College work help

[lenny2007]

Hi People,

As part of the qualification I am doing at college, I am required to do a subject called 'project'. This is essentially where I choose a new product and do the full research etc behind it or take an old product and improve it. This is then all written up in a big report.

I have decided to look in to 'reptile misting systems'.

Having had Crested geckos that require humidity and coping with a spray bottle I thought it would be good to look in to an automated system. Now I know these already exist, but I also know that they can be expensive, complicated and often just not great for the job.

I want to concentrate on a product for smaller collectors and not a system suitable for large amounts of tanks.

The main requirements for the system are:
1) Safety
2) Cost
3) ease of use
4) realibility

What I am after is any information any one who already uses one of these misting systems or people who like the idea of one but dont fancy forking our ridiculas prices.

Any information such as:
Makes, models, advantages, disadvantages, cost, user friendlyness, type of reptile or animal it is used for, what would improve the design etc.

My system i want to be fed from a small water resevoir and not off a mains system.

Any help you guys could offer would be much appreciated!!

Thank you!

[Art_Gecko101]

email pollywog (from his site on pollywog.co.uk) as he has a very good misting system set up which he sells all the components for so you can have as many nozzels etc as you like.

[lenny2007]

I will give me a mail, Thanks.

What I am really after is information on what the user would class as 'the perfect product'

[Art_Gecko101]

Ok then, ive been looking at setting one up and the issues for me at the moment are......


1. If its not plumbed into the mains water supply, you need a vessel stored somewhere to keep the water supply, unless you build a large cupboard to house the water vessel, it looks really unsightly and if you have your vivs in a stack there's nowhere really for it to go apart from on the floor or top of the viv, which looks ugly also.

2. The water vessel must be pretty large to hold enough water so you're not topping it up everyday. That adds to problem 1.

3. If the water vessel runs empty and the motor for the pump etc runs dry (as it would unless there was some sort of automatic switch off) then you could potentially have a fire hazard.

4. Although on the site I gave you the link for the nozzles etc are awesome and pretty reasonably priced, most of the pumps are really expensive to give you enough water pressure to pump the water high enough to feed the water in the top of the viv. I've tried finding a cheaper pump that'll be powerful enough but no luck yet.


For my perfect misting system, i'd want something with a selection of reasonably priced nozzels and connectors so i could feed as many vivs as i wanted (like on pollywogs site), with a good sized water reservoir which was disguised perhaps as something else (like in a wooden style case etc so it didnt look ugly) or that was in a good shape that you could fit it easily in a cupboard or maybe even down the back of the vivs (like between the viv and the wall). I would want some sort of automatic shut off when water level ran too low (some kind of ball cock like in a toilet maybe?) and a good cheap pump, which wasnt noisy. I would also need to be able to have a variety of settings for the frequency and duration of the misting, maybe on a digital timer so i could put in exact times, and i'd want to be able to regulate the strength of the flow so i didnt drown animals that only need a light misting, but be able to provide for those thar need a good soaking (I imagine this bit would be pretty easy as most pumps have a speed control, but it'd be good to have in a really accessible spot). I wouldnt want to pay over £30 for the whole set up though.

Hope that helps

[lenny2007]

right that was basically what I was thinking.

i am looking at the reservois as most people wont want to start getting fiddly with plumbing to the mains.

I am looking in to either a large tank wich can like you mentioned be hidden behind the vivs.

Water level - isnt an issue as there are tonnes of sensors which are dirt cheap that would do the job.
Noise level - sound proofing could easily be used.
Humidity sensors - think these are pretty expensive
Timing systems - pretty cheap and could be set for periodic intervals through out the day.

My biggest concern is cost. I want a system which is almost cheap enough for every one...say £40 - 50 max! The more vivs that need spraying the better the pump needs to be which would obviously increase the cost.

Diaghpram pumps - these are a very basic pump wich can often be used with no water in them at all thus loosing the issue of a possible fire hazard.