# Planted Tanks > Plant Talk > Cryptocoryne Club >  Do you have a misting system in your emersed setup?

## carlfsk

Do you guys uses mister in your cryptocoryne emersed setup?

I am in the midst of setting up a 1ft cube tank emersed setup, hopefully I could automate it as in the misting, exchange of air will be done by itself. Now I am lacking of the misting device. I wonder whether I could DIY or I got to get it from somewhere.

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## Thirteen

can be purchased from Landscaping companies, florists and nurseries, since some waterfeature setups they put ioniser to create mist. The device is called an ionizer. However, is not really very practical. You'll need to top up water very consistently as the rate of ionizing is rather fast. When water level lowers to certain level, the device will not be able to ionize any water into vapour. Unless, your 1ft cube tank set up consist of a water compartment of considerable depth, otherwise, misting will be an unlikely long period. Try considering a powerhead connected to pipes with holes. The water recycles and is more practical.

Good luck.  :Smile:

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## illumbomb

I intend to set up a tank for keeping emersed cryptocoryne if possible too. The "powerhead connected to pipes with holes" concept sounds feasible and I have seen some done in LFS and fellow aquarist's tanks. However, I have a few questions to ask as I do not have experience with using powerhead or external filters:

1) for a 2 feet tank, my current thinking is for the pipes to be running on the back surface of the tank with suction clips and keep the other 3 sides and top free for viewing the plants, adding lights and moving the plants around. How should the pipes be arranged on this back wall (see attached for some thoughts I have now);

2) should the pipes be flexible pipes or hard pipes like those I seen in one of the fish shop and what would the recommended size of the pipes be (12-13mm?);


3) roughly what should be the rough flow rate (this is the main aspect to consider right?) of the powerhead required to drive this system?

4) should we attach some spray heads (i.e. adjustable air tubes connectors) to the pipes to control the speed and path of water jets or even better, are there special heads that could be attached to achieve a misting effect?

Thanks!

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## CK Yeo

I got myself this thing while in Oz with the intention to mist the whole growing area.... but I never got around to play with it and it has been sitting around for sometime.






it is meant to be used with the tap, but I suppose it can be modified for a pump. My original intention was to get a solenoid for the tap and set it on timer. 

Ok, supposedly great for overheated humans/dogs too. There are probably similar things in the market.

ck

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## TS168

Misting is possible if only you have bigger tank.
Atleast 3ft else it not worth it. If your tank is 2ft and below? use internal pump is more feasible.

I believe you are trying to achieve a high humidity environment.

Another factor you need to consider is , is your enclose tank warm? :P

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## illumbomb

I am thinking of a 2 feet tank with internal pump and at least a water spray system (unless someone can suggest some cheap and feasible misting nozzles to incorporate into the system) using pipes with holes as discribed above but need some help on the questions listed above.  :Smile:  If the water jets are able to cover the entire tank quite comprehensively such that the emersed cryptocorynes will be constantly wet, I am thinking of leaving the tank open for good exchange of air. 

As for the question on "warmth", I am thinking of leaving the tank in my balcony exposed to partial sunlight (depending on the change in sun path throughout the day), and maybe have some fluorescent lighting at night for viewing the plants? Will this be warm / cool enough?

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## carlfsk

> I got myself this thing while in Oz with the intention to mist the whole growing area.... but I never got around to play with it and it has been sitting around for sometime.
> 
> it is meant to be used with the tap, but I suppose it can be modified for a pump. My original intention was to get a solenoid for the tap and set it on timer. 
> 
> Ok, supposedly great for overheated humans/dogs too. There are probably similar things in the market.
> 
> ck


I believe pump might not have the required PSI to push through the misting nozzles. 

I have just gotten a mister from Keong Siong which people uses to create the misting effect for their terrarium. I have installed it in my enclosed emersed setup. It looks good, seems like it's able to maintaion a high level of moist and humidity in the tank. 

But then, I have not planted anything as yet. Still monitoring the moist level within.  :Roll Eyes:

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## illumbomb

I think those irrigation stores should sell some cheap things that we could modify to obtain the results we want right? I searched the web and saw this website: http://www.irrigation.com.sg/microspray.html. The items don't seem expensive... Anyone has experience with irrigation care to share some ideas???

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## TS168

Sir, only if you have strong pump to pump the water through to get the result.
If you want can loan from me, i have never make it, just that i manage to get some minor spray.

So far only real misting system can do a good one and they cost afew hundred buck. Or you can use humidity spray from the big shopping center, those people use to create humidity in aircon area. You get what i mean?

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## illumbomb

Hi CK Yeo,

I found a local company selling what I believe is the same system you presented above:







Below is the email reply from them:

Hi TS Wang

Yes, it is possible to connect to small submersed pump.
In fact we have several standard packages that allow you to connect to the household tap.
Enclosed is the cheapest of the set with 6 nozzles assembly which is S$XX (can I reveal the quotation I received here? Will I get into trouble? It is more than S$50 but less than S$100... try negotiating with them...) per set.
We have a wide collection in our office that you can select from.

Best Regards
Serene Leong
Wilson Spray Nozzle Pte Ltd
Blk 71 Ayer Rajah Industrial Estate,
#04-23/24 Ayer Rajah Crescent,
Singapore 139951.
Tel : (65) 67741828
Fax : (65) 67779813
www.wilsonspraynozzle.sg

Hmmm, perhaps CK Yeo can give yours a try and let us know the effects achieved when it is connected to a submersed pump + digital timer?  :Evil:

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## carlfsk

Hey, this is good news if a small pump could drive it, giving the misting effect.

 :Grin:

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## CK Yeo

Well, mine is up for grabs in case anyone is game to try it. Brand new. PM me.

ck

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## illumbomb

Finally, I had a chance to go Far East Flora today and saw that they have DIY irrigation system for sale. I bought the below Hozelock mister microjet (max 55L/H, 50cm radius, connect to 4mm tube) and some 4mm tube threaded connectors (to insert directly into larger diameter main tube to tee off smaller 4mm tube runs) and decided to set up my emersed cryptocoryne tank (at last!) :Grin: :


Thereafter, I went to C328 and spent about $18 to buy the below:
1) Atman At-102 submersible pump (600L/H and 1m)
2) 5m of 4mm diameter air tube
3) 6 no. of t-joint for air tube
4) 2 no. of straight joint with knob for air tube (intend to use at 2 end of the run for releasing pressure.)
5) 1m of 12mm/16mm diameter water tube
6) 1 no. of t-joint for water tube (intending to loop 2 ends of a tube to this to form a dead-end because the straight joint with knob cost $6! In the end bought the wrong sizing instead and couldn't connect the water tube to it and have to use my fingers to block the water instead.  :Exasperated: 

When I reached home, I took out my 2.5ft tank which I abondoned for 3 years already due to my overseas assignment and hooked up the whole system. The 12mm/16mm water tube connects to the pump, 2 runs of 4mm air tubes with microjet misters (3 on each run) are connected to the water tube and lined along the front and back wall of the tank. The end of each run is fitted with a knobbed air tube connector to allow adjustment for releasing any excess pressure.


However, I found out that I could only obtain trickles of water as what T S Ow said even if I close up the knobbed connector at the end of the 2 runs, unlike what was shown on the packaging featured above. I tried to form a close loop at the end of the 2 runs instead, it helped a little only to boost the jets from the last 2 outlets furthest from the pump, not much though. 


I then thought that perhaps it is due to the excessive loss of head (Sorry I am a building person, not a M&E engineer) because of the extensive air tubes used so I replaced one side of run and to the main water tube I connected a outlet directly to test out the difference. The difference was not very significant.


Well, so this is how my virgin misting device is now in my new cryptocoryne tank, I have to find a way to close up the end of the 16mm/22mm water tube (fingers are numb already). 




Perhaps I should have bought some other outlets that are spray head that may require less pressure than the mister...... Haha, well that will be another experiment. 


And I was thinking also, when I close up the entire system and run the pump at "max" (i.e. 600L/hr), with 6 outlets at 55L/hrs x 6 = 330L/hrs and considering that the water are trickling only instead of misting like what is shown on the packaging (meaning the output flow rate is probably much lesser than 330L/hrs), will the pressure be built up causing the whole system to "explode" or causing my pump to over-heat and short-circuit?  :Razz:

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## TS168

You might as well go carrefor and look for the Humidifiers and modified it to connect into the tank and use timer to mist the tank.: :Smile: 

But check it out first before you throw your money on it again.
I believe bigger store do carry. if i am right they cost from 30plus to 80plus. the only issue is you need to figure out how to connect the mist into the tank.  :Smile:

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## Yoong

Illumbomb,
Try not to use the airtube to conduct the wawter flow. Flow rate is directly proportional to the diameter and inversely proportional to the lenght of the tube. Use short large diameter tube and punch the mist maker directly into the tube. It will improve the pressure problem but whether it is enough or not, I dunno.

Yoong

http://yoongbk.blogspot.com/

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## illumbomb

Hi Yoong,

Thanks for the suggestion. I tried it, it only helps a little, no significant improvements. Perhaps we shouldn't expect too much from a 6 for $10 mister heads (or have someone else out there tried them and got different results?). This irrigation system was supposed to be connecteded to the tap directly and I suppose our water main's pressure should be much higher than what small pumps used in aquarium can achieve (I have yet to have a chance to try it with a larger pmp). 

Anyway I finally bought a cheaper adjustable connector for $3 and completed the system. An air tube is connected at the outlet of the pump to create some circulation at the base of the tank and allow for release of built up pressure.  :Smile: 




Now I'm waiting for my glass cover to reach and I can start using the tank! I intend to shift the "mister system" up to bottom of the top glass cover and use it as a rain system (anyway it looks more like rain than mist!) instead, operating for 15 mins per hour to help to increase the RH in the tank.  :Wink:

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## TS168

you might want to consider doing a manual misting which will be cheaper. Most of us are doing that for the time being.

or 

you can do so by checking out mistking.com for a nice misting system. i think price is good if you really want a misting system. cheers.

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## uklau

Thanks for sharing your project, Illumbomb

Hands are getting itchy for another project  :Opps: . How I wish I can have another tank & more space & time....

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## carlfsk

> Thanks for sharing your project, Illumbomb
> 
> Hands are getting itchy for another project . How I wish I can have another tank & more space & time....


Haha Lau, you can if you want to.

I always thought I don't have any more spare space, but somehow, I am in the process of ordering another 2 2ft tanks... :Roll Eyes:

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