Poor Humidity

18 years ago

I have a new tropical terrarium of a few weeks old. It is a 20 gal aquarium,2 15w CF and one 20 watt flurescent tube,

a variable speed fan,good drainage with lots of tree fern fiber in the substrate, and a glass lid. I have experimented with changing the lid opening, fan speeds, water sitting in the pebble layer of the tank and misting. I just cant seem to keep the humidity any higher than 65%. It averages around 50%. I mist once or twice a day and the fan dries off the plants nicely but the humidity will only remain at 69% temporarilly. I do get 1/4" water remaining in the pebble layer after the misting drains. Now that the cooler temperatures of fall are here I try to keep the top closed most of the time with no change in humidity. The temperature from the lights remains 80-83 degrees from the lights. I do live in dry AZ but I have a 10gal terrarium with the top open half way and the humidity is 73% without misting but the substrate has more coco fiber in it. Maybe my substrate isnt wet enough to keep up the humidity ? but the soil just stay consistently moist, not wet which is perfect.

Any ideas

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Comments (6)

tfraleigh
18 years ago
well, if its in your budget Id try a mistking system, although I dont know how you'd install it ina glass hood.

Either that or Id recomend a Tropicaire Unit. that pet place sells them.

Links:
http://www.mistking.com/index.html
http://www.thatpetplace.com/Products/KW/humidifier/Class//T1/R15+0542+0600/EDP/31413/Itemdy00.aspx
Cdfortin
18 years ago
I think it has a lot to do with your fan. That's what seems to be sucking out the humidity. Keep in mind that vivariums don't really need tons of "fresh air," they just need interior circulation. To acheive this, you actually place a fan inside the vivarium so that is circulates the air around.
imap8ntr
Original Author
18 years ago
I dont think the problem is misting since I mist twice daily. I am sure that misting helps but only to get the humidity to about 65%. Maybe I will try misting a few times daily but I am afraid that I will start to rot the plants, AV, Jewel orchids. Maybe I need a finer misting bottle???

Also my fan doesnt seem to be a factor. The fan is a fan placed completely inside the terrarium just for circulaton and not to bring in outside air. The terrarium is then almost sealed with only 1/8" crack to let some of the heat out. The temp is in the low 80's which I would like to see drop into the 70's. First I want to get the humidity problem solved.

Any additional ideas?? I even tried putting a wet sponge into the terrarium without results.
deadhamster
18 years ago
Do you have any standing water in it? A water dish, or better yet, a waterfall? That would probably help.

-DH
noob_master_flex
18 years ago
i'd get the tropic air i have one it is great the humidity doesn't go below 97% at any time and it constantly supplies fresh air with out drying the terrarium out
lucy
18 years ago
Misting twice a day is next to useless. It evaporates too fast. You need pots of water (or pretty bowls) around the plants.