Aquarium over HVAC vent???

[mattgreene22]

Anyone ever done this? The only place that really makes sense (vent aside) to set up my 30g again directly over an HVAC vent. I was thinking I'd build a stand to straddle it and then raise the stand's bottom like 6 inches and route the air out from under the stand.

The cheap option is one of those plastic redirects from Lowes....but I don't want to get set up and find major issues. I may look at insulating the stand's bottom and even going so far as to get some metal ductwork carry the distance from the current vent on the floor to the front of the stand.

Thoughts? Advice?

Anyone ever done this before? ...I gotta believe so. I don't think I'd do this with a really large aquarium....but odds are low I end up with 30g+sump entirely dumping and flooding the vent.

thansk

[Playa-1]

it would probably be a lot easier just to move the floor vent to a different location.

[mattgreene22]

not sure about that....it sits between a big window and a sliding glass door. going one way would put it under foot and the other has a good deal of traffic from my toddler. also, the basement (underneath) is finished so I'd have to cut into both the cieling and the floor and then do ductwork.

I appreciate the reponse...but I'd like to find a way to make this work without changing the house.

Other ideas??

[Playa-1]

Salt water in your HVAC duct system could be a big problem and It should be set up in a way that would prevent that from ever happening. Elevating the stand or rerouting the ducting is doable as long as a tank spill would not result in salt water entering your duct system. Extending ducting under cabinets is a common practice but the way that it is usually done would easily result in water going right into the duct work, if there were ever a spill. IMO the right way to do it is to either move the duct or the tank in this case.

[Comtek]

one set of my heating ducts go under my sump. the floor seperates them from my sump ( ducts are on the ceiling in the basement and sump is upstairs above them ) but enough heat comes up through the floor that my chiller has run all winter and i'm in nova scotia canada.
save yourself a headache stay away from heater ducts

[uncleof6]

What sort of issue do you expect to have with this? Say for instance, you have 330 gallon tank sitting on a stand on a hardwood floor, over a finished basement. OOPSS 300 gallons hits the floor, floods the room, probably will go into other rooms, out the sliding door etc, leaks down through the floor, floods the basement, while destroying the ceiling in the basement. Costs a lot of money to fix.

You put it over an HVAC duct, and 300 gallons dumps out of the tank, in addition to the above listed damage, some water goes down the duct, makes its way to the hvac unit and gets the air output section of the unit wet. Costs a lot of money to fix the other stuff, however, the addition of some possible salt damage to the ducting, and perhaps (if it gets this far, and the system isn't baffled) some minor damage in the unit itself.... a few more dollars maybe.. well unless the duct goes straight down into the unit perhaps.

That all above, involves better than 300 gallons, but we are talking about what? 40 to 50 gallons perhaps? Sure, presents a problem damage wise, but really, what is the concern? And what is the reality based probability of the 50 gallons hitting the floor? Same as any other system in any other location, take the necessary percautions to prevent flooding, and short of catastrophic failure--which is going to destroy the floor and ceiling below anyway--whether the duct is there or across the room.


Some after affects (if you don't replace the ducting,) could be some moisture issues, and mold/mildew, however this is an HVAC duct, and there should not really be a reason for air flow alone, not to be sufficient to control this potential issue, save if it sits idle for long periods of time.

As far as water vapor entering the duct, just as a matter of course, water vapor goes up not down, and unless the duct is an air intake, it is not going to go into the duct, anymore than steam from the shower or cooking will.

The one issue that does come to mind, however, is airflow. Blowing the output into the bottom of the stand, essentially restricting the air flow, will reduce airflow in this particular duct, and increase it, in a rather balanced manner, throughout the entire ducting system. Nature of the beast. It is a huge issue? Well it is enough that systems are tested for airflow when setup, adjusted so that one area does not get "all the flow" at the expense of the others, and the system can be "redialed" if it seems to be significant. But really all you are doing is turning the area under the stand into an air plenum, so don't run electrical under the stand--fire hazard. (below the floor of the stand.) The other being possible temperature issues with warm/cool air under the stand. Insulation will deal with that simply and inexpensively.

Just sayin.

[gbru316]

I'd try to find a different location. The constant expansion/contraction of the wood due to heating/cooling cycles could reduce stand durability.

[Playa-1]

I'm thinking more along the line of standing bacteria filled salt water in the metal duct work after a spill. Mold spores and rust in the HVAC ducting system and the potential side effects of that. Not to mention where the saltwater might run to if it doesn't pool. The joints are usually not sealed all that well especially if the system is older. You may be creating a saltwater funnel into your ceiling, walls and who knows where else. Mold in your plenum will be molt spores circulating thru your entire house when the blower kicks on.

If it's an older home then you can throw in some asbestos tape and insulation along with the associated red tape and expense to R&R that stuff. To me it wouldn't be worth the risk involved.

[mattgreene22]

Thanks guys...I need to hear all that. Still seems like a risk and reward scenario. I don't really have a good place for the tank on the main floor unless this is the location. I'll have to think about this a bit more.

Other ideas or comments? Am I sane or crazy?? I don't feel like the risk is high.

[uncleof6]

There is insufficient risk to warrant concern over it. Damage potential is relatively the same with or without the duct present.

[username in use]

I would notch the bottom of the stand to perfectly fit one of these. You're going to be careful with your water. Its not like if the duct wasn't there you would be sloshing water all over the place like a kid in bathtub.

http://lh5.googleusercontent.com/public/io803ib1sKx0txXLyChF8EC_Y2vWImgpd7LsFud4H7esFe_53H3O6g5POcRtJsCZahqLzERQlatYXtbTajOr7rE2Z3pShqz1QtZC B31wQF7nGRZspAW1AAWqJ9Fyno44KMWtGVUw1uplNan_hzU81w1LN3LT5aHcknw0eg

[mattgreene22]

Where did you get that...never seen one so low profile

[username in use]

http://www.amazon.com/Extend-Vent-Deflector-Register-Extender/dp/B005AZ5KM8

[Playa-1]

Another scenario for your consideration. Saltwater gravity drain thru the duct work to the furnace. Slow drip, hose break, ATO failure, skimmer gone wild, sump tank failure to name a few options, it doesn't have to be an especially large amount of water. Air handling unit in the basement being gravity fed a slow trickle of salt water or more via the duct work. The blower motor, control panel, and coil in the lower end of the air handling unit. Where do you suppose that salt water is going to end up? My point is that the risk may be higher then you're giving credit for especially if the furnace is in the basement. It's only going to take one time.

If I have a water leak then I have some water to clean up. But I don't have saltwater draining into the blower motor of my furnace or into my air ducts. Just food for thought. I wouldn't underestimate the potential problems associated with a setup like your contemplating.