Dehumidifier vs fan for Fish Room

[dtum]

What is preferable for a fish room 10'x10', (250 gallon aquarium on main floor, fish room is in the basement, sump, frag tanks, etc), an exhaust fan hooked up to a humidistat or a dehumidifier in the same room?

This is for a Northern climate, think Canada, eh.

 

[EddieJ]

Dehumidifier. I have a similar setup. Not a fan of just exhausting air. New air needs to come in from somewhere. And if you are not using an ERV or HRV it's the same temp as outside.

 

[dtum]

Dehumidifier. I have a similar setup. Not a fan of just exhausting air. New air needs to come in from somewhere. And if you are not using an ERV or HRV it's the same temp as outside.

Cool, any suggestions on the size or other properties of the dehumidifier?
I wonder why so many fish rooms use exhaust fans then.

 

[ridetheducati]

Dehumidifier will heat that small room like a chiller. Humidity will be low, but 85 degrees. Provide the room with adequate fresh air.

 

[dtum]

Dehumidifier will heat that small room like a chiller. Humidity will be low, but 85 degrees. Provide the room with adequate fresh air.

That might work to my advantage - I will use less electricity with my heaters to heat the water, wouldn't I? Lighting is all LED

 

[moondoggy4]

My dehumidifier uses about 400 watts an hour.

 

[rishma]

My dehumidifier uses about 400 watts an hour.

yikes, and not a pretty as a radium I'd guess.

I often wondered how much power they require.

 

[moondoggy4]

They do not work good in humid states in the summer, better in cold states.

 

[NaClTDog]

Check out the ERV or HRV, with you being up there in great north that could be your ticket.

 

[dtum]

Check out the ERV or HRV, with you being up there in great north that could be your ticket.

I already have an HRV, but it will be for the whole house... The fish room will probably have the door closed.

 

[Paul B]

I have both a de humidifier and an exhaust fan over my reef in my finished basement.
I use the exhaust fan in the summer only because I want the humidity in the summer. An exhaust fan is almost free to operate but a de humidifier costs as much as an air conditioner to operate. My de humidifier only kicks on if the exhaust fan can't handle the humidity.

 

[Timber77]

might look into an air exchanger if its a long term thing to protect your home, literally. when i had a basement setup my 2nd floor vents were starting to rust from the salt vapors within 2 years on a brand new house, the furnace was close to the sumps , the humidity is bad, salt vapor can corrode everything. dehumidifier is probably a good thing in most northern climate basements regardless of if you have a huge tank or not.