Help with Humidity Control ?

[ClosetFishGeek]

I want to be proactive before I have some inevitable issues with humididty. How are people dealing with humity levels in there tank rooms ? Right now I have over 350 gallons of water in my a/c garage and plan on adding more. Does anyone have any recomendations on items that they have used to measure humidity and vent it accordingly ?

Thanks

Thane

 

[NYreefNoob]

fan next to a window blowing out, or a dehumidifier

 

[Pedro Nuno Ferreira]

Hi
I use a dehumidifier when needed. The dehumidifier indicates the humidity level.
Air conditioning is also another possibility.
An extractor fan as suggested by NYreefNoob is also used by many people, just make sure that the circuit that feeds it has a built in safety thermal fuse and overheat protection to avoid any fire problems.

Cheers
Pedro Nuno ;-)

 

[seascape]

i use a dehumidifier

 

[ClosetFishGeek]

Won't a dehumidifier increase overall evaporation as well ?

 

[lfsmarineguy]

Yes, don't you have the tank boxed off though or is it open? Thought you had it boxed.

 

[alrha]

exhaust fan is probably best as a dehumidifier would likely use a lot more energy and add heat to the room whereas an exhaust would remove humidity and heat (and would draw in fresh air to the room) and uses much less energy.

 

[ClosetFishGeek]

Yes, don't you have the tank boxed off though or is it open? Thought you had it boxed.

I do my 210 is in my Garage...When I set everything up last year it was the end of march and I had a large in wall a/c unit put in to accomodate the heat. At the time humidity was a non issue the summer went by and my garage was a lovely 70 degrees at all times. When i stopped using my ac roughly in October...I know it sounds late in the Year but my garage is insulated and sheetrocked and holds temp very well...Even in 0 degree weather My garage stays in the mid 60's on the downside it cooks in the summer and was rediculous before I put the a/c in. Now over the winter I have a small space heater that keeps it around 68 with little effort. Now here comes the increase in humidity... I added a 130 gallon sump and a 50 gallon frag tank. At this time I can defintiely tell the diference not only by the moisture but by the rusting chain on my motorcycles. My motorcycles are now in air vacume bubbles...dont ask...I wont have this problem in a couple of months when my a/c is on but the 5 months out of the year when Im not using the a/c I feel like I have to do something or It might lead to bigger problems. Does anyone know what a comfortable humidity level should be ?...Sorry for rambling on..

 

[Pedro Nuno Ferreira]

I do my 210 is in my Garage...When I set everything up last year it was the end of march and I had a large in wall a/c unit put in to accomodate the heat. At the time humidity was a non issue the summer went by and my garage was a lovely 70 degrees at all times. When i stopped using my ac roughly in October...I know it sounds late in the Year but my garage is insulated and sheetrocked and holds temp very well...Even in 0 degree weather My garage stays in the mid 60's on the downside it cooks in the summer and was rediculous before I put the a/c in. Now over the winter I have a small space heater that keeps it around 68 with little effort. Now here comes the increase in humidity... I added a 130 gallon sump and a 50 gallon frag tank. At this time I can defintiely tell the diference not only by the moisture but by the rusting chain on my motorcycles. My motorcycles are now in air vacume bubbles...dont ask...I wont have this problem in a couple of months when my a/c is on but the 5 months out of the year when Im not using the a/c I feel like I have to do something or It might lead to bigger problems. Does anyone know what a comfortable humidity level should be ?...Sorry for rambling on..

Hi
From your description your AC unit is not equipped with a dehumidifier, so you now need one or ventilation at least.
As far a humidity levels are concerned, for comfort and avoid damages on walls, metal, wood, etc...I try to keep it between between 45% and 55% in winter, but this is not always possible as in my case it is significantly influenced by the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean which is 7km away or 5Km if one moves in a straight line and the fact that I live in one of the most humid regions (lots of water, rivers, etc) of the country and this influences very much. About indoor humidity comfort levels have a look Humidity and the Indoor Environment

Desirable Humidity Levels Return to top The human body is comfortable when relative humidity ranges between 20 and 60 percent. In your home, an average relative humidity of 35 to 40 percent is appropriate when the outside temperature is 20?F or above. However, during cold weather, higher humidity ranges may cause structural damage because of condensation on windows and on the inside of exterior walls. As outdoor temperatures fall, condensation problems inside may develop.
The construction of a home also influences how much humidity is desirable. Tightly constructed buildings with properly installed vapor barriers and tight fitting doors and windows retain more heat and moisture. This is where mechanical ventilation becomes important. If a home does not have the proper mechanical ventilation, excess water vapor can move through walls and ceilings, causing wet insulation, peeling paint, and mold on walls and woodwork.

A vapor barrier protects walls from condensation.​

The following table shows recommended indoor humidity levels in relation to outdoor temperatures.
Outside temperature (0?F) Recommended relative humidity +20? and above 35% to 40% +10? 30% 0? 25% -10? 20% -20? 15%

and here and here and here

Cheers
Pedro Nuno ;-)

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Have you ever thought of putting some small cactus plant near the tank?

http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/general-discussion/10989-natural-solution-problem-catcus.html

 

[ClosetFishGeek]

Hi
From your description your AC unit is not equipped with a dehumidifier, so you now need one or ventilation at least.
As far a humidity levels are concerned, for comfort and avoid damages on walls, metal, wood, etc...I try to keep it between between 45% and 55% in winter, but this is not always possible as in my case it is significantly influenced by the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean which is 7km away or 5Km if one moves in a straight line and the fact that I live in one of the most humid regions (lots of water, rivers, etc) of the country and this influences very much. About indoor humidity comfort levels have a look Humidity and the Indoor Environment



and here and here and here

Cheers
Pedro Nuno ;-)

Thank you Pedro for your input....appreciated and helpfull as always...:splitspin

 

[ClosetFishGeek]

Have you ever thought of putting some small cactus plant near the tank?

http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/general-discussion/10989-natural-solution-problem-catcus.html

Chief....thanks for the link very interesting..