moisture, humidty, dehumidifier?

[geckoejon]

hello,

i was wondering if any of you all have issues with humidity in your homes from the water evaporating from your reef tank? i top off about 15 g a week between my 3 tanks. in the summer, i figure the a/c takes most of the humidity out. now that it's cooling down, the a/c isn't running as much. i think my house is beginning to smell damp and kind of musty. i'm debating on getting a dehumidifier. i don't have a psychrometer to measure humidity though.

thoughts?

[power boat jim]

I figured a dehumidifier would be standard issue in Florida. I have one here for the summer months. They work well but tend to heat up the room they are in.

[Aquarist007]

I figured a dehumidifier would be standard issue in Florida. I have one here for the summer months. They work well but tend to heat up the room they are in.

It's a standard issue in the great white north also. My sump and refugium are in the basement. Without the dehumider on for 12 days we notice a musty smell upstairs.

[reepher315]

Literally just checked out a new dehumidifyer (mine looks like one from the 60's). Maybe its just lowes but the cheapest I saw was 200 bucks!! I may have to take that plunge...

[Aquarist007]

Literally just checked out a new dehumidifyer (mine looks like one from the 60's). Maybe its just lowes but the cheapest I saw was 200 bucks!! I may have to take that plunge...

Might as well buy a cheap one. I replace them once a year... Salt in the air does them in quickly.

[edinphilly]

Might as well buy a cheap one. I replace them once a year... Salt in the air does them in quickly.


How is there salt in the air? The evap is freshwater hence we top off with freshwater.

[geckoejon]

i just ordered a dehumidifier. i am looking to get a large upgraded dt this winter, so it would probably be even worse then.

i asked around locally, and seems like most people don't use one around here. i'm not diggin the musty feeling and smell, so it's one the way....

[Mastiffsrule]

I just bought a fridgidare from Amazon for that exact reason. I cannot believe the moisture it pulls out. Every 8 hours I dump a full tub out, over a gallon. It was just over 200 but worth it. It can be hard plumbed in so no emptying is needed and it can be set for a specific humidity level. I noticed a big difference right away in the house.

[Aquarist007]

How is there salt in the air? The evap is freshwater hence we top off with freshwater.

Do we really? Wow you learn something on here everyday

[edinphilly]

Do we really? Wow you learn something on here everyday


I was asking a serious question. No need to be all snippy.

[power boat jim]

I was asking a serious question. No need to be all snippy.

Salt finds its way into the air when you pour it into water. It also can get released in a mist when water pours back into the sump. All my tools near the sump are corroding and my duct work is coated white due to the salt in air near the sump.

[edinphilly]

Salt finds its way into the air when you pour it into water. It also can get released in a mist when water pours back into the sump. All my tools near the sump are corroding and my duct work is coated white due to the salt in air near the sump.


Thanks. Good to know. My dehumidifier is in the basement nowhere near my tank (not large so hasn't been a problem) however I mix my saltwater down there right next to the dehumidifier. Will definitely change that!

[Aquarist007]

Do we really? Wow you learn something on here everyday

Just reacting to the condescending way you posted.

[Subsea]

With respect to evaporation rate measuring heat removed, consider that each gallon of condensate removed is 8.34 lbs/gal. One pound of water evaporated converts to
8,340 BTU of heat required. If you did it each hour, that would be equivalent to running a 3/4 HP chiller.
Patrick

PS. Here in the Texas Hill Country, we often run AC for a few days in winter. I have too many aquariums. The large central unit is much more efficient than a chiller or a dehumifier. In an enviroment that is cold, then a dehumidifier that adds heat to room and removes moisture is a perfect enviromental choice.

[Aquarist007]

With respect to evaporation rate measuring heat removed, consider that each gallon of condensate removed is 8.34 lbs/gal. One pound of water evaporated converts to
8,340 BTU of heat required. If you did it each hour, that would be equivalent to running a 3/4 HP chiller.
Patrick

PS. Here in the Texas Hill Country, we often run AC for a few days in winter. I have too many aquariums. The large central unit is much more efficient than a chiller or a dehumifier. In an enviroment that is cold, then a dehumidifier that adds heat to room and removes moisture is a perfect enviromental choice.

Much appreciated Patrick. A very good idea esp when condensation on windows is a "pane" in the winter.

[muttley000]

Off topic Aquarist007, but how did you accomplish the username change and why does the old one show when you are quoted?

[criticalencore]

I evaporate about 40g a week in my tank. Somehow salt define try makes it into the air because all my tools, even my air conditioner intake and vents are rusting..

Anyways as far as the big dehumidifier I bought to help me in the winter (summer I just have window fans blowing out of the room) it seemed to just make my tank evaporate more and it puts air out 2° hotter then it takes in so it heats the room. This year I'm building a room off the back of the house to hold all the filtration but to get it out of that room I'm using 2 220 cfm crawlspace vents controlled off hundistats. I bought a couple extra heaters. By my math it will be cheaper to run more heaters and small fans exhausting the humidity then running the large 7amp dehumidifier. Good luck

[Aquarist007]

Off topic Aquarist007, but how did you accomplish the username change and why does the old one show when you are quoted?

I asked Mike, mhurley, administrator
Wasn't aware the old one was showing up

[Aquarist007]

I evaporate about 40g a week in my tank. Somehow salt define try makes it into the air because all my tools, even my air conditioner intake and vents are rusting..

Anyways as far as the big dehumidifier I bought to help me in the winter (summer I just have window fans blowing out of the room) it seemed to just make my tank evaporate more and it puts air out 2° hotter then it takes in so it heats the room. This year I'm building a room off the back of the house to hold all the filtration but to get it out of that room I'm using 2 220 cfm crawlspace vents controlled off hundistats. I bought a couple extra heaters. By my math it will be cheaper to run more heaters and small fans exhausting the humidity then running the large 7amp dehumidifier. Good luck

It's healthy rather then dry air. A lot less sinus related problems in the winter

[Subsea]

I evaporate about 40g a week in my tank. Somehow salt define try makes it into the air because all my tools, even my air conditioner intake and vents are rusting..

Anyways as far as the big dehumidifier I bought to help me in the winter (summer I just have window fans blowing out of the room) it seemed to just make my tank evaporate more and it puts air out 2° hotter then it takes in so it heats the room. This year I'm building a room off the back of the house to hold all the filtration but to get it out of that room I'm using 2 220 cfm crawlspace vents controlled off hundistats. I bought a couple extra heaters. By my math it will be cheaper to run more heaters and small fans exhausting the humidity then running the large 7amp dehumidifier. Good luck

40 gallons per week is a lot of condensate. You have a big systems. What climate do you live in?
Patrick

[Subsea]

It's healthy rather then dry air. A lot less sinus related problems in the winter


Scott, or should we just say James, James Bond. I like my substrate stirred not shaken. Very cute. Good stuff.

Your points on the humidifier are valid about removing moisture and adding heat in a cold enviroment. I use a humidifier in my CPAP machine when I sleep. It adds moisture to dry air. With the many tanks in my home and their associated heat, I use my central AC unit during winters in the Texas Hill Country.
Patrick

[criticalencore]

40 gallons per week is a lot of condensate. You have a big systems. What climate do you live in?
Patrick
It's a 550g tank but roughly 850g total volume. All of the tanks are open top too which doesn't help. I live near the beach in Wilmington NC. It's humid outside here most of the time anyways but last night it go down into the 40s which will drop my tank 3 degrees easily even with 4 400w heaters going which is why I shut the window in the room last night. This morning when I cracked it back open the window was covered in condensation and you could feel the humidity in the air.

[Aquarist007]

Scott, or should we just say James, James Bond. I like my substrate stirred not shaken. Very cute. Good stuff.

Your points on the humidifier are valid about removing moisture and adding heat in a cold enviroment. I use a humidifier in my CPAP machine when I sleep. It adds moisture to dry air. With the many tanks in my home and their associated heat, I use my central AC unit during winters in the Texas Hill Country.
Patrick

Tks Patrick. . It's nice I made you laugh. How cold does it get in Texas ?

[Subsea]

South Texas does not have Winter it has cold fronts. During the winter, maybe a dozen times below 30 degrees. Last winter was the oldest in 50 years with one spell down to
12 degrees. Two winters ago, I picked cherry tomatoes from my north porch on
Dec 7.
Patrick

[kelrn98]

didn't read through the entire thread....but I use a dehumidifier constantly. I empty a bucket full of water every 2 days. it works well. love it.