18, 2011)

You really can't go wrong with virgin blood. A good ol' fashioned sacrificial virgin gets those froggies breeding every time!


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## Markw (Jun 27, 2011)

Well, my local Food Lion has the water dispensers for $0.30/gal. It's $1.50/5gal. Close, but no cigar. That's the best I've seen yet, though.

Mark


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## JakkBauer (Jul 11, 2011)

Ive been using Deer Park spring water with my spray bottle and reptifogger.


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## Wallace Grover (Dec 6, 2009)

james67 said:


> misting with distilled is fine, its soaking frogs, or using it with tads that, under the riht circumstances, could be problematic.
> 
> james


Most people add an indian almond leaf or make the tea in the first place, so I really doubt it is a problem...


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## azure89 (Jan 5, 2009)

I chose other because I use tap water that has been run through a brita drinking water filter


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## tachikoma (Apr 16, 2009)

azure89 said:


> I chose other because I use tap water that has been run through a brita drinking water filter


I do the same because my RODI system won't fit under my kitchen sink. Mine is a PUR filter though.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Running it through a brita or other similar passive carbon filtration isn't going to change the ion concentration, so be aware that it isn't going to prevent mist heads from clogging or salt deposits on the glass. 

Ed


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## tachikoma (Apr 16, 2009)

I know and I keep expecting my mist heads to clog but this setup has been been going for 2 years now and they are still flowing fine. I mist 5 times a day for 1:15 sec each so they get quite a good volume of water flowing through each week. I might just have some nice water with low lime content ( which might explain it's horrible taste) and lack of spots on my glass as well.


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## Alegre323 (Sep 2, 2011)

straight from the tap.


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## DragonSpirit1185 (Dec 6, 2010)

Alegre323 said:


> straight from the tap.


You should really look into using something else besides tap water.
Especially if you're getting into PDFs


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## DragonSpirit1185 (Dec 6, 2010)

I use distilled water. Kroger store brand 59¢ a gallon
I called the company to make sure they use real distillation...
They actually use R/O then distill it


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## Baltimore Bryan (Sep 6, 2006)

DragonSpirit1185 said:


> You should really look into using something else besides tap water.
> Especially if you're getting into PDFs


It depends on what kind of water you have coming out of the tap. I have well water, and have tested for some things like pH, tds, etc. and mine is fine to use for misting straight from the tap. It may not work for everyone though, especially if you have city water with high amounts of chlorine or other chemicals for example.
Bryan


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

People should also be aware that using water that has run through a water softener is going to cause problems over time. 

Ed


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## james67 (Jun 28, 2008)

i had concerns about that too ed. any idea how the salts effect the frogs?

james


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

It can muck with ability to osmoregulate but it is going to play havok with plants fairly quickly (and eggs and tadpoles) as salt creep may even show up in the tanks where water is wicked up and evaporates. 

Ed


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## B-NICE (Jul 15, 2011)

NY has some of the best tap water.


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## Mr. elder (Jan 29, 2011)

I use 1 prefilter 2 carbon and a large blue boy di .no ro .


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## cyck22 (Sep 8, 2011)

Hello all! First Post..

Nobody has discussed "Dechlorinated (liquid-treated) tap ". I just got into darts but have been into rhacodactylus geckos for a while now. I've been using the dechlorinating drops to make batches of treated water in old milk jugs. What’s the community’s position on the drops? I understand that I will get streaks on the glass, but is this method of water treatment safe for pdfs?


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

cyck22 said:


> Hello all! First Post..
> 
> Nobody has discussed "Dechlorinated (liquid-treated) tap ". I just got into darts but have been into rhacodactylus geckos for a while now. I've been using the dechlorinating drops to make batches of treated water in old milk jugs. What’s the community’s position on the drops? I understand that I will get streaks on the glass, but is this method of water treatment safe for pdfs?


Yes, yes it is..... and chlorinated water isn't a concern for reptiles... 

Ed


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## Dendroguy (Dec 4, 2010)

distilled water


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## Dendrodaved (May 4, 2010)

I use spring water (Zephyrhills)


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## Markw (Jun 27, 2011)

Wow. I'm really surprised how differed the results are here. There's a clear frontrunner with the RO, but the rest are very wide-spread.

Mark


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