# MistKing tubing options?



## tclipse (Sep 19, 2009)

I've heard a few mentions of alternate tubing to the rigid lines that come with the system, i.e. someone who "had a friend in the hydraulics biz".... has anyone tried any alternatives? Just looking at my options, because I'm setting up my system and might have some stuff laying around the house, and I'd like to get it all hooked up this afternoon while I have time. 

If you don't respond soon, I may be found dead face down in an electrified pool of RO water, because I'm going to dive in headfirst and try some stuff out. If necessity is the mother of invention, impatience is apparently its weird uncle... The one who sits by himself at the family barbeque, telling his pet mouse Pinky (whom he keeps in his coat pocket) that the world will soon be his.... and then gets too drunk and breaks a leg trying to walk down the stairs. 

Anyways, enough about my future, thoughts/experiences/ideas/concerns?


----------



## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Rain Drip brand 1/4" tubing from Lowe's is exactly the same product if all you are looking for is the tubing. The roll I found came in white.


----------



## Scott (Feb 17, 2004)

That said - I'd keep tubing black. I'd keep EVERY tube associated with a misting system black, and I'd try to make the reservoir as opaque as possible.

Why you ask?

Algae. Algae will grow in this system if you let it. It will THEN clog up your misting heads.

Keep the light off of the water in your system as much as possible.

s


Pumilo said:


> Rain Drip brand 1/4" tubing from Lowe's is exactly the same product if all you are looking for is the tubing. The roll I found came in white.


----------



## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Scott said:


> That said - I'd keep tubing black. I'd keep EVERY tube associated with a misting system black, and I'd try to make the reservoir as opaque as possible.
> 
> Why you ask?
> 
> ...


Even if the tubing is completely opaque white, Scott? Or are you thinking of the cloudy white-ish line like is used in refrigerator hookups?


----------



## Scott (Feb 17, 2004)

I think opaque white is more likely to pass light than black.

Hard to say for sure though.

s


----------



## Seth K. (Jan 24, 2010)

I have wondered about using that white hp hose too. I also noticed a black one that looks a little bit more flexible than mistkings. I haven't checked it with a misting head to see if it is the right diameter though?

Has anyone used the white hp hose with their systems?
If so, what were the results?


----------



## tclipse (Sep 19, 2009)

Seth K. said:


> I have wondered about using that white hp hose too. I also noticed a black one that looks a little bit more flexible than mistkings. I haven't checked it with a misting head to see if it is the right diameter though?


1/4" is the size you need, it's printed on the nozzle.


----------



## nschmitz06 (Feb 20, 2011)

Has anyone ever thought of buying some "beer line" hose instead? Its much more flexible is available in solid black for no light penetration and should be able to hold hold a decent amount of pressure... Just an idea--

Here is one brand that is selling 50' sections of 1/4" ID (inside diameter) tubing

http://www.micromatic.com/part-pid-548b600.html


----------



## frogfreak (Mar 4, 2009)

Scott said:


> That said - I'd keep tubing black. I'd keep EVERY tube associated with a misting system black, and I'd try to make the reservoir as opaque as possible.
> 
> Why you ask?
> 
> ...


I've had a clear line on my Leuc tank for 3 years. It's still going and no algae. I'm not saying it can't happen, but hasn't in my case.


----------



## tachikoma (Apr 16, 2009)

Seth K. said:


> I have wondered about using that white hp hose too. I also noticed a black one that looks a little bit more flexible than mistkings. I haven't checked it with a misting head to see if it is the right diameter though?
> 
> Has anyone used the white hp hose with their systems?
> If so, what were the results?


I just tried to use the rain drip flexible one from Home Depot. It did not work at all, water was spraying everywhere at the connection to the pump, I think it's too soft and the pressure squeezes the tube pretty easily. I repeat stay away from the softer vinyl one! lol Luckily the entire roll only cost $3.50, otherwise I would be pretty bummed.


----------



## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

tachikoma said:


> I just tried to use the rain drip flexible one from Home Depot. It did not work at all, water was spraying everywhere at the connection to the pump, I think it's too soft and the pressure squeezes the tube pretty easily. I repeat stay away from the softer vinyl one! lol Luckily the entire roll only cost $3.50, otherwise I would be pretty bummed.


I've been using some of the white and also the black, Rain Drip brand from Lowe's, for months without a single drip.


----------



## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Pumilo said:


> Even if the tubing is completely opaque white, Scott? Or are you thinking of the cloudy white-ish line like is used in refrigerator hookups?


At the zoo before I got them to switch over to black tubing they had the opaque white tubing that came out with the original misting kits and right from the beginning it was a continual fight to keep the lines and misting heads clear of cyanobacteria. The mats would form and plug up not only the line but the misting heads which required them to be disassembled and cleaned (often more than once a week). I would have to blow the lines clean almost weekly. 
Once it happens, it is very very difficult to get rid of without switching over to all solid black lines. 

Ed


----------



## J Teezy (Jan 25, 2012)

i'm wondering why you want flexible hose. The rigidness of the mistking tubing makes it less likely to kink a hose


----------



## tachikoma (Apr 16, 2009)

Pumilo said:


> I've been using some of the white and also the black, Rain Drip brand from Lowe's, for months without a single drip.


Is yours the soft vinyl one? My original mistking tubing is very rigid. 



J Teezy said:


> i'm wondering why you want flexible hose. The rigidness of the mistking tubing makes it less likely to kink a hose


I don't have a preference, it's just what they had in stock at my Home Depot.


----------



## J Teezy (Jan 25, 2012)

you can get tubing from Josh's Frogs, and if you need some other supplies too and cant get 50 bucks worth of stuff shipping is free


----------



## tachikoma (Apr 16, 2009)

J Teezy said:


> you can get tubing from Josh's Frogs, and if you need some other supplies too and cant get 50 bucks worth of stuff shipping is free


Yeah I ended up ordering 50 ft of it last night from Josh's Frogs, but I had to pay for overnight shipping because I am going on vacation for 2 weeks this Saturday, and my frogs need their mist! haha


----------



## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Ed said:


> At the zoo before I got them to switch over to black tubing they had the opaque white tubing that came out with the original misting kits and right from the beginning it was a continual fight to keep the lines and misting heads clear of cyanobacteria. The mats would form and plug up not only the line but the misting heads which required them to be disassembled and cleaned (often more than once a week). I would have to blow the lines clean almost weekly.
> Once it happens, it is very very difficult to get rid of without switching over to all solid black lines.
> 
> Ed


Thanks Ed. Are we talking about the completely solid white tubing that cannot be seen through at all? That is what I used but I'll strip those pieces out if it's a potential problem.



tachikoma said:


> Is yours the soft vinyl one? My original mistking tubing is very rigid.


My bad. It is not Rain Bird. I am using ORBIT brand Dripmaster line. It seems to be as rigid as my original MistKing line. Possibly VERY slightly thinner walled but it is definitely rigid.


----------



## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Pumilo said:


> Thanks Ed. Are we talking about the completely solid white tubing that cannot be seen through at all? That is what I used but I'll strip those pieces out if it's a potential problem..


That is the stuff I'm referring to... I won't use it at all at home (I threw it all away) and have long since upgraded to the Mistking tubing.. 


Ed


----------



## kgb (Aug 2, 2011)

usplastics.com has the same exact tube as mistking. 100ft. Cheap.


----------



## Pacblu202 (May 8, 2012)

Scott said:


> I think opaque white is more likely to pass light than black.
> 
> Hard to say for sure though.
> 
> s


not sure if this is relevent or not but i know for a fact white, like in cars bounces more lights off since it is the "anti-color" so to speak. It reflects all the light. black would then be a color that absorbs it all. I dont know if this would be the same for light passing though but thats my 2cents


----------



## nonliteral (Mar 26, 2012)

Also there are two kinds of white 1/4" tubing like this -- there's the "milky translucent" white (which around here Lowes and Home Depot sells for plumbing ice makers, etc.), and then there's a solid opaque white. 

I'd guess any of the opaque tubing (you can find black, red, white, blue, yellow, etc. online or from more specialized local retailers) is probably a lot more algae resistent than the translucent tubing.


----------



## Scordicus (Nov 13, 2019)

I know this is a bit of an older thread, but has anybody found any suitable 'more flexible' tubing for the MistKing that lives outside of the U.S.??

Because I'm in the UK, although I grew up using (and still do) imperial measurements, virtually everything you buy in the EU is in metric measurements/dimensions which is a real royal pain in the rear!

I'm in the process of hooking up several Exo Terra viv's, but in order to keep things both functional and neat, I'm passing the MistKing tubing through the sides of the Exo Terra light hoods (that have jungle dawn LED's fitted) which I have on the front half of each viv for plant growth, and could do with some tubing that is not quite as rigid as the original tubing that comes with the MistKing just to make my life setting it all up and actually plugging it in to the misting nozzles a little easier...


----------

