Humidity Issues

[ntswift]

I was just curious to see what all people do to get rid of the all the extra moisture in the air? I recently got a 70 pint dehumidifier and its filling up twice a day! Yes, there is an option to hook up a garden hose for the continuous on cycle, but I wanted to see how much moisture was in the air first. I did contemplate for a while hooking up a bathroom fan, sucking the air from the top of my tank to outside but then I started to think about how much my heating bill would go up in doing so. Does anybody have anything that may work better than the dehumidifier? Thanks!

Matt

 

[user 26995]

I was having that problem too, with 8 tanks in the house the paper in the printer in the office was so damp the printer would jam. All my windows had condensation building up on the inside. I opened a couple windows, just a hair so it coulnt rain in, but air could flow a little. Seems to have worked enough, the windows dont have condensation on the inside anymore.

 

[Krish]

You can also take a look here.

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/f12/way-too-much-humidity-need-advice-58484/

 

[ntswift]

Yeah, if I keep my fire place flu(sp?) open the condensation doesn't build up as much on my windows because the air is circulating but even with that I'm just letting money go out the window in heating. With the condensation though, all around my windows because they are the wood Andersen windows, there is mold growing. So I really have no choice but to keep my fireplace open. Don't want to get sick! No doubt this is an expensive hobby but you never no how expensive until you are nose deep in it! haha

 

[user 26995]

Oh, yeah, sorry, forgot to mention I have two fans running in my family room, where the three largest tanks are located, to keep the air circulating. Along with two windows open just a hair it has worked out fine.

 

[ntswift]

Thanks Krish! That was exactly what I was looking for!

 

[ntswift]

Yeah I have all sorts of fans down in my basement but the problem is keeping a window open for the humid air to escape. Since its an egress window snow can get down in there as well as rain and start to drip down behind my walls causing a whole other issue. I am looking into the lifebreath HRV now to see what they are all about. In the summer I am not so worried about the humidity because I can vent out my basement but its during the winter where my house is all closed up that there is an issue.

 

[krisfal]

How close to the tank do you have the de-humidifier? I have found if it is too close it actually increases the evaporation rate of the tank. We have a de-humidifier upstairs (fish tank is down stairs) and use the "dry" feature on the window airconditioner in the fish room, I also keep the window cracked in the fish room. I evaporate ~ 5 gallons a day but the aforementioned precautions seem to offset the humidity-the only window that fogs up is the garden window over the kitchen sink

 

[ntswift]

Its about 6ft away right now. I am looking for a good spot to put it but I don't want it out where everyone can see it.

 

[krisfal]

Its about 6ft away right now. I am looking for a good spot to put it but I don't want it out where everyone can see it.

I think that is too close, have you had to increase the amount you top off? I found if it is too close it actually pulls more from your tank and you have to empty the dehumidifier constantly (and top off more).

 

[ntswift]

I really havent noticed a difference. I top off a 32 gal trash can once or twice a week and that hasnt changed any. I do think that it is sort of counter productive to have it that close to the sump though. I just wonder if it will work as well in the room next to the fish tank if the doors are left open?

 

[NWDiver]

It will indeed work in the next room. Vapor pressure is very pervasive!

 

[ntswift]

Awesome! I just moved it into the next room but its still only about 10-12 ft away. Better than 6 I guess.