Let's talk about mist!

TooMuchGarlic

Seedling
Misting systems...who's got them? What do you use? How do you like it?
I am presently my own misting system, but as my collection of plants grow over the years, i'm thinking about buying a real one. I'm curious to hear about your experiences!
I've heard a little bit about MistKing and Arduino, but that's pretty much it.
Thanks to all!
 

Pooti Ne

Sprout
I have a ultrasonic humidifier, a small piece of styrofoam cut to fit the opening of the humidifier with a hole cut to fit some vinyl tubing that goes into the grow space. If you have a large grow space it might not work though.
 

Carson Hardy

Carnivorous Plant Addict
I have 2 mistaking systems. I don't have a single nozzle plumbed for plants only though. I have my misting system in place mainly for my frogs.

I really like a misting system. The nice thing is that it's consistent, and I'm able to find microclimes in my tank. I have airplants in some areas, and Sphagnum in others
 

TooMuchGarlic

Seedling
My "system" is to manually mist them each night.
I work with the same system, works well for now ahhaha...i'm thinking of buying something to prevent ''droughts'' if i'm not home for a while.
I'm trying to figure out if i should ''upgrade'' or not. I just installed a new setup with LEDs built by Willy (thanks again Willy), and its in the same room where the home air exchanger and the furnace are, so it gets a dry a little bit faster than what i'm used to, i have to mist more frequently.
 

daniella3d

Carnivorous Plant Addict
Hi, I did not like the MystKing because it was more of a spray than fog, and I prefer fog by far, as it does not leave the foliage wet and it is less of a problem for fungus.

I use 2 type of fogger, both on automatic humidity controller. When the humidity get to a certain level, the controller start the humidifier and the fog goes into my grow tent. For my small grow tent, I bought these, and with a full refill it last for 4 to 5 days:


with the controller:


For my large grow tent, I did a DIY fogger with a fan and a floating fogger:


and I use a grow tent fan and tubing to bring it inside the grow tent. It is also on a controller, but only for humidity as I realized I did not need the controller for the temperature, only for the humidity:


A fogger is a really nice thing to have. It keep the humidity at perfect level without wetting the plants.
 

Stanley

Carnivorous Plant Addict
I own both mistking and fogger systems but right now only have foggers in my intermediate chamber.

In my set up, I have a water reservoir at the bottom of my chamber with a small fogger in it. I positioned an IP68 computer fan above the fogger which is controlled by an inkbird humidistat. The fogger is always on but is not strong enough to fill the chamber on it's own. When the humidity drops below 85%, the fan kicks on and blows the mist throughout the chamber until the RH is 95%.
 

daniella3d

Carnivorous Plant Addict
The fogger is always on but is not strong enough to fill the chamber on it's own. When the humidity drops below 85%, the fan kicks on and blows the mist throughout the chamber until the RH is 95%.
Why not put the whole thing on the Humidistat? Seems to me that letting the fogger ON all the time without the fan is not very efficient? if you put everything on the sensor, then it will work half as much, don't you think? Why do you leave the fogger ON all the time without the fan?
 

Stanley

Carnivorous Plant Addict
The utricularia down by the water level seem to appreciate the fog on all the time. There's been this when the water level was too low for the foggers to work and the utrics didn't seem as happy so I just decided to keep them on all the time.
 

Macodes

Sprout
Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't regular misting not really a good thing for most carnivorous plants, and most plants in general?

You just need high humidity right?

You can easily achieve that without misting or a misting system and arduino. Why complicate things that dont give you any benefit?

I think misting systems or foggers are a waste of money for most carnivorous plants. Maybe I'm wrong?

The only use case I can think of is if you have a naturalistic terrariums with plants and animals that drink the drops. Or if your plants are not in an enclosed container or tank... but if your using a misting system you probably do have it in some sort of tank unless you're just spraying water all over the floor?

I dont have the mist king but I think its over priced parts. Go to ebay and buy a $10 pump and irrigation set for $10 and you now have a something for $20 that can do what a $200 system cost

An arduino is just a micro controller. If you are trying to control, automate or regulate multiple simple things it is useful. I dont see how it would be useful in this scenario alone. To add to that there are other cheaper boards like some of the smaller raspberry pi models that also have wireless and bluetooth built in. I dont think you need instant feedback so I dont see the point of the arduino. Again using an arduino is further complicating things for no purpose imo.
 

Stanley

Carnivorous Plant Addict
My foggers died (probably because they're cheap units that were on 24/7...) And I don't have my mistking set up so I'm back to manual misting.

What's nice about mistking are the nozzles and how they integrate with tanks. It's also an all-in-one package that doesn't require you to really figure anything out except hose lengths. My kit came with everything except a 5 gallon bucket and a drill bit for the bucket. Like most things in life, you can definitely DIY a system for way cheaper if you have the know how and can source the appropriate parts.
 

Macodes

Sprout
My foggers died (probably because they're cheap units that were on 24/7...) And I don't have my mistking set up so I'm back to manual misting.

What's nice about mistking are the nozzles and how they integrate with tanks. It's also an all-in-one package that doesn't require you to really figure anything out except hose lengths. My kit came with everything except a 5 gallon bucket and a drill bit for the bucket. Like most things in life, you can definitely DIY a system for way cheaper if you have the know how and can source the appropriate parts.
The only real difference is you just have buy the hose, pipes pumps, and fittings individually. The physical work and know how is the same there are Lego kits more complex. The convience of the mist king is just that everything comes in a kit. I can literally buy all the parts and put it in a box, but I wouldn't sell it for over $200 since the parts themselves are worth like $25. I dont think there's anything proprietary or special about their product at least for what they are charging. To each their own.

Again I still dont know what misting and foggers do for plants in an enclosed tank. Is it just for aesthetics? Like a cool fog effect or something?
 

Stanley

Carnivorous Plant Addict
The articulating nozzles are quite nice. Not sure if you can find those easily? I haven't checked. I originally got my kit for dart frogs to simulate a rain forest environment. I did have fans running regularly in the tanks to keep the air from being stagnant.

i also got mine many years ago when it wasn't easy to find cheap parts online. If you can actually put together a comparable system for $25, I'd be first in line to buy one from you.

For reference, my kit came with the pump, a bunch of nozzles, hoses, connectors/fittings, some pressure release thing, and a schedule/timer.
 

Carson Hardy

Carnivorous Plant Addict
I have used 2 different brands of mist heads with poor results. So far the mistking nozzles have far out performed others to the point where I discarded the other brands.

I would probably agree that you could find a different pump to operate it at a better price, but in unaware of a source. I highly doubt you can find a pump for 20 bucks? A diaphragm pump which has been tested to run dry for a long time and still operate afterwards as if nothing had happened.

I don't use an automated mister for just plants, but, I have put sensitive plants into my misted tanks when I leave for a few weeks. It's nice to know that my plants will not dry out when I'm not at home.

Edit: I do like 'making it rain' in my tanks. The frogs come out right after and call and show themselves. Before people come over I mist to get them more active, always worth it as they can be shy sometimes.

Main use of my misters is for frogs, and saving plants from dessication when I am away
 

WillyCKH

CPSC Moderator
Staff member
After seeing the mistking system at @H2O 's home, my next terrarium needs one too! Misting is beneficial to many carnivorous plants like Heliamphora and Nepenthes.
 
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Lloyd Gordon

Cactus micrografter newbie.
Staff member
I looked at the Mistking site for the first time. So many components!
Reliability seems to be their selling point.
The big components like the pumps and controllers might be worthwhile. However all the plastic bits like connectors and nozzles seem pricey. I have no idea if you could source reliable parts elsewhere.
 

Carson Hardy

Carnivorous Plant Addict
Controllers are the one thing I don't intend to use again. The 12 dollar wireless setup ones from Costco etc work with multiple programs and are not the staggering 60 bucks! But, need WiFi and some setup..

However, I give mistking a plus one
 

Macodes

Sprout
Definitely for frogs its needed. I have some darts myself.

I was curious why people with just plants had it.

The pump I use is a cheap 12w pump for 2-3 dollars. It hasn't failed yet and it has been over a year.

Regular Mist nozzles are quite cheap I dont move the mist head at all so articulation wasn't important.
 
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