Help figuring put ventilation

PghReef · Apr 30, 2020

I am trying to plan ahead rather than solve problems later and am concerned with proper ventilation. Current tank will be a 90gal rr with corner overflow herbie drains down to a bashsea 30x18 sump with a dual return over the top. Im not set on running a skimmer but am planning on doing so even if the collection cup is high to promote gas exchange. The insides of all stand and canopy parts will be coated with oil based primer and then an enamel paint with all joints caulked to prevent water from penetrating the wood.

The tank is being built into floor to ceiling builtins I'm custom building myself. The center section is all tank so its sealed off from the other cabinets. I have the storage cabs 24 deep and the tank cabinet 34 deep so it bumps the tank out 10inches for viewing. Lots of space! But unfortunately the entire backside of thr stand will be sealed to the wall. Without fans the only ventilation will be through the cracks of the inset doors. I'm thinking a fan or 2 behind the tank blowing from the tank cabinet into the lower sump cabinet. Maybe 1 blow 1 and 1 out? Then I'd need another fan blowing fresh air into the tank section from the outside?

Victor_C3 · Apr 30, 2020

I would think that you should be alright with one fan blowing air into the system and a simple exhaust vent to allow the air to flow out.

Perhaps place the fan blowing outside air into the lower sump cabinet and place an exhaust vent on the top of the display part of the cabinet.

Warm air rises so it should naturally create an air current from the bottom of the system towards the top and out. The single fan would be plenty to push extra air through in my opinion.

Or, close off the bottom and top part of you built in cabinet. Place the fan inside the stand, behind the tank in the space separating the two cabinets. With a vent in the bottom cabinet and a vent in the top cabinet, the fan would force air to come into the bottom of the system and out the top of the system. The benefit here would be that the fan and its noise is buried inside your cabinet.

I might just be overthinking things...

Billdogg · Apr 30, 2020

Paulie069 said:
Soon as I figure out what it’s made of (if it’s got copper in it then can’t be in tank)

Victor_C3 said:
I would think that you should be alright with one fan blowing air into the system and a simple exhaust vent to allow the air to flow out.

Perhaps place the fan blowing outside air into the lower sump cabinet and place an exhaust vent on the top of the display part of the cabinet.

Warm air rises so it should naturally create an air current from the bottom of the system towards the top and out. The single fan would be plenty to push extra air through in my opinion.

^^^This^^^

Always blow air in and allow it to escape through a vent or other openings. If you try to use a fan to blow air out it will quickly corrode due to the inevitable salt spray in the moisture laden air

PghReef · Apr 30, 2020

I cant place a fan in the lower cabinet anywhere to blow in from outside to the sump area, only say to blow air in would be from the top back of the stand behind the fishtank. The stand is closed off on the back against a wall filled with ductwork. The sides are mostly buried and sealed off from the other storage cabinets with only 10 inches exposed that is solid 2x6 supports. The front is obviously the doors which will provide some ventilation through the cracks. I was thinking I'd I blow air out of the lower cabs into the tank area itll force fresh air in through the cracks. If I force air in from the tank area itll force humid air out through the cracks but I'm not sure how much less humid the air would be in the tank area unless I blew fresh air in to the tank area from the outside and then exhaust the tank area through the bottom sump area.