Water from Dehumidifier

[thirty5]

I have a question. I run a dehumidifier in my basement by a tank with a large light. With all the evaporated water it raises the humidity in the basement. I don't do this but wondering. Can i just have the humidifier pump the water back into the sump? The only thing that i am thinking is what is the condensor made from? Not only will this keep water level up, but it will also act as a chiller...

Any Ideas???

 

[masterswimmer]

The water in your dehumidifier probably uses copper lines. A no-no for a reef. I would also check the TDS of the water in the bucket. Not to mention phosphates, pH, alk, etc.

Personally, I would NOT use this water for anything other than watering my plants.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

The water in your dehumidifier probably uses copper lines. A no-no for a reef. I would also check the TDS of the water in the bucket. Not to mention phosphates, pH, alk, etc.

Personally, I would NOT use this water for anything other than watering my plants.

Ditto! They don't call him a master for nothing!

 

[masterswimmer]

Ditto! They don't call him a master for nothing!

Awwwww shucks :redface:

 

[thirty5]

I figured as much. That is why i asked. Too bad someone didnt make a dehumidifier with stainless steel lines. 2 fold unit for a fish room.

 

[NYreefNoob]

dehumidifier

take the cover off and check the line's on it. and if it isnt copper you could make a drain out of the humidifer and have the drain run through a filter, nice idea. might have to take mine apart and look at it

 

[thirty5]

Do me a favor and let me know if you do try it and take yours apart. I will eventually but been busy, and it was just like a lightbulb went off in my head when i was thinking about it.

What kind of filter do you think you would need to put it through. Want that filter to run pretty quick so that the water stays cool to chill the system!

 

[jhale]

I'd be curious to know what the tds of the water is.
It should be 0 right? and the Po4 should be 0 also, where would it
come from?
because of the copper I would not use the water for the tank either.

 

[NYreefNoob]

dehumidifier

most appliance's now day's dont use copper cause of cost compared to plastic. ill tear mine apart when my wife isnt home and find out though

 

[cali_reef]

The water in your dehumidifier probably uses copper lines. A no-no for a reef. I would also check the TDS of the water in the bucket. Not to mention phosphates, pH, alk, etc.

Personally, I would NOT use this water for anything other than watering my plants.

Most if not all consumer dehumidifiers have aluminum coils, copper is too expensive to use in the cheap chinese made units.

That said, I don't know why anyone would want to use the nasty, dusty, and polluted water reclaimed from the air as your top off water. RO\DI is not good enough for you? Would you drink the water from your dehumidifier? I love the water from my RO unit:approve:.

 

[thirty5]

The question was not asked because if i have to run the unit to keep the humidity down, maybe can reuse the water not only to top off but also to cool down the water. Nothing to do with drinking.

 

[Awibrandy]

I think what Cali was saying is that if you wouldn't think of drink it, then it is not good enough to go in your reef.

 

[emps]

But wouldn't this water be clean as any distilled water? It's extracting water from the air, the condensation. Providing that the coils and reservoir are sealed from letting dust and other particles in. But the way the dehumidifer works is to pull the air through the unit into the coils thus adding unwanted dust and potential pollutants into the condensed water.

 

[cali_reef]

But wouldn't this water be clean as any distilled water? It's extracting water from the air, the condensation. Providing that the coils and reservoir are sealed from letting dust and other particles in.

No, the water will be dirtier than the air you would breath thru your nose. Dehumitifier works by forcing air thru the condensating coil, you would have to filter the air with some sort of HEPA filter and carbon filter, the unit it self will have to be considerabily modifid to be sealed for it to work.

 

[ming]

If you ever ran an air filter, you'll know whats being added to the condensed water

 

[emps]

No, the water will be dirtier than the air you would breath thru your nose. Dehumitifier works by forcing air thru the condensating coil, you would have to filter the air with some sort of HEPA filter and carbon filter, the unit it self will have to be considerabily modifid to be sealed for it to work.

Agreed, that why I mentioned...

But the way the dehumidifer works is to pull the air through the unit into the coils thus adding unwanted dust and potential pollutants into the condensed water.

 

[thirty5]

Well this might be a good idea to invent something. Well not invent but redesign a unit that will:

Dehumidify the air
Then run the water through some sort of RO unit
Then pump that water back into the system
Also if it could be done quick enough the water would be cold therefore chilling the tank at the same time!