Sigesti Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 I've got a terrarium that has been doing reasonably well, but a few of the Nepenthes that prefer cooler temperatures have started to look a bit unhappy. As such, I was looking for a method to cool the terrarium (ideally, by about 5-10 degrees Fahrenheit). Unfortunately, I don't have a terrible lot to throw at the problem, and a number of the existing solutions I've found online appear to be a bit on the pricy side. One resource I found mentioned using ultrasonic misters to cool the temperature. Is this a viable solution? Right now I have a tropic-aire humidifier keeping the moisture levels up quite high, and an aquarium fan providing ventilation. I was looking at some like these: http://www.amazon.com/ZooMed-Ultrasonic-Hu...3832&sr=8-5 http://www.amazon.com/Trademark-Global-Ult...3752&sr=8-1 Barring that, I might just try finding the coolest part of my house to move them to and hope for the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest FredG Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 I'm intrigued. How is mist supposed to cool the terrarium? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigesti Posted January 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 (edited) I'm intrigued.How is mist supposed to cool the terrarium? The main source I found was here, an answer from the guy at Sarracenia Northwest (who usually has not lead me wrong). http://en.allexperts.com/q/Carnivorous-Pla...ium-Cooling.htm Edited January 8, 2008 by Sigesti Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest FredG Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 My question still stands Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigesti Posted January 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 My question still stands Heh, and I'm not sure I have a good answer :) Hence why I'm asking too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Hingst Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 Sigesti, a cool place and maybe lights placed outside is what you need most. But, a fogger can cool down your terrarium, when combined with blowing air from outside. The cooling effect of evaporation can be quite high, mainly due to how humid the air is you blow in. I use the effect to cool down my terrarium on hot summer days, the effect can be several degrees Celsius. But these foggers are very sensitive to acid water. There will be some more precautions to be taken, or you won't have fun with it for a longer time. Regards Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest FredG Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 But, a fogger can cool down your terrarium, when combined with blowing air from outside. The cooling effect of evaporation can be quite high, mainly due to how humid the air is you blow in.I use the effect to cool down my terrarium on hot summer days, the effect can be several degrees Celsius. I would have thought it depended on the temperature of the air you're blowing in. You have cooled your terrarium below ambient air temperature using a fogger? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdaxFlamma Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 I have just recently been given the second system on your list and I think it does a pretty good job. The fog when combined with a moderately strong computer fan in my experience drops the temp about 10F. The system itself does have a few odd ... characteristics haha. The unit jets a stream of water into the air and from this stream the vapor is released, so it splashes. If left running for any length of time, the water gets EXTREMELY hot yet the mist remains cool. This heat will build up if you put the unit inside your terrarium producing the opposite of the effect desired. To counter this, I have placed my unit in a sealed container (an OxyClean bucket) with tubes running from 2 aerators (all I have at the moment) into the container. The bucket allows me to have a reservoir of water to cover the auto shutoff sensor and gives splash protection from the hot water. The bucket needs to be big enough for the mist to evaporate off this stream otherwise you will get poor mist production. After you do this just punch a hole in one side of the bucket and run tubing into your terrarium to transport the mist. The whole container will get very warm but the mist will remain very cool. I would suggest using a computer fan just to provide more air movement (which will help combat fungi as well as provide a better cooling effect). You must use the purest water you can with this system. If you do not, the ceramic disk clogs and you have to take it apart and dip it in vinegar every few days to remove the salts that will form on it. I believe the evaporative cooling effects of the fog+wind are what cause the temp. drop. If you want a picture of what I have set up just drop me a line and I'll be happy to take some for you. Hope this helped, -J.P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest FredG Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 The fog when combined with a moderately strong computer fan in my experience drops the temp about 10F. 10F below ambient? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdaxFlamma Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 It did for me. I could be going about this the wrong way but... I took the humidifier and placed it in a glass of water with the fan blowing the fog. In the path of the fog about 30cm away I placed a thermometer. It read 80F (27C) before placing it there and after a few moments the temperature dropped to ~70F (21C). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest FredG Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 It did for me. I could be going about this the wrong way but...I took the humidifier and placed it in a glass of water with the fan blowing the fog. In the path of the fog about 30cm away I placed a thermometer. It read 80F (27C) before placing it there and after a few moments the temperature dropped to ~70F (21C). The thermometer was in the terrarium? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Hingst Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 Fred, it is to the most the difference in humidity of the air in- and outside that causes evaporation, and therefore the cooling effect. Other parameters are involved of couse, e.g. the air volume per time. Well, theoretically, if you would blow in water saturated air of a high temperature, you would indeed get only a heating effect. But this situation would be not very common - normally the air outside a terrarium would be of equal temperature as inside or maybe even a bit lower, due to the warmth of the lighting in the terrarium. But it will be drier in most cases (except e.g. in a greenhouse) and this will make it work. So, even if it may sound paradoxical, you will normally get the biggest effects the higher the (room!) temperature is (and so the drier). On hot summer days I achieve temperature differences of 5°C, or even more. Of course to ambient temperature. J.P., the purest water won't be the solution. First, pure water is acidic! Second, you need some solutes for the fogger to work well. Of course lime containing water like tap water will cause deposits on the membrane that will trouble its function (but can be removed) while acidic water will destroy it. Regards Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest FredG Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 Martin, How do you measure your temperature? In the fan / fogger stream? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Hingst Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 (edited) The fan is on top of the terrarium, on the behind left edge. The fogger is on the right, in behind. The termistor is placed in the front, on the right side, near the ground. Here you will find a picture of my terrarium. http://www.cpukforum.com/forum/index.php?s...=5991&st=60 I took the differences in measurement of the thermometer that is placed outside and its termistor inside in account as well. Regards Martin Edited January 9, 2008 by Aidan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel O. Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 Hi Fred, Martin is absolutely right, it works. I´m using air from outside the house. Of course the air is much drier (in summer and winter) and that´s the reason why it works very well. When outside it´s very humid the effect is not so big. It´s a chemical effect. But the fogger has to work the whole night. Daytime i´m not using air from outside, inside is a normal PC ventilator. If you are using destilled water for your fogger it will not cause deposits on the membrane and you must change it after 1,5 years, perhaps a little bit ealier. In my opinion it´s a very long life time. Here you can see my setup, perhaps it helps. Some Heliamphora I think that my plants are happy. But of course it depends on the outside temperature. What outside temperatures do you have? Best regards, Dani Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigesti Posted January 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 Well thank you all very much for your suggestions! Outside air is a bit hard for me to get with my current setup/placement, but perhaps that needs to change. Martin, could you explain a bit more how your system works? I wasn't quite following based on the description/pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Hingst Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 Sigesti, I placed the fogger in a small vessel at a high point of the terrarium - you can see it on the right side. That ensures that the fog will fill up the whole terrarium to this elevation. To provide a constant water level in this vessel, there is a small pump at the bottom (where it stands in some cm of water) that pumps the water to the above edge of the rock face. The hose is hidden behind the rock, you can see it on the left of it. A part of the water flows down the stone as well. Regards Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigesti Posted January 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 Thanks, it makes sense now :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Igor Posted January 10, 2008 Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 (edited) It's a well known effect. Search for "adiabatic cooling system" or "ejector refrigerating plant" for example in Google Edited January 10, 2008 by Igor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom499 Posted January 10, 2008 Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 Sounds like quite a complex way of doing things, though the theory stands. I find misting with water cooler than the terrarium temperature and a fan brings the temp down on their own. The high specific heat capacity of water seems enough to cool mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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