Cage Automation

[evilalive]

Having installed timer and temperature controller for my cage (M. Jackson). I'd recently equipped a digital humidity controller to further enhance the automation system. Therefore, does anyone have experience with humidity setup? My plan is to either interconnect with mist system or a humidifier. Which one will you recommend? Your input would be much appreciated

 

[ChameleonsTree]

Well i only use misters now...no drippers. I have them set to go for 4 15 minute sessions a day. I have it run from the hot tap and when it hits them its just pleasently warm and they love it.

 

[roo_71]

I'd recently equipped a digital humidity controller to further enhance the automation system.

Are you saying you have something with a sensor? So that when the predefined humidity drops it can turn on a device such as a mist sytsem or humidifier to rasie the humidty - then shut them/it off when the humidity gets back to that predefined level?

If so, roo likey and needs to see this. I've been interested in something like this for my cham room.

-roo

 

[evilalive]

Are you saying you have something with a sensor? So that when the predefined humidity drops it can turn on a device such as a mist sytsem or humidifier to rasie the humidty - then shut them/it off when the humidity gets back to that predefined level?

If so, roo likey and needs to see this. I've been interested in something like this for my cham room.

-roo

Hi roo,

Exactly, I'm sure it would benefit to your leaf chameleon cage too

 

[roo_71]

Exactly, I'm sure it would benefit to your leaf chameleon cage too

Sweet, post some links to this product. I struggle sometimes keeping the right humidity in my cham room. I need to be extra careful in there not to get things to humid ... its difficult to dry out a pygmy tank if it gets too wet. That and too much humidty IMO can cause problems for the pygmies.

-roo

 

[evilalive]

Sweet, post some links to this product. I struggle sometimes keeping the right humidity in my cham room. I need to be extra careful in there not to get things to humid ... its difficult to dry out a pygmy tank if it gets too wet. That and too much humidty IMO can cause problems for the pygmies.

-roo

The controller was called "DHC-100", but I can't find any information of this unit from the internet. Anyway, would take a few photo of it to share later. Please stay tunned.

 

[Jason]

Roo,

Here is one I have played with in the past. Its pricey but it works pretty well...

http://www.buenisima.com/itm00039.htm

 

[roo_71]

Thanks Jason!

-roo

 

[evilalive]

Hi roo,

Herewith the photo of the digital humidity controller, it has a external sensor probe to allow accurate measurement.

With digital display

General information of the controller

 

[evilalive]

Well i only use misters now...no drippers. I have them set to go for 4 15 minute sessions a day. I have it run from the hot tap and when it hits them its just pleasently warm and they love it.

Hi ChameleonsTree,

Thanks for the input, currently I have my misting system set to go for 3 15 minte session a day but would like to get a better humidities control for the cage while I switch-on the air conditioner (cooling device) in next month.

 

[roo_71]

Hey thanks! I like yours and would prefer one with an external probe. I will poke around the net to see if I can find this one or something similar.

-roo

 

[roo_71]

I ended up with this. Actually found it $100 cheaper at the site listed. It has a remote sensor and handles one device/humidifier which is all I need. Anything digital seems difficult to get a hold of, expensive, and a bit more then I need.

http://www.plantlightinghydroponics...umidity-controller-wremote-sensor-p-1514.html

-roo

 

[Fate X]

the humidity sensor is cool.

my future plans are to have my chameleon room's envorment totally computer controled. what i mean is everything connects to a pc: sensors,solinoids,pumps,temps, everything controled from filling mist tanks,drippers to draining, lights ,basking lights,fans,air conditioner.

 

[roo_71]

Cha-Ching $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Very feasible, you could even chart everything out and maybe slap together a dbase that correlates this data to events such as breeding, death, eating habits, reproduction, I could go on and on – do some very interesting analysis. Something I will look into when I win the lottery and don’t have to work.

-roo

 

[Fate X]

i was looking at software a few months ago that you could record everything down to what they eat a day i think it was a data base program.

when i setup mine its gonna be mostly all wired instead of wireless.

i got a start up price of $2,000-3,000 this was a all digital used for hydroponic greenhouses.

i think it connects to the usb ports, it would save so much time setting temperatures, etc.

i would keep that system offline since it will be the second brain.
i think theres even profile settings for the heating controls i think i could create heat/air/sun/ mist just like there natural .

 

[evilalive]

I ended up with this. Actually found it $100 cheaper at the site listed. It has a remote sensor and handles one device/humidifier which is all I need. Anything digital seems difficult to get a hold of, expensive, and a bit more then I need.

http://www.plantlightinghydroponics...umidity-controller-wremote-sensor-p-1514.html

-roo

Hi roo,

Happy for you of finding yours. Perhaps we can share our experience in using the unit in the future. Also, actually my controller only cost just less than $80, so I guess it really not that expensive though.
By the way, I do kept a pair of R. brev. what humidities setup will you recommend?

Well, been DIY the unit over the weekend, so it's already to run....

Final outlook

Last but not least, I would do a test with this controller interconnect with a humidifier for my tree frog before implement to my Jackson's cage. Should anyone has any good suggest. I'm welcome to hear

Roo,

Here is one I have played with in the past. Its pricey but it works pretty well...

http://www.buenisima.com/itm00039.htm

Hi Jason,

Can you tell us you experience in setting the enviroment?

i was looking at software a few months ago that you could record everything down to what they eat a day i think it was a data base program.

when i setup mine its gonna be mostly all wired instead of wireless.

i got a start up price of $2,000-3,000 this was a all digital used for hydroponic greenhouses.

i think it connects to the usb ports, it would save so much time setting temperatures, etc.

i would keep that system offline since it will be the second brain.
i think theres even profile settings for the heating controls i think i could create heat/air/sun/ mist just like there natural .

Hi FateX,

Actually you can simply purchase an environment monitoring system what people use in data centre . It interconnects with PC via IP and by simple configuration, it can achieve everything you've mentioned.

http://www.apcc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=AP9319X446&tab=features

 

[roo_71]

Hmmm ... I think it MIGHT be easier to score the digital ones in Hong Kong, I looked around pretty hard on the net for something local. All the digital ones seemed like you needed to buy them in bulk and they looked like they are all made on in your region ... just couldnt find a site that let me see the price of just one and had "cart" for me to order it. I havent received the one I purchased yet but I like the fact that it has a remote sensor so I can just have it sit on the table in the middle of the room and not trip over a wire.

For the brevs, it always safest IMO to get the room humidity up or provide a good misting once or twice a day with a good dry out period in between mistings and at night. But if that's tricky then check out the articles below, to me plumbing a humidifier into the tank should be the last solution. I use to plumb all my tanks but when I switched apartments I had a room dedicated to pygmy chams and figured it was easier/less maintenance and safer to humidify the room instead.

I like to have an average humidity of around 60-65 in the tanks - you will know you are offering the proper humidity by how often they drink which shouldn’t be too often. Full eyes and nice white urates are another indication of good humidity.

Just be careful not to let the tank get too wet or you may chance a URI, eye infections, etc. – really avoid sustained humidity of 80 and above. Nothing wrong with hitting 75-80 on the gauge after a misting … I usually mist until I see the gauge hit 75 then stop.

Good airflow into the tank is important too ... I like a fan in the room that puts a subtle breeze into the tank.

-roo

http://www.chameleonnews.com/brevcare.html
http://www.chameleonnews.com/stumphabitat.html
http://www.chameleonnews.com/humidifier.html

 

[evilalive]

For the brevs, it always safest IMO to get the room humidity up or provide a good misting once or twice a day with a good dry out period in between mistings and at night. But if that's tricky then check out the articles below, to me plumbing a humidifier into the tank should be the last solution. I use to plumb all my tanks but when I switched apartments I had a room dedicated to pygmy chams and figured it was easier/less maintenance and safer to humidify the room instead.

Just be careful not to let the tank get too wet or you may chance a URI, eye infections, etc. – really avoid sustained humidity of 80 and above. Nothing wrong with hitting 75-80 on the gauge after a misting … I usually mist until I see the gauge hit 75 then stop.

Good airflow into the tank is important too ... I like a fan in the room that puts a subtle breeze into the tank.

-roo

Thanks roo, your comments really help me in settup the unit. In fact, I never thought of the "dry out period" for the cage, so I will have this humidities controller work in conjunction with a timer.

Indeed, it's hard to find a decent low cost humidities controller in the internet. To me, I have been searching this kind of controller since 2005 and really happy of getting it now to achieve my goal in cage automation. Hopefully, all my chameleon can get benefit from it.

Last but not least, it has been my other dream of getting a nice Ambanja Panther. Luckily, this dream has also accomplished on last Friday

 

[Brian S]

wow.......i'm speechless. The green and the blue and the red makes me teary eye'd. How old is he?

 

[rcagosto]

That's a freaking gorgeous ambaja panther. good luck. It would be cool to have everything hooked up to a computer I think it would make everything a whole lot easier lol.