carbon monoxide detectors

[kpiotrowski]

any suggestions on a good one with a relay? under $100? would like to use one with an exaust fan as I have both gas heat and water heater in the garage where 14 feet of fishwall will be. hate to have a cracked heat exchanger poison my tank. I'm already going to be running my skimmers from outside air but would like the extra piece of mind.

 

[dnjan]

Is there that much of a possibility of a cracked heat exchanger overwhelming your garage with CO?

If you are really worried, can't you tap into the audible alarm circuit of the CO detector?

 

[kpiotrowski]

Is there that much of a possibility of a cracked heat exchanger overwhelming your garage with CO?

If you are really worried, can't you tap into the audible alarm circuit of the CO detector?

for those with larger tanks its not hard to realize having over $10,000.00 of livestock at risk. Am I that worried? its a consideration that is worth it and thats why I asked if anyone knew of a good brand with a relay so I can control it through my apex and do things like shut down skimmers and turn on fans etc.

can I just tap into the audible alarm circuit? this is why I asked about one with a relay....which there are many, so I don't need anyone to google some suggestion. I was looking for someone with experience with specific one.

 

[dnjan]

OK. If you consider it that much of a risk, why would you put the $100 limit on the CO detector?
I just wouldn't think the failure rate of furnaces or water heaters in terms of CO emissions would be that much of a concern.
Earthquake, yes. Prolonged power outage, also yes. And depending on proximity, even a tree falling on the garage would probably be a greater risk.

 

[kpiotrowski]

no trees, have a 10,000 watt generator, can't stop earthquakes, and the $100 is because you have to draw the line somewhere where you are talking bigger builds.

but, I posted here to ask a question and not to BE questioned! are you just trolling for an arguement or somthing?

 

[dnjan]

Sorry if it seemed like a troll. Not meant that way at all.
Having just installed a CO detector in our house (and not thinking it was much of a problem but doing it because it is now required), I was curious about the situation for which you would think it necessary to protect your tanks from CO.
I can understand CO being some risk, but I thought it would be pretty far down on the list.

Plus, I thought it would give your original posting a bump, since it had gone about a week and a half with no response.

 

[kpiotrowski]

I have both gas heat and water tank 6 feet away from my fish wall. consider this, if I were to run an exaust fan for humidity and evacuate air from the garage which is fairly air-tight, it would want to suck in air from somewhere right? well, without opening up the garage a bit with a vent of some kind that air would be sucking back down the exaust pipes for the gas appliances. that kinda drives the point home for me. and also have had several opinions that one should NEVER run a fish room/wall in the same space as gas appliances. I also plan to run my skimmer air intakes to the outside....lets say the wife forgets and leaves her car running in the garage. all those fumes building...the kind that have killed people, and my dual skimmers sucking it all in and incorperating it into my system. that could not be a good thing!

 

[dnjan]

Thanks for the clarification. I hadn't thought of the exhaust-fan related issues. My house is old and air-leaky enough for that to not be a concern.

You haven't taken over the garage completely (yet), I assume, if you are allowing your wife to keep her car in there.
Sounds to me like you could actually reduce your risk by getting more tanks!

 

[Gazbo]

Not to get off topic I was wondering if your tanks are going to be viewed from inside the house and everything is outside in garage or is this a wall of tanks in your garage? Is there a way to isolate the area off from the rest of the garage around your furnace and hot water heater ? build a wall around the gas equipment or section off the fish area. IMO adding a exhaust fan could make things a little tricky even if you add a hole somewhere either to the house or somewhere in the garage to the outside what's to say you still don't pull air from the gas equipment. I am sorry don't know of anything you could tie into your apex to have the results your looking for.

 

[kpiotrowski]

its a 300g display in house with all equiptment in garage. http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/f254/kpiotrowskis-300dd-66360/

walling it off may end up happening and yes thanks for the adivce on the ventilation. I was thinking that if anything I would bring in outside air and have it naturaly exaust through open vents.

 

[Gazbo]

its a 300g display in house with all equiptment in garage. http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/f254/kpiotrowskis-300dd-66360/

walling it off may end up happening and yes thanks for the adivce on the ventilation. I was thinking that if anything I would bring in outside air and have it naturaly exaust through open vents.

Now if this is only if you detect CO2 your fan will bring clean air in it may work but again the area of the garage would require a large size fan to even make a difference. Now just my two cents if it was me I would build something around the fish area that way it is isolated from other environments like CO2 issues, dust or anything else traveling through the air every time the garage is opened and then the temperature changing when the garage is opened. Then you also don't have to worry about something falling into your tank or equipment, I know how much traffic my garage gets and it would make me nervous having it exposed. If you do build a wall around your tank I would then add a exhaust fan in the fish room to keep temp down and have good air exchange and put a air transfer to either outside or from the house (which should be around 70 degree constant air) to pull clean air from.

 

[crazyfish253]

Great if i come over and have a beer, i might fart. Is it going to sound an alarm? I can smell methane but c02 is oderless

 

[trido]

Class Clown had his 240 in the garage with no issues but I do remember helping him work on some elaborate venting. I know for fact that his wife warmed up her car every morning with no tank issue. His thread here is a long one but there is some info in it if you search. You might also take time to look up Steve Weast's Oregon reef to see if he had any ventilation in his 1000G garage tank.

 

[Spinner]

Take and cut a 10' piece off your water hose.....stick one end into the muffler and the other into the back window of the wife's car. That way when she warms her car up in the morning it doesn't hurt your tank? jk...jk
Big box fan works wonders lots of reefer's have filtration in their garage don't read about it being a problem except heat in the summer and cold in the winter. I install tons of LOWES carbon detectors in our rentals and they seem to be working well...I think we pay $ 17.00 when not buying by the cases.