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Misting system question

Lately i checked all over the place for a misting system to put in my greenhouse. Found a few good ones. I'm planing to use it to cool down the greenhouse a bit during the hot hours. All the systems i see are conecting to a tap water source. I know some of you have misting systems and i was wondering how are you dealing with the salts and calcium in the tap. I know they have calcium filters but how can one deal with the salts? Do you guys know any good misting systems with very fine mist (or maybe adjustable)?
Any info would be much appreciated...especialy if you have a system yourself!
 
I run a 1000psi fogging system that runs on a cycle timer but only if the humidity is under my setting... It is fed directly from my RO storage tanks where I hold about 40 gallons at a time. I have one of the smaller tanks like what comes with the under sinks ones set up with a one way flow valve so it is filled, but will not drain when I water, leaving the water in that tank specifically for the fogger.

Good luck :)
Andrew
 
...All the systems i see are conecting to a tap water source. I know some of you have misting systems and i was wondering how are you dealing with the salts and calcium in the tap....Any info would be much appreciated....

Rather than connecting a misting system to a tap water source connect to a pump in your R.O. reservoir.

and actually you can connect the pump to a humidistat, thermistat, or timer. then you shouldnt need any misting system controll system. just connect the pipes, hoses and misters to the pump.

hi Andrew what is your gpd rating on you r.o. filter? what is your usage for the fogger out there in the desert?
D
 
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My filter is a 100gpd. The fogger uses approx .8 gallons per min, but only runs for 15 seconds every 20 mins in the day and 8secs every hour at night (I think is what it is set to right now... I change it through the year for what i need)

Andrew
 
Thanks guys!
I did see a pumb but the price was 650$ or something like that....are they all that expensive? Any place i can find a good one?
Andrew, i knew you had a system...i just remembered one of the old threads where you posted. So how do you deal with all that wasted water? I usually feed the swamp cooler with that. Maybe i'm not reading this right but are you saying you domt use a pump just the tank, Andrew?
 
Yup, I think that is what I spent on it... Been using it like 4 years now? and have had zero problems with it, once I figured out how to feed it.
The run off water from the RO and my swamp coolers is on a very long hose and is moved to different plants around the yard.
I actually have 2 pumps. I have a pump to boost the pressure in the g/h just before the RO (which actually is not needed now that I ran a 1/2" pipe out to the g/h instead of running that 1/4" poly line :p) and I also have a multi speed demand pump, that pump sits on the out side of my 2 large tanks and then feeds toward the fogger tank, and my watering wand. That allows for the fogger tank to be filled first (and at high pressure) and for me to water faster even when the tanks start to get low. Is it required for the fogger? hmmm.... if you have 35psi in the tank I would think you'd be fine. So then it depends on the in pressure of your ro (since the tank pressure is generally 80% of the incoming water pressure when using the ASO (automatic shut off) that comes with most ROs. If you are using a booster pump, then you probably have an adjustable shut off switch, I think I have mine set at 55psi.

Happy to help :) it took me a lot of trial and error to figure out a way that worked!
Andrew
 
Thanks Andrew!
Well i guess i should get a tank first!:-O
One that can hold up some presure and see how it goes. Would you recomand the 1/2" pipe in place of that smaller line?
 
Oh, I was talking about the water line running from the house to the greenhouse. 40ft of 1/4" line really does something to your water flow and pressure, so that's why I needed the booster. but now having the larger line running out there I probably really don't need the pump. As far as the 1/4" lines on the ro... it's fine.

All bladder tanks should be able to take high pressures, the higher the pressure the more water they hold too- which is good! :D

for example- if you're going to go with the run of the mill 3.2 gallon tank... Here is how much water you'll store at different pressures:



pressure capacity pressure capacity
15 PSIG 1.26 gal 40 PSIG 2.66 gal
20 PSIG 1.72 gal 45 PSIG 2.82 gal
25 PSIG 2.05 gal 50 PSIG 2.93 gal
30 PSIG 2.33 gal 55 PSIG 3.07 gal
35 PSIG 2.52 gal 60 PSIG 3.17 gal

Or with a larger 14 gallon tank...
pressure capacity pressure capacity
15 PSIG 3.69 gal 40 PSIG 8.35 gal
20 PSIG 5.28 gal 45 PSIG 8.73 gal
25 PSIG 6.46 gal 50 PSIG 9.10 gal
30 PSIG 7.22 gal 55 PSIG 9.44 gal
35 PSIG 7.91 gal 60 PSIG 9.79 gal

Andrew
 
That's great info!
Are your misting heads adjustable? I have seen only systems that you can't adjust anything when talking about the size of the drops. I gusee the more presure the more fine the drops are?
 
  • #10
No, not adjustable... but they are replaceable. I changed out the .15 and .12s for .008s . That, with the 1000psi makes for a super fine fog. Do you have a topic here on your g/h? size and such...? I no longer have hosted the hilarius video of when I first put the fogging system in (waaaay too many heads, running .12 and .15 orifices) where it completely became zero visibility and everything got wet to this more recent video of how I run it now... I think I currently have...7-9 heads running .008 orifices ran straight down the middle of the greenhouse.

Andrew

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  • #11
That looks like a nice working setup! Does it bring the temps down a bit when in use?
My g/h is about 18ft x 8ft x 6.5ft ...much like yours or smaller. Did you had a place where you bought your parts for the system? I was initialy thinking to do someting very similar of what you have just not running the tub through the middle but do more like a tour of the g/h ...like a U shape.
 
  • #12
I would say when in use- yes. Since the cooler will turn off, but it doesn't take but probably 30seconds to come back on. Mine is 8 x 16 x 10 I put mine up in the center so it would have longer to evaporate and so it wouldn't just spray over and contaminate the other side of the g/h with the eventual build up of TDS... I also worried that the fog from one side would collide with the fog on the other side and make a larger mist instead of the fog I aim for. I have most definitely contemplated it though! The other thing I like about having it across the middle is I can aim each one toward or away from specific plant groups- definitely let me know if you decide to go with the U and how it ends up working!! I bought my fogger and most parts from the dreaded home depot. but some specialty parts I had to buy from the company directly offline (.008 orifice nozzles) and from a local sprinkler company anti drip things) they go in the line, then the nozzles screws into it, and it holds some pressure when off so a) you don't have to rebuild the pressure on startup and b) it doesn't sit and drip on you when it's off :)

Andrew
 
  • #13
Hey guy, I know we've talked some in PMs... but to bring the information back public... How's it all going? Get the finer fogger heads on order yet? anti drips? It's amazing how wet everything gets with teh .12s and .15s huh? LOL
While just in the g/h the fogger ran and I realized how well I could see the fog in the single light that would turn on tonight.. So, I got my phone out and took a vid- I think it does a good job on showing how fine the .08 fog is.. and also you'll see how well the anti drip nozzels work. This particular fogger head I recorded comes off of the side wall at about 7 ft tall.. so I'm recording it from under and you'll notice how quickly it shuts off once the pump is off and there is no dripping.

Andrew

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  • #14
How do the dews and pings like that kind of treatment?

Is this enough water for them, or do you water manually as well?

This would be perfect on a hot summer's day for humans, let alone CPs ;)

Edit*** i need a greenhouse :p
 
  • #15
Well, again this is such a nice fog and not a mist.... so it doesn't affect drosera or pings in the way that spraying them with a spray bottle does... Rather it really enhances their dew into huge drops. I absolutely have to water as well, what you saw there probably didn't even change the color of the rocks on the ground- if it did they dang near instantly dried. Sometimes it can feel nice... Others it just adds to that hot, sticky feeling 0_o If it were outside I'm sure it would be an awesome kit for cooling your patio (what it's actually made for)
 
  • #16
Yeah! That's a nice system you got going!
Well...no matter how you do it you need a pump. I got some 008 heads and they working more as a very light mist at the pressure that the RO tank is putting out. So i probably need to get a pump too in order to obtain a higher pressure on the system ...and a second tank just for that...or a container of some kind.
The anti drip things are a must unless you don't mind loosing water...next on my list.
The system as is now it would do great for neps probably...the light mist don't seem to do any damage to drosera either. It's not like it never rains in their natural habitat! With good air circulation they dry up fast....the problem is that the humidity will lower fast too. How is your humidity, Andrew? Did you make your system for humidity or for cooling?
 
  • #17
Oh yeah, a pump is necessary in order to get the fog actions. Otherwise you'll end up with a mist.

Not only do the anti drip keep you from losing water (and getting dripped on) they make it so when the unit turns on, it is a high pressure fog right away and not start as a mist as the pressure builds.. then a fog.. then back to a mist once it turns off and the pressure starts going down.
My humidity in the day, even with the swamp cooler running full blast blowing all the humid air out of the greenhouse... is somewhere around 40-50%. The fogger is for humidity only.
Andrew
 
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