My Monsoon RS400 mister broke...can't I just get a water pump?

[rogue606]

I was on a budget and didn't spring for a Mist King when I first got my setup done back in August of last year.
Up until this past week, I've had no issues with the Monsoon.

It's now completely dead, the board is fried. I've resorted to hand misting since then a few times a day. I can really only mist in the morning and then 8-9 hours later when I get home and then I do it for 5-7 minutes. He also has a dripper going all day. Coincidentally, hand misting has really strengthened my relationship with OJ, he actually comes out to me now for the mist and seems to genuinely enjoy being gently stroked when getting misted and drinking happily with his eyes shut. I used to really only handle him every few weeks for cage cleaning but now he actually seems to be happy to see me. This was also the first time I've experienced him not wanting to go back into the cage when I was done handling him, which was cool. But that's besides the point tho.

I don't really want to buy a Mist King since the ability to have more cages with one system will make me actually go out and get more chams - which I don't really want to do at this time. I get obsessed with things easily lol.

Could I not just buy some kind of adjustable water pump at Lowes or Home Depot and hook it into the existing lines from the Monsoon? And then get a seconds timer and hook it up to that? Is it really more complicated than that?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[dshuld]

Pardon my ignorance here, is the monsoon 1/4" tubing? If it is, maybe a cheap booster pump like the bayite (used in a diy mister thread recently here) , fittings for the hook ups and a power supply for it, seconds timer from amazon? I can say, when I pieced together doing a mist system this way vs buying a pre sorted mister, I was only about $40 less then buying the climist hurricane though.

 

[rogue606]

Yes it is 1/4"
Do I really need a booster pump to power only 2 nozzles? I was thinking a submersible pond pump would work fine. In taking the Monsoon apart the pump in there is so so tiny, and it did a good enough job while it worked. It actually powered 3 lines and was about 4-5' lower than the nozzles.

 

[dshuld]

Can you take a pic of the pump? Everything I've read has said pond style pumps won't work. That being said, if you have a harbor freight near you, their pumps are cheaper then lowes/ home depot pumps. I had one of their big ones running a 4 ft 4in pvc diy filter on one of my 75s for a few years until I got my c530s. It's still going strong to this day well over 10 years old at this point though not used in a filter system anymore.

 

[rogue606]

I will take a pic when I get home. Thanks

 

[dshuld]

https://www.amazon.com/bayite-Press...476&sr=8-4-fkmr0&keywords=bayite+booster+pump
$20

https://www.amazon.com/110V-12V-Con...sr=1-4-catcorr&keywords=120vac+to+12v+dc+plug
$14

https://www.amazon.com/WenTop-Progr...ywords=digital+programmable+timer+socket+plug

$10

plus a fitting to go from the 3/8 barb to your 1/4" tubing and you'd be set. Of course you would have to wire the pump to the power converter though. Most of my cost was in spray heads and I was using a $60 pump that already had the converter with it.

 

[dshuld]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072XLZX72?psc=1

Better yet, $17 then go to home depot with a small piece of your tubing. Grab two 1/2 fnpt to probably 1/4 barbed nylon fitting (like this one https://www.qcsupply.com/female-thr...MInbiNo_yJ1wIV3rXACh3A-wfgEAQYASABEgKJtfD_BwE). If you have to, warm up your tubing end in hot water until it is relatively soft and shove it over the 1/4 end. Teflon tape of course on the treaded end and a small hose clamp to keep the barb end secure. Probably going to serve you better then a pond pump would.

 

[rogue606]

Thank you so much for the detailed info! I'm gonna go with your second suggestion, already have a 12v D.C.

 

[dshuld]

No problem, you may also want to grab a 1/4 push to connect tee and 1/4 ball valve while you're at home depot. I seem to recall the recent diy thread having to add that in between the pump and nozzles to divert water/ pressure back into the water source because he was hitting the pressure cut off on his pump. If I can find the thread I'll link it shortly.

 

[dshuld]

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/my-diy-rain-nozzle-misting-system-for-under-75.159973/

@Panthro413 did end up adding the ball valve like I mentioned. Here is the thread on his diy.

 

[dshuld]

@rogue606 do you have an amazon account? I decided to grab the second pump too and went to home depot tonight to look for fittings. If you have an amazon account I have a better solution for you.

Edit: for what ever reason my phone keeps sending me to the app when I try to grab a link for you but this is $7 for 5 of them

 

[dshuld]

@rogue606 , I know you haven't been back since the first correspondence but, you will need the ball valve diverter! I have 4 climist nozzles going (1 double, 2 single) and still need to add one in to divert a little back in when I finalize my water source bucket. Only did short tests last night for leaks and dry running. Overall though, for $20 with a 4 year assurion warranty added not a bad little pump so far though.