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View Full Version : Controlling humidity


Sullivmw
10/13/2016, 12:47 PM
I know this topic is not a new one, but I could not find too many good discussions about controlling in a humid region of the country.

Little back ground. Several years ago I had a total system volume of 1100g. Part was a display tank upstairs and the majority of water volume was in a basement. Even with a HVAC unit upstairs and one downstairs, 2 dehumidifiers running non stop - I still had a huge humidity issue. Wonderful tank, great total setup, but I failed on the humidity control.

The issue was so large, that when we decided to move, I sold my system and never tried large tanks again.

I currently live in a newer home in the Atlanta region with a walk out basement. With the HVAC units, the house and basement are very well controlled.

But....the call is calling and I want to get back into a large tank and a large fish room. Before I do, I want to make sure I can fix the only issue I had with the last setup.

I know with the humidity in the outside environment, an air exchange system will only bring in that typical GA humidity which would I assume only make the issue worse.

I guess I am curious what you folks who live in humid areas do for control systems?

Ricardo18
10/13/2016, 01:32 PM
I live in Florida. I have a 600g system.I have a dedicated equipment room that is sealed off from the rest of the house (waterproof dryboard/insulation/3/4" plywood all around)My equipment room has the following;
-dedicated AC unit set to 74 degrees (no need for a chiller)
-2 150cfm ceiling exhaust fans running 24/7 (out through the roof)
-2 passive vents sitting on top of my DT,connected to the exhaust fans in the ceiling
-one 4" opening to the outside for fresh air (PH control)
My humidity in the room runs at 75%..BUT..it is isolated from the rest of the house, so there is no leakage.
So the bottom line here is to keep the humid area isolated and exhausting.
Hope this helps