[Rain_Frog]

Ok, assuming once I eventually pipe my ultrasonic humidifier (Walgreens brand) into my mantella and tricolor cage, how can I refill it without ruining the piping? I don't wanna take the whole damn thing apart once or twice a week. Is there a way I can drill a hole in the top and use a funnel to pour water into it? Or will that interfere with the fogging device?

 

[Arklier]

Depends on what model you have. Post a pic of your setup, or a pic of the unit, or at least a model number.

 

[bbrock]

Assuming you are using 2" PVC, you can run a short pipe out of the unit and into a 90 degree elbow which runs to the rest of your piping. Don't glue the elbow. In fact, you usually don't have to glue any of it as a good friction fit will be enough to retain the unpressurized moisture in the pipes. This should give you enough room to pop the elbow off horizontally which then lets you remove the reservoir for refilling.

 

[joshsfrogs]

I don't see why you couldn't drill a hole. The humidifier does not depend on pressure. The only thing I would do is cover the hole as dust getting in the water (or dirt, etc.) could clog some stuff.

 

[Rain_Frog]

once again, its the Walgreens brand. The $30 dollar model, I think. The question I have if I drill a hole into the top, will the plastic shatter? That's the real concern.

I wish I could post my DIY tank. It is sweet. The mantellas are on their side of the cage, but the santa isabel tricolors are too young yet to put on the other side. It is divided by glass, really two tanks into one.

 

[joshsfrogs]

Drill really slowly and don't press down hard and you should be fine.

 

[Guest]

what about melting a hole with i soldering iron????

 

[joshsfrogs]

or to be ghetto, just use your car cig lighter. :lol:

make sure you get all the melted parts out so you don't clog anything.

 

[tikifrog]

Is this the type of humidifier you are using? If so, you should take Brent's advice and remove the reservoir from the unit by a slip fit. I had a reservoir drop off a shelf and crack. Since the crack was near the top, I figured it was still usable, as long as it wasn't filled too much. When the reservoir (filled with water) is placed on the base, and the reservoir has an air leak, water will begin to flow out the bottom and over the base. I sealed the crack and it worked fine.

 

[Guest]

I was going to mention this also. The reason they fill from the bottom is it is necessary for them to be air tight, aka a vacuum, to work. Drilling a hole will negate this and it will drain dry, and make a big mess also. I use the threaded connectors, they are like a sleeve that tightens the two pieces together. Works nice and easy.

 

[joshsfrogs]

Wow, I knew the disk didn't use pressure, but I didn't think about the water flow needing to be pressurized. I use plastic tubing instead of PVC pipe. It is cheaper, clear and easily seperates.

 

[Guest]

While I have mine set up like Brent (works great), my buddy has 3' section of flexible hose connecting to the output of the humidifier. It provides enough slack to allow the top to be removed. The hose is at lest an inch in diameter, and is black to help prevent algae growth in the plumbing.

 

[joshsfrogs]

I use tubing, cut you have to be careful not to let any of the tube be lower than the opening of the humidifier or the tank or else water condenses and then drains to the lowest spot. It then clogs the fog.

 

[Rain_Frog]

Since we're still on this topic, and since I've bugged a clueless Kyle plenty of times :lol: I still have yet to find some way to make a snug fit to pipe my humidifier out into the tank. MY local hardware stores do not carry a PVC pipe thick enough. Therefore, a good deal of the steam leaks out.

Tikifrog, what is that white ring around the opening of where the fog comes out at the base? Is that your "slip fit?" That could be my solution. I could go ghetto and keep applying duct tape to make it snug, but it would surely come off with water with age.

Could I find somehow to get a rubber ring or foam? The best luck I have had was piping it via a shop vac hose, but that is expensive and hard to bend.

About the black tubing at the hardware stores, is that stuff as safe as the clear vinyl kind (not leach toxic chemicals)? I inquired about it yesterday, but my hardware store warned me as he wasn't sure.

 

[tikifrog]

The white ring is a 2" to 1/2" slip reducing bushing. As Brent had mentioned in his post. I increased the dia. of the fitting with teflon tape to further seal the connection. The 1/2" pvc coming out is slip fit in with no cement. Where the pvc runs into the shelf, before a 45 deg. elbow, a piece of flex hose allows slack to disonnect the 1/2" from the reducing bushing at the humidifier for tank removal when it needs to be filled.