Dehumidifier or AC UNIT???
- Thread starter Fitchguy
- Start date
I would go with a mini-split (Euro style) A/C unit. That's my plan for the fish room that will house my reef (~240 gal display and 500 gal total system volume). Here's a link about them...
http://www.americanminisplits.com/howdoesitwork.html
http://www.americanminisplits.com/howdoesitwork.html
Don't have any personal experience with American Mini Splits. I just thought the link was informative.
You could also do a window A/C unit if you have the option. Humidifiers like to run a lot. Since the air in AZ is very dry, you might find that the humidity level is tolerable. Worst case, a window A/C unit would help to extract some of it.
You could also do a window A/C unit if you have the option. Humidifiers like to run a lot. Since the air in AZ is very dry, you might find that the humidity level is tolerable. Worst case, a window A/C unit would help to extract some of it.
bag151
Premium Member
A window A/C unit isn't going to do anything for removing humidity from the air. All it does is collect warm humid air from the room, pass it over a coil of cold freon and then blows cold humid air into the room.
If you are having issues with high humidity in the room you will need either a dehumidifier to condense the water vapor out of the air or a exhaust fan to blow out the humid air and draw in dry fresh air.
An exhaust fan is more economical.
A window unit is great for controlling temperature in your fish room which relates to controlling the temp in your tank and the rest of the house. With a properly vented canopy you might even be able to circumvent a dedicated a/c unit in the room.
If you are having issues with high humidity in the room you will need either a dehumidifier to condense the water vapor out of the air or a exhaust fan to blow out the humid air and draw in dry fresh air.
An exhaust fan is more economical.
A window unit is great for controlling temperature in your fish room which relates to controlling the temp in your tank and the rest of the house. With a properly vented canopy you might even be able to circumvent a dedicated a/c unit in the room.
bag151
Premium Member
sorry didn't read everything before.
I don't have the option of cutting holes in my place so I run a dehumidifier, hook the unit up to a drain so that you aren't constantly having to empty the unit. Also oversize the unit, if you buy a small unit it will run constantly and waste more energy.
I don't have the option of cutting holes in my place so I run a dehumidifier, hook the unit up to a drain so that you aren't constantly having to empty the unit. Also oversize the unit, if you buy a small unit it will run constantly and waste more energy.
A window A/C unit will in fact remove humidity. Humid air condenses on the cold evaporator coils. It collects in the pan at the bottom. Either way you slice it, an A/C unit or humidifier will cost $$ to operate. An exhaust fan is a cheaper solution, but involves cutting holes.
reeftank21
New member
I just received tonight a brand new Danby dehumidifer from Costco.com. I have 300gal tank and humidity around +60% without the unit. I borrow a whirlpool 40 pint unit from a friend and it is very loud. I just plugged in this unit and it is very quiet but not silent. I have it in a small utility closed around my furnace. It is no louder than the furnace. It might be quiet enough to keep in a living area with the tank but you might find it annoying. This unit is cheap $199 and quiet. The other unit would keep the house around 53% so I will know more tomorrow just how much this one does.
