# Pollywog misting system



## GlassWalker (Jun 15, 2011)

Since the MistKing system was mentioned recently, I thought I'd stop being lazy and write up my experiences with the Pollywog misting system.

I went for the two nozzle kit with optional seconds timer.









Here is the pump inside the box it comes in, with lid removed. The box might help with the noise/vibration, and also prevents contact with the live mains that powers it.









If you think it's missing a cable, that's because it's here.









And you also get this bag of crimp connectors and a temperature cutoff sensor.









The optional seconds timer is supplied open.









Here you see the contacts that need to be connected to the pump.

The electrical side was a major disappointment. If you're expecting something you can plug in and go, this is NOT it. Luckily I had it delivered to where I work, which had a crimping tool I could use. Not something I keep at home and I can't imagine bodging it with pliers to be as much fun. You have to put the wiring together. The thick cable doesn't fit well into the seconds timer either. It's not that difficult, but takes a bit of time and I'm not even sure it is safe to sell a product in this state without warning it is a kit of bits as opposed to a finished product. Remember, the pump and wiring are mains level. Not something a less electrically experienced or confident person should be dealing with!

Enough of that rant, the seconds timer does what it says on the tin. It will allow the use of the cheap and widely available timers with 1 minute resolution (not included) and reduce it to the duration of your choice.










With the electrics aside, of course the interesting part is the misting kit itself. The clear tube is the intake and you drop that into your water source container (not included). The thicker of the black tubes goes from the pump to the viv(s), and from there you T off the even thinner black tubes, through the bulkhead connectors, and to the nozzles themselves.

I personally didn't find I needed the bulkhead adapters for exo-terra vivs. The thin tube easily fitted through the cable holes provided by the viv, and some creative use of cable ties put the nozzle in the desired location. I'm considering a revision of this, since the tube is so narrow anyway you could simply push it through a hole in the lid mesh.

The nozzles do have quite a wide dispersion. For me, a single nozzle is sufficient in a 45cm cube exo-terra. The mist that comes out is fine and spreads well.

The pump running is quite loud. For example, I wouldn't want it in a bedroom if you want to sleep at the same time. It also produces a lot of vibration which is transmitted through the tubes, hence they recommend they are held in place to prevent additional noise from the vibrations.

The electrical side puts me off enough I wouldn't unconditionally recommend it, and the noise could be a lot better. I assume both of those could be addressed if they wanted to, at increased cost. At the end of the day, it does what it is suppose to.


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## Graham (Jan 27, 2007)

A couple of observations, the pump appears to be a solenoid type like those used in espresso makers, which would account for the noise. I'd keep an eye on the filter, it's very like the one in the Monsoon misters and I had a problem with mine, after a couple of months my Monsoon stopped working, it was obvious that water wasn't getting through somewhere, and a proccess of elimination narrowed it to the filter. When I checked the filter element had turned to mush and blocked the tube, I had to cut it open and replaced the mush with filter floss then glued it back together again. This one may not be the same but it's worth checking now and then just in case.

Is there a manufacturer's name on the pump, can you tell me what it says on the label?


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## Bradley (Aug 26, 2009)

I use the system and although noisy (helps if pump is rested on sponges) it does its job well. I didnt get a seconds times as I have mine on for 2 mins at a time. I have had mine just over a year and when I opened the pump up the other day the filter was starting to tear away so I will be needing a new one of those.

It would be nice if it came all ready to go instead of having to wire it up yourself.


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## GlassWalker (Jun 15, 2011)

Graham said:


> Is there a manufacturer's name on the pump, can you tell me what it says on the label?











Close up of the label. Any more would need me to open it up again...

A quick google suggests Ulka are the manufacturer, and brings up lots of coffee machine results...


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## Graham (Jan 27, 2007)

Thanks, as I suspected it's an espresso machine pump, you can buy these on eBay for under a tenner ulka type ep5 pump | eBay

Add a Lucky Reptile seconds timer, an inline filter, some hose, connectors, nozzles etc.., and you have the guts of a mister for well under £50!


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## Big Uli (Jun 17, 2013)

I got one with a used chameleon set up I bought on the weekend and all I can say that compared to my Super rain misting system it is complete and utter pants.
It is that loud I worry it may annoy the neighbours. Ok, that is an exaggeration but never the less it produces a hell of a racket
It will do for now but as soon as possible I am buying the Superrain Nano to replace it.


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