Custom build; its finally happening!

Daesie11

Chameleon Enthusiast
We finally busted out all the big boy tools and are getting started on the build for Pestos new enclosure. I'll be posting updates here as we go. The plan is a roughly 4x2x4 screen enclosure. I'll probably end up insulating it with window film because Colorado. It seems like the boys that I've bribed (beer goes a long way) to help me know what they are doing and I'm excited to get started!

I know that I need to order another mistking nozzle because with this size I'm definitely going to need more water going through, I want to make sure I get the right one. I would like to have one nozzle in one corner, then another nozzle in the complete opposite corner, so I'm going to need something to split the hose as well? Does anyone have a link to exactly what I should order? Amazon links appreciated :ROFLMAO:
20190810_134203.jpg
 
I seem to have run in to an issue with how I am going to drain my enclosure. I need to find a tray big enough to put under this massive enclosure for it to drain in to... thoughts?
 
Are you going Bioactive? Those T nozzles are not what you want and 2 of those is not nearly enough.

My 4x2x4 has 6, and I need to up that to 8. They do not cover very well, in a large cage. If it's not Bioactive and has no plants on the walls and placement right of the pots, this may not be an issue.

4 evenly spaced will be enough to evenly spray, the cage in the front half. However the back wall, so if you have epiphytes, will not get wet at all. This is where I had to add 2, and now am planning to add 2 more.

1 nozzle is good for about a 14x14 inch area. You have that x8. I was always told, that the nozzles do 18x18, well my 16x16s walls are not wet with a nozzle in the center, so no it doesn't cover an 18x18 area fully.

I use a 1x3 for the nozzles to attach to. I do 1 nozzle at either side, 6 inches, from the sides. Then 12inches between each nozzle. This means each nozzle covers 12 inches and they do that, with some slight overlap, very slight.

Then I did the 2 in the back, and that restricts my Epiphytes placement, so I will doing a 1x3 with the same 4 nozzles soon.
 
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Are you going Bioactive? Those T nozzles are not what you want and 2 of those is not nearly enough.

My 4x2x4 has 6, and I need to up that to 8. They do not cover very well, in a large cage. If it's not Bioactive and has no plants on the walls and placement right of the pots, this may not be an issue.

4 evenly spaced will be enough to evenly spray, the cage in the front half. However the back wall, so if you have epiphytes, will not get wet at all. This is where I had to add 2, and now am planning to add 2 more.

1 nozzle is good for about a 14x14 inch area. You have that x8. I was always told, that the nozzles do 18x18, well my 16x16s walls are not wet with a nozzle in the center, so no it doesn't cover an 18x18 area fully.
I'm not going bioactive yet. In the future I would like to but right now it's not in the books for me. If I buy the nozzle that Joxie linked, I'll technically have 3 nozzles. Will that be sufficient? I'm not so much worried about the plants as I am just making sure there is water for my cham. I can always go in and water the plants as needed.
 
Are you doing bioactive? You could substrate tray for tye bottom and just have a single drain hole vs an open bottom?
So we are planning on angling the base of the enclosure slightly so that the water will flow to the front. I'm mostly just trying to think of something big enough for this enclosure
 
I'm not going bioactive yet. In the future I would like to but right now it's not in the books for me. If I buy the nozzle that Joxie linked, I'll technically have 3 nozzles. Will that be sufficient? I'm not so much worried about the plants as I am just making sure there is water for my cham. I can always go in and water the plants as needed.

What's enough is subjective. If you have them on the sides, the center of the cage will never bet wet.

The nozzles carry about 12inches, or a little more. That's how much space will be wet, a 12inch radius around that nozzle. The double Nozzles that Joxie linked, do not increase that spread, the nozzles are 3-4 inches apart. They just double the amount of water going to the same area.

If you want the whole cage to be wet, it will take 8 nozzles. If some spots only are okay, use less :).

I can't really give you an answer, as it's subjective. And I don't know, how your Cham will like it. Maybe he will like a place to escape wetness, maybe he won't be able to find wetness, IDK.
 
What's enough is subjective. If you have them on the sides, the center of the cage will never bet wet.

The nozzles carry about 12inches, or a little more. That's how much space will be wet, a 12inch radius around that nozzle. The double Nozzles that Joxie linked, do not increase that spread, the nozzles are 3-4 inches apart. They just double the amount of water going to the same area.

If you want the whole cage to be wet, it will take 8 nozzles. If some spots only are okay, use less :).

I can't really give you an answer, as it's subjective. And I don't know, how your Cham will like it. Maybe he will like a place to escape wetness, maybe he won't be able to find wetness, IDK.
Oh got it, so the one she linked will put 2 nozzles in the same spot? What do I need to get to split the hose so I can have nozzles on all 4 corners of the enclosure?
 
Oh got it, so the one she linked will put 2 nozzles in the same spot? What do I need to get to split the hose so I can have nozzles on all 4 corners of the enclosure?

Ts for the top, to loop the nozzles and maybe a T off the line, to make a circle, that's what I do. Josh's frogs sells Ts and Nozzles for 15 for nozzles, and Ts a couple bucks. The nozzles come with Ts or Ls, you need the Ts.

https://www.joshsfrogs.com/mistking-value-t-misting-assembly.html

That's the T nozzle.

I still wouldn't do the corners, I would at least do 4 along the front. That will soak the entire front of the cage, however won't reach to the back half, very well and the absolute back wall, vicinity at all.

However it would spray the front half, akin to 2 in the corners of a 24x24.

The nozzles have a 12inch or so, up to 14inch, spray pattern. So in a 24x24, and the atrium that's 28, DS picked the perfect size, the overlap of both 14 radiuses is enough for even spray, in that area most likely a good wet center.

You have double that, so corners are no longer an option. But like I said, you also built with wood, you don't have to compromise and use those Mist King Corners. Those are a compromise for a screen cage, that you no longer need to worry about. Just like dragon ledges.

Same goes with the wall material choice, why window film? You can put solid acrylic walls, or even glass. Window Film is a compromise for a light screen cage, that can be easily attached. This is why we DIY, to get away from non optimal compromises :).
 
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Ts for the top, to loop the nozzles and maybe a T off the line, to make a circle, that's what I do. Josh's frogs sells Ts and Nozzles for 15 for nozzles, and Ts a couple bucks. The nozzles come with Ts or Ls, you need the Ts.

https://www.joshsfrogs.com/mistking-value-t-misting-assembly.html

That's the T nozzle.

I still wouldn't do the corners, I would at least do 4 along the front. That will soak the entire front of the cage, however won't reach to the back half, very well and the absolute back wall, vicinity at all.

However it would spray the front half, akin to 2 in the corners of a 24x24.
Oh ok, I was just thinking corners because I have the bracket thing to attach it to the corner. How do you attach it just to the front?
When you say "to make a circle" what does that mean? Sorry I have a hard time imagining it in my head lol I am very new to all of this. Do you have pictures? :ROFLMAO:
 
Tell your boys,
Oh ok, I was just thinking corners because I have the bracket thing to attach it to the corner. How do you attach it just to the front?
When you say "to make a circle" what does that mean? Sorry I have a hard time imagining it in my head lol I am very new to all of this. Do you have pictures? :ROFLMAO:

Yes that bracket, is a compromise, it is made to attach a nozzle to the screen, this is not an optimal solution. However on a screen cage, its the best one we have. You have transcended those compromises, you can build things better.

Show your boys this,
mister layout..png


that will be a top view of your cage. Attach the 1x3, to the 2x2s, and set your screen back further, to attach to the 1x3, behind the misters. Leave enough space for the bulkhead on top. So you need 1.5" clearance, from the center of the hole.

What I mean by a circle, is take your misting line from the pump, and put a T on it. So the line is split to 2 lines, then each nozzle also has a T, so they all connect together, in a circle. Its a looped system.

So your pump line, goes to the splitter, then you have 2 lines coming out, line 1 attachs to mister 1, then mister 1 attaches to mister 2, mister 2 attaches to mister 3, mister 3 attaches to mister 4, mister 4 attaches to line 2.

If you already have 2 "L" nozzles you want to use, you can still do it with those. The Ts in the corner, Ls in the center. Line 1 attaches to Mister 1, Mister 1 attach to mister 2. Line 2 Attaches to Mister 4, Mister 4 attaches to mister 3. So now instead of a circle, you split the feed and the end in the center.
 
Tell your boys,


Yes that bracket, is a compromise, it is made to attach a nozzle to the screen, this is not an optimal solution. However on a screen cage, its the best one we have. You have transcended those compromises, you can build things better.

Show your boys this, View attachment 242677

that will be a top view of your cage. Attach the 1x3, to the 2x2s, and set your screen back further, to attach to the 1x3, behind the misters. Leave enough space for the bulkhead on top. So you need 1.5" clearance, from the center of the hole.

What I mean by a circle, is take your misting line from the pump, and put a T on it. So the line is split to 2 lines, then each nozzle also has a T, so they all connect together, in a circle. Its a looped system.

So your pump line, goes to the splitter, then you have 2 lines coming out, line 1 attachs to mister 1, then mister 1 attaches to mister 2, mister 2 attaches to mister 3, mister 3 attaches to mister 4, mister 4 attaches to line 2.

If you already have 2 "L" nozzles you want to use, you can still do it with those. The Ts in the corner, Ls in the center. Line 1 attaches to Mister 1, Mister 1 attach to mister 2. Line 2 Attaches to Mister 4, Mister 4 attaches to mister 3. So now instead of a circle, you split the feed and the end in the center.
Ok... I think I understand! The boys have most of the wood working under hand but idk if they are going to understand much of the misting systems. We will see what happens. Right now we are just working on building the enclosure itself. I still have a few weeks before I move and can set up the enclosure entirely, including the misting systems
 
Tell your boys,


Yes that bracket, is a compromise, it is made to attach a nozzle to the screen, this is not an optimal solution. However on a screen cage, its the best one we have. You have transcended those compromises, you can build things better.

Show your boys this, View attachment 242677

that will be a top view of your cage. Attach the 1x3, to the 2x2s, and set your screen back further, to attach to the 1x3, behind the misters. Leave enough space for the bulkhead on top. So you need 1.5" clearance, from the center of the hole.

What I mean by a circle, is take your misting line from the pump, and put a T on it. So the line is split to 2 lines, then each nozzle also has a T, so they all connect together, in a circle. Its a looped system.

So your pump line, goes to the splitter, then you have 2 lines coming out, line 1 attachs to mister 1, then mister 1 attaches to mister 2, mister 2 attaches to mister 3, mister 3 attaches to mister 4, mister 4 attaches to line 2.

If you already have 2 "L" nozzles you want to use, you can still do it with those. The Ts in the corner, Ls in the center. Line 1 attaches to Mister 1, Mister 1 attach to mister 2. Line 2 Attaches to Mister 4, Mister 4 attaches to mister 3. So now instead of a circle, you split the feed and the end in the center.
I have several 1x2s, can I use that in replacement of the 1x3 or do I need that extra inch of space? Is that what you're saying when you say 1.5" of clearance?

Also, to make your circle work I would need 5 Ts, right? One for the initial split then one on each of the 4 nozzles? Am I understanding that correctly?
 
I have several 1x2s, can I use that in replacement of the 1x3 or do I need that extra inch of space? Is that what you're saying when you say 1.5" of clearance?

Also, to make your circle work I would need 5 Ts, right? One for the initial split then one on each of the 4 nozzles? Am I understanding that correctly?

Yes, the T nozzles I linked, each have a T, so you need some kind of T or just a 1 to 2 line splitter on top of 4 of those.

Yes, the 1x3s extra inch is needed ideally.
 
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