70% Humidity

[trahelyk]

So I just came back from a week-long vacation (first vacation since I set the tank up last September) to stifling humidity, and my whole house smells like the LFS down the street. I have a 75-gallon DT with an 18-gallon sump (RedSea Reefer 350). I don't know why this is suddenly a problem, but the mother-in-law was house sitting. I know she likes it much warmer than we do, and she doesn't open the drapes every day like we do. I guess that's enough to make the difference, but it calls my attention to a problem with humidity that I need to address. Googling around, I get the sense that others have problems with humidity in their fish room, but not so much when there is no fish room and just a single moderately sized aquarium. Any suggestions? My ideas are:

Add a glass top to reduce humidity. This would limit air exchange and possibly reduce O2, but would it be okay since there would be some air exchange in the sump?

Stick a portable dehumidifier in the living room. Sounds ugly.

Add ventilation to the front room: Yay, cutting holes in walls.

Tell the fishes to stop breathing so hard?

 

[Keithcorals]

I went with the dehumidifier maybe not pretty but it does the job

 

[Tom Blevins]

dehumidifier for sure and run a fresh air line from outside to you skimmer will help.

 

[mcarroll]

If the house is normally more open and/or with the HVAC running more often, then it may not be worth worrying about...and you may cause other issues.

Just for example, running a dehumidifier should increase your ATO needs due to more evaporation from the tank. More evaporation leads to more cooling, which puts more demand on your heaters. Etc.

If you need to do something, do it. But don't go fixing something that isn't broken.

 

[trahelyk]

If the house is normally more open and/or with the HVAC running more often, then it may not be worth worrying about...and you may cause other issues.

Just for example, running a dehumidifier should increase your ATO needs due to more evaporation from the tank.

If you need to do something, do it. But don't go fixing something that isn't broken.

I wholeheartedly agree, but I might be somewhere on the border of needing to do something about it and not. I've had condensation on the entryway windows near the tank for some months and also some on a kickplate beneath a set of french doors on the other side of the house. But that's been it until we went out of town and it began raining inside. Now that we've resumed our normal habits we're at about 60%. I'm not sure whether that justifies drastic measures or not. I might be able to get away with just placing a desiccant near those windows and calling it good.

 

[Lynn52]

I have had that problem. I have a 125 and a 40. Both have hoods but the hoods are open on top. I ended up laying acrylic sheets over the top of the hood. There is a10" air space over the water.

 

[trahelyk]

I have had that problem. I have a 125 and a 40. Both have hoods but the hoods are open on top. I ended up laying acrylic sheets over the top of the hood. There is a10" air space over the water.

Can you elaborate? Do you mean that you placed acrylic sheets over the hood to trap moisture in the airspace above the tank and prevent evaporation into the room? So it rains back into the tank?

 

[Lynn52]

I don't get any condensation. The water vapor is in equilibrium in the space which reduces evaporation. ATO only goes through about 5 gallons a week instead of 15. My house is probably more humid than the average house in Minnesota in January which is good. It no longer feels like I am entering a steam room when I enter my house.

 

[mcarroll]

A lid might help - but reduces your ATO load, and reduces the cooling effect

It's possible a dehumidifier might be in order if you're getting condensation like you describe on anything like a regular basis.

Mold will be sure to follow.

If you don't have any around, I'd get one or two hygrometers so you can keep an eye on humidity around the house before and after any changes you make.

 

[TheEngineer]

It's also worth noting that time away will make your nose forget the smell of your house. Not staying your house smells, but you may have forgotten the scent. I know I'm surprised when I get back from a trip sometimes with smells I had stopped noticing. Like the dog really needing a bath

If it is minimal moisture, you could try damp rid.

 

[surfnsalt]

So I just came back from a week-long vacation (first vacation since I set the tank up last September) to stifling humidity, and my whole house smells like the LFS down the street. I have a 75-gallon DT with an 18-gallon sump (RedSea Reefer 350). I don't know why this is suddenly a problem, but the mother-in-law was house sitting. I know she likes it much warmer than we do, and she doesn't open the drapes every day like we do. I guess that's enough to make the difference, but it calls my attention to a problem with humidity that I need to address. Googling around, I get the sense that others have problems with humidity in their fish room, but not so much when there is no fish room and just a single moderately sized aquarium. Any suggestions? My ideas are:

Add a glass top to reduce humidity. This would limit air exchange and possibly reduce O2, but would it be okay since there would be some air exchange in the sump?

Stick a portable dehumidifier in the living room. Sounds ugly.

Add ventilation to the front room: Yay, cutting holes in walls.

Tell the fishes to stop breathing so hard?

What state do you live in? And what type of heating and cooling system do you have?for your house( forced hot air, boiler with central air, radiant heat, ?)

 

[surfnsalt]

70% humidity in my house in the winter months would definitely concern me. Mold and bacteria!!!!

 

[trahelyk]

It's also worth noting that time away will make your nose forget the smell of your house. Not staying your house smells, but you may have forgotten the scent. I know I'm surprised when I get back from a trip sometimes with smells I had stopped noticing. Like the dog really needing a bath

If it is minimal moisture, you could try damp rid.

Yeah, I wondered about that. That's sort of a horrifying thought--I threw a big party a few weeks ago, and I wonder how many people walked into the house and began silently gagging.

 

[trahelyk]

What state do you live in? And what type of heating and cooling system do you have?for your house( forced hot air, boiler with central air, radiant heat, ?)

I'm in Portland, Oregon, so it's naturally humid and cool in the winter. But yeah, 70% is concerning. Now that we've been back a couple days it's dropped down to 60%, but I think that is still too high.

We have forced hot air. In the summer we use a window-mounted AC, but I'm thinking about having a central system put in this spring. I might just roll a dehumidifier right into that project.

 

[Blue Lip]

Putting glass tops ( or acrylic) will definately help reduce humidity. Dehumidifier is also a good idea. I use one.

 

[trahelyk]

Putting glass tops ( or acrylic) will definately help reduce humidity. Dehumidifier is also a good idea. I use one.

Has anybody worked out a hygrometer that can connect to the Apex I/O box to control a dehumidifier?

 

[TheEngineer]

Yeah, I wondered about that. That's sort of a horrifying thought--I threw a big party a few weeks ago, and I wonder how many people walked into the house and began silently gagging.

HA! Got someone who would give you an honest answer?

 

[Blue Lip]

You can set my dehumidifier at a percentage. It comes on when above that percentage. No apex required.

 

[surfnsalt]

Your forced hot air should keep the house dry. Sounds like you may have a draft/ installation issue They make dehumidifiers that can be piped into forced hot air unit and run a lot quiter and run with the heating system. If your hvac has a humidifier turn it off or down as well.

 

[trahelyk]

HA! Got someone who would give you an honest answer?

Maybe. But can I handle hearing the truth?