A couple of MistKing questions

[TotalNoob]

I've decided to purchase the Mistking starter kit. I am thinking two or three nozzles will be plenty. We don't have a Chameleon yet, and I will have the enclosure completely set up before we purchase.....

2 questions.....

1: If I have the timer going for three times daily, will I still need a dripper for drinking?

2: If I purchase directly from the MistKing site I can get the upgraded pump for a few dollars more.....Is it worth it?

Any insights would be helpful!

Josh

 

[ZEROPILOT]

The basic kit has just one nozzle.
Stepping up to the next kit, the ULTIMATE has the bigger pump, two more nozzles and a lot more misc. fittings.
It actually ends up being cheaper than adding on the extra parts.
I use a dripper and Mistking on all of my enclosures. My Chameleons drink from my drippers. But if you use the Mistking a few times a day for longer than 3 minutes, your chams will probably just be able to lick the leaves.
I just use mine for humidity. Day and night.

 

[TotalNoob]

I appreciate the feedback. Actually though, the Ultimate is $100 more. On Mistkings site you can add the dual nozzle and ugraded pump for $40. Or just upgrade to a dual nozzle for $5. I wouldn't need any of the extra fittings or tubing. All that stuff is just Jaco fittings anyway. I've got tons of that stuff laying around for water filtration systems I install.

Not really sure what the difference is in the "upgraded" pump as the specs seem to be identical.....

 

[ZEROPILOT]

It might be the identical pump.
The ULTIMATE kit said it'd push over 20 nozzles.
I am only assuming its different.
Also, I got 3 nozzles and ordered an extra.
The dual nozzle is actually a better choice.
I was shocked by how much each nozzle cost.

 

[Redman]

The nozzle price from mistking is pretty crazy. I got mine with no nozzles and ordered spray emitters from the Drip Depot. I was able to drill a small hole in the bottom of large deli cups and install the mist nozzles in the hole so that they sit on top of my cages and "rain" in a controlled area determined by the deli cup on top of the cage. This way I didn't have to cut holes in my cages.

Maybe not adjustable the same way as the expensive mistking nozzles, but by adjusting the length of tubing for each nozzle I was able to setup my DIY rain emitters over the plant leaves I want with no trouble and you can easily twist to adjust the flow volume. And these emitters were something like 60cents each. (Item #1115, listed as "DIG 2 GPH Fogger mister on barbed elbow" on drip depot website.)

If you are interested I can try to take pics tomorrow when my lights are back on. If not, no problem.

 

[SeeJay]

The basic kit has just one nozzle.
Stepping up to the next kit, the ULTIMATE has the bigger pump, two more nozzles and a lot more misc. fittings.
It actually ends up being cheaper than adding on the extra parts.
I use a dripper and Mistking on all of my enclosures. My Chameleons drink from my drippers. But if you use the Mistking a few times a day for longer than 3 minutes, your chams will probably just be able to lick the leaves.
I just use mine for humidity. Day and night.

I bought the basic one directly from mist king and it came with a single nozzle and a dual nozzle. I see no need to upgrade anything. The pump is more than sufficient.

 

[Pi11ow]

@Redman at that price point WOW! For the rain nozzle set up you’re describing that sounds awesome. Have you tried the DIG 0.8 GPH Fogger on Barb? Seems like it may be more in line with the fine mist that a mistking nozzle releases.

 

[TotalNoob]

Hey Redman...Sure I'd like some pics of what you are describing! I was thinking of maybe stringing up some stubby type misters pointing straight down inside the enclosure to control the water that would exit the enclosure a little more.

https://www.mistking.com/Value-Greenhouse-T-non-adjustable.html


ZeroPilot...How did you attach your mister to your screening? Just a couple of fender washers?

 

[skoram]

I've decided to purchase the Mistking starter kit. I am thinking two or three nozzles will be plenty. We don't have a Chameleon yet, and I will have the enclosure completely set up before we purchase.....

2 questions.....

1: If I have the timer going for three times daily, will I still need a dripper for drinking?

2: If I purchase directly from the MistKing site I can get the upgraded pump for a few dollars more.....Is it worth it?

Any insights would be helpful!

Josh

Do you plan to purchase a screen or glass enclosure? I have both the basic and ultimate Mistking - I wanted extra pumps so I could put enclosures on different misting schedules. The basic is more than sufficient even for 2 - 3 enclosures.

There is reasonably strong evidence that high humidity coupled with cool temperatures at night help keep chameleons well hydrated. This would be especially applicable for glass enclosures. I have never misted longer than 2 minutes in one session. For a while I even tried 30 second misting sessions 4 - 5 times per day. Currently one minute in the morning just before the lights come on and 2 minutes in the evening just after lights out. My chameleons have never experienced any dehydration issues. A dripper would certainly not hurt though I have never felt the need to use one.

If you plan to use a screen enclosure then longer (3 minute+) misting sessions are probably a necessity.

 

[TotalNoob]

The enclosure I'll be using ( ordered but not delivered yet) is the Reptibreezedeluxe. It's 24x24x48 with screens top and sides, but an acrylic panel for the front door

 

[snitz427]

The enclosure I'll be using ( ordered but not delivered yet) is the Reptibreezedeluxe. It's 24x24x48 with screens top and sides, but an acrylic panel for the front door

You'll do fine with the basic for a single cage (or three). I use two basic kits to run 6 cages (10 nozzles each kit). If you plan to add more cages you might want to bump up, but only necessary if you go over 10 nozzles.

I have 2 24x24x48 cages and the dual nozzle isn't enough for my taste. I'll be adding a 3rd, if not a 4th nozzle next week. Also, if you plan to mount the nozzles outside the cage instead of inside (some do this for a rain-like effect), you can get the green house nozzles instead, which are a few bucks cheaper. Or you can go with an off brand. The nozzles are expensive!!

 

[Redman]

@Redman at that price point WOW! For the rain nozzle set up you’re describing that sounds awesome. Have you tried the DIG 0.8 GPH Fogger on Barb? Seems like it may be more in line with the fine mist that a mistking nozzle releases.

For a rain setup I actually didn't want super fine mist. What this does is "mist" onto the screen top in an area limited by the opening of my deli cup, then the accumulating water on top of the screen drips through the holes in the screen and forms drops that fall onto the leaves directly below the cup.

Hey Redman...Sure I'd like some pics of what you are describing!

I made these so I could control wasted overspray and keep my drips targeted on the area of leaves I wanted. Depending on the specific Cham, and how they like to drink, I use from 1 to 3 of these per cage. The second pic is so you can see how I assembled it. I used a knife to twist in a hole in the middle of the bottom of the deli cup, just large enough to force in the mount for the drip emitter (they come assembled together, but pull apart fairly easily so you can assemble through the cup), then reassemble. I use simple T's to install them, and in most cases I added a barbed tubing coupling valve so I could simply adjust flow rates between individual misters, but I ended up only actually adjusting one of the dozen or so that I run from my ultimate mistking pump. I had a bit more water in that cage than I wanted, so I did tweak it a bit and now it's fine.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Hey Redman...Sure I'd like some pics of what you are describing! I was thinking of maybe stringing up some stubby type misters pointing straight down inside the enclosure to control the water that would exit the enclosure a little more.

https://www.mistking.com/Value-Greenhouse-T-non-adjustable.html


ZeroPilot...How did you attach your mister to your screening? Just a couple of fender washers?

Yep.
Fender washers.

 

[cyberlocc]

You'll do fine with the basic for a single cage (or three). I use two basic kits to run 6 cages (10 nozzles each kit). If you plan to add more cages you might want to bump up, but only necessary if you go over 10 nozzles.

I have 2 24x24x48 cages and the dual nozzle isn't enough for my taste. I'll be adding a 3rd, if not a 4th nozzle next week. Also, if you plan to mount the nozzles outside the cage instead of inside (some do this for a rain-like effect), you can get the green house nozzles instead, which are a few bucks cheaper. Or you can go with an off brand. The nozzles are expensive!!

I have come to find the same. 1 nozzle from what I have read, is said to cover up to a 14x14 area, with some fringe mist extending to 16inches or so. I chalked it up to 12inch areas, for actual full on mist.

My 24x48x48 (actually taller, but thats soil to screen bio), I had setup using 4 nozzles in the front, 1 for every foot. Not enough.

The front of the cage, is fine, its great, the plants get adequate water, ect the back gets nothing. I lost 2 rare expensive plants due to this , a 35 dollar orchid and a 75 dollar tassel fern . There is now 2 more nozzles in the back, through the screen, even that isnt enough, I have 2 Tublar Sword ferns in the back of the Viv, floor level planted I have to manually water, they dont get nearly enough. I only did 2, because those are mounted through the screen, which I need to fix soon and then will have 4.

TLDR, I would personally suggest everyone follows my new found 12inch rule, in all enclosures. Look at your cage/viv from a birdeyes eye view, and place nozzles for each 12x12 section.

One of those options for a 24x24, and on odd sizes error to more nozzles than less, so a 30x24xX I would do a 6 nozzle spread. Also take into account the spreads, ESPECIALLY with Epiphytes!

These nozzles, are meant single nozzle for a 18x18 exoterra, with 2 inch walls and background, leaving a 14x14 area, 1 nozzle covers that perfectly, a 24x24 cham cage not so much.

Probably not as big of a deal with potted plants, I am not sure. However if you have a bio with bare root Epiphytes its a HUGE deal.

 

[Tihshho]

If you go with the MistKing Cham nozzles they basically do the same as the cup method above, but also provide some mist to the enclosure as well. For all my adults I exclusively use them and they work great!