Drainage/Flooding

[CBee7726]

Do most people deal with flooding/drainage issues with their cham cages? Or do I simply need to work on my misting schedule?

Previously I had a substrate tray in the cage to collect water, and wound up drilling a hole so it could drain into a bucket underneath. However, I would like to avoid a buildup of water all together since that can harbor bacteria.

I have the exo-terra monsoon for an automatic mister, and that would go off every 4 hours for 1-2 minutes in addition to a dripper. I would also mist by hand or run a humidifier to supplement humidity as needed.

This setup isn't currently running at the moment, but I want to gather some ideas for when I set up the next enclosure.

 

[Hydra_cosplay]

Might need to set it up where you have more weight centered towards the center of your bottom with a heavier plant or something, and focus the drill holes there, thus allowing for the water to pool towards the center.

 

[Beman]

Most of us have either drain pans that we have a gravity drain set up on or we wet vac the pan. This should be something that the whole cage sits into or you will still get leakage. Like Hydra said if your drilling a main drain in the center the water still has to slope down to it.

https://dragonstrand.com/product-category/heavy-duty-drainage-trays/

 

[CBee7726]

So it sounds like drying out completely between mistings isn't really a thing then, and we all have to deal with water drainage?

I just wasn't sure if there was a better way to go about it lol ?‍

 

[Hydra_cosplay]

So it sounds like drying out completely between mistings isn't really a thing then, and we all have to deal with water drainage?

I just wasn't sure if there was a better way to go about it lol ?‍

Yep pretty much always going to be a bit of residual water pooled up in some spots, but for the most part it drys up between listings due to basking light n such.

 

[Beman]

So it sounds like drying out completely between mistings isn't really a thing then, and we all have to deal with water drainage?

I just wasn't sure if there was a better way to go about it lol ?‍

Yeah and that idea is actually more in reference to drying out of the leaves and branches not the floor. Everyone who is actually misting correctly deals with drainage... If someone says they don't then they are not misting properly lol. Even Bio active set ups have to be done with a drainage layer.

 

[CBee7726]

I guess I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one that has to deal with this? LOL

I think the other issue is I initially had a zoo med repti-breeze with a substrate tray on the inside, which I found I needed to clean constantly and is the reason why I drilled a drainage hole (I didn't have substrate in it, don't worry ), and it would leak around the sides. I like that Dragon Strand has drainage trays are made to fit their cages and automatically collects everything outside the cage, and that they're slightly larger than the enclosure to prevent leaking at the sides. I'm going to have to buy a new enclosure anyways and that's probably what I'm going to go with.

 

[CBee7726]

Most of us have either drain pans that we have a gravity drain set up on or we wet vac the pan. This should be something that the whole cage sits into or you will still get leakage. Like Hydra said if your drilling a main drain in the center the water still has to slope down to it.

https://dragonstrand.com/product-category/heavy-duty-drainage-trays/

How do your chams react to the wet vac? lol

 

[Hydra_cosplay]

I guess I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one that has to deal with this? LOL

I think the other issue is I initially had a zoo med repti-breeze with a substrate tray on the inside, which I found I needed to clean constantly and is the reason why I drilled a drainage hole (I didn't have substrate in it, don't worry ), and it would leak around the sides. I like that Dragon Strand has drainage trays are made to fit their cages and automatically collects everything outside the cage, and that they're slightly larger than the enclosure to prevent leaking at the sides. I'm going to have to buy a new enclosure anyways and that's probably what I'm going to go with.

They definitely are nice enclosures. If your not wanting to build one yourself, I'd definitely say dragon strand is your best bet!

 

[CBee7726]

They definitely are nice enclosures. If your not wanting to build one yourself, I'd definitely say dragon strand is your best bet!

I guess if I went the DIY route, I can always use a washing machine pan for the drainage tray

 

[Beman]

How do your chams react to the wet vac? lol

Beman could care less... They both have the drip easy DS trays. I do have gravity drains installed but apparently my floor or table is not level because only one cage does it work on So I wet vac too. I lift my screen bottom and suck it out... Bane is now to the point where he does not mind. But he is more bothered about me opening the service door and lifting the screen bottom to vac it below. His thank goodness is the cage that the gravity drain works the best on.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

You don't need a lot of pitch for a gravity drain, though I'd strongly recommend using an accurate level, whether carpenters, torpedo, or whatever... The bottom of the tray should be as flat as possible; a warped bottom may still collect water in odd places. Once the bottom of the tray is level, as little as a wooden match stick can provide enough slope, though carpentry shims may work best.

I prefer to slope downward toward the back or one of the back corners. This has the added benefit of auto-closing the doors (like a refrigerator door) rather than the doors falling open. The tilt of the entire enclosure is barely (or im-) perceptible.