moisture, humidty, dehumidifier?

geckoejon

geckoejon

Active member
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?
 
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.
 
power boat jim said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
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...
 
reepher315 said:
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...
Click to expand...

Might as well buy a cheap one. I replace them once a year... Salt in the air does them in quickly.
 
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....
 
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.
 
edinphilly said:
I was asking a serious question. No need to be all snippy.
Click to expand...

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.
 
power boat jim said:
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.
Click to expand...


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!
 
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.
 
Last edited:
Subsea said:
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.
Click to expand...

Much appreciated Patrick. A very good idea esp when condensation on windows is a "pane" in the winter.
 
Off topic Aquarist007, but how did you accomplish the username change and why does the old one show when you are quoted?
 
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
 
criticalencore said:
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
Click to expand...

It's healthy rather then dry air. A lot less sinus related problems in the winter
 
criticalencore said:
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
Click to expand...

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