This viv has consumed me

Ive been going back and forth from having my head stuck in the viv to being lost in the home depot . Anyways the layout is done, now just the hardscaping. I am impressed with what Ive done. I was going to do step by step instructions but no one has approached me with questions so I'm gonna scrap that but will answer any questions you may have.


This is where its at right now. Blue denotes where drippers will be placed, the hosing is already buried in the foam, I have several drippers that I will be trying. It is being ran off of a pnuematic rain system on a valve. The green is sprinkler heads that have been fitted in via a bulkhead outside the tank that is set up to a cold water mister I had laying around (see next post).
*disclaimer* Im not yet or even near being a professional

Pnuematic Rain System

With a small aquarium air pump, a few connectors, a back valve, and some nozzles I was able to set up a care free misting system. The idea behind this was to provide water for the geckos and plants as well as fresh air and circulation. The pump moves air and water through the hoses.





External Cold Mister

I had one of those small misters laying around from some feable vivarium attempts and it started to collect dust. There are way to many precautions to have one of those misters set up inside the tank, I strongly advise against having a small mister INSIDE the tank, which I used to have Anyways I irrigated the mist to the inside of the tank via some serious plumbing handywork. The bin that pneumatic rain system will feed from will also have the mister and plumbing housed in it. The mister rests inside a pvc coupling that is then reduced to a workable size using several pvc joints. I drilled small holes in the bottom peice for water to get in and there is also an air hose placed under the water level inside the coupler. What this does is it forces air into the coupler displacing the mist/fog forcing it upwards through the plumbing. I didnt use any sharp turns and everything is conical to try no to slow/resist the air flow any.
The mist exits the plumbing by way of sprinkler heads screwed into a t valve and a 90 elbow that rests on the bottom of the tank.

You are overloading my brain. Looks good so far cant wait to see the finished product.

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MARSHA

:D I'm smiling because I have no idea whats going on!

Well done Cody!

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"Spread Reptile Awareness!"

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Chronic,
It looks amazing so far! I'll have to study that misting system a bit more carefully, but everything looks great. I can't wait to see it finished.

I've got one minus point about all the foam that I used.... reptile mites! Both of my terrariums have been infested and now I'm just freaked out that every nook and cranny of that foam is full of mite eggs!!

I've taken the whole terrarium apart and sprayed everything with permethrin (not the snakes!) Now it's out in the freezing cold on the balcony... where it will stay for most of the winter or until I'm sure that nothing could possibly have survived anywhere in it.
On the bright side, the stuff sure holds up to cleaning!

Good luck with the rest of your project! Keep us posted!!!

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Andrea

Heh BlackJack, just an obsevation, cold will not kill the mites it will just make them and the eggs go dormant until they are warmed up again.As long as you clean it really well and spray with permethrin you should be allright. If you are worried at all just spray it one more time and I'll bet that those little buggers will be gone for good!
Good luck!

Dave

That viv looks totally awesome Chronic, I too cant wait to see the finished product.

Eww mites **** i hope you succeed in getting rid of them.

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1.1 Cats: Princess, Buddah "Boo"
0.2 Rats: Noah (hooded) & Winston (himalayan)

I have an innate love for all creatures big and small, no matter if they are furry, scaled, slimy, or feathered.

Hey Chronicfatique, looks like a good setup.

Could you please inform me of the risks associated with running a mister inside a viv? I recently put one in my WD enclosure in a feable attempt at raising the humidity level.

Black, I heard of someone having mite problems with the foam as well, they did what you are doing and were able to get rid of it. It has worried me since I can not seem to keep the mites out of my tank even though I sterilize my soil/branches and quarintine all my plants for at least a month.Im hoping to have everything sealed well enough that they can't get in, but I don't think thats going to be possible.

Newbie, read this thread: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sh...hlight=misters
It was enough to convince me to put it outside. When I had mine inside it was under the false bottom and behind several peices of rock, unnaccesible. Which was cool b/c it was safe but at the same time once the disk was dead it was useless so I just pulled it out for good.

Unless its airtight the sneaky little devils will find a way in.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!