Proper Air Exchange Input Please

[LRT]

Looking to get ideas and input on what to do here. Living in AZ with temps getting ready to top out 115+ in next month or 2 I need to figure this out asap.
Last summer was horrible. Had PH swings all the dow to 7.4 ish. Ran skimmer lines outside got them up to 7.8- 8 ish.
I'm going to have to seal fish room. Too many adults, huge dog and wife that lives to cook dinner every night. Its gotta happen.
So far room is semi sealed. Door closed, window open with fan exhausting air. Simple ceiling fan on low keeping my water pretty stable at 76 degrees. Hottest day has been around 95 degrees.
I'm feeling like I can put some fans on sumps and manage water temps when it comes down to it or run chiller as its just sitting now so i can manage water temps.
Just looking for ideas here. Not even really sure what I should be concerned with when I seal room. I have a co2/humidity/temp monitor on the way.
I was thinking about dual intake/exhaust fan in room window?
What are you looking for in air exchange?
Proper numbers to shoot for far as humidity?
I don't want to be counter productive.
I'm all open to ideas. Maybe I'm not even thinking this right.

 

[Alex Cataldo]

Good air exchange in the room, as well as surface agitation in the tank will keep pH stable.

 

[LRT]

Good air exchange in the room, as well as surface agitation in the tank will keep pH stable.

For sure I should have mentioned that I have my sumps both turning over about 256 gallons a day inside both my 65 gallon sumps. Ive been running an air stone at night. When the stones come on I can literally see mist on top of water like I'm sitting on beach watching waves crash.
Having said that im getting mixed reaction from some of my corals.
I've ordered a oxygen test kit as well to see if im not pumping too much air in.
And having said all that I still haven't been able to get my ph above 8.1 ish

This is actually pushing my stress about exchanging the air in room properly. My sumps and system turn over, aeration and gas exchange couldn't be more crazy right now.
Feeling like I need to do better job with room itself.

 

[jdiefenbaugh]

I use an inline exhaust fan, DC variable speed with built in humidistat/temp controller, at 20 air change per hour. I keep my fish room around 40-60% humidity depending on season, with about 450 gallons of water. I do also run a 1" fresh air intake to my skimmer.

 

[LRT]

I use an inline exhaust fan, DC variable speed with built in humidistat/temp controller, at 20 air change per hour. I keep my fish room around 40-60% humidity depending on season, with about 450 gallons of water. I do also run a 1" fresh air intake to my skimmer.

Awesome do you have a link to fan?
Right now I can't help to feel like I'm being counter productive. I know I am evap alot more water in room in hotter temps. I dont feel like I'm getting it out properly and most likely pounding the co2 back into water.

So your fresh air is coming from skimmers? No fresh air in from intake fan of any sort and your only exhausting air in room?

Hoping monitor comes sooner than later so I can actually see where in sitting in room. Right now I'm kind of running blind.

 

[LRT]

I use an inline exhaust fan, DC variable speed with built in humidistat/temp controller, at 20 air change per hour. I keep my fish room around 40-60% humidity depending on season, with about 450 gallons of water. I do also run a 1" fresh air intake to my skimmer.

Was also thinking about an inline air pump that I could pull fresh air from outside for air stones in sump.
Pretty sure the pump i have in room, on in room air is also counter productive.

 

[Hydrored]

Can you install something like this in your home?

Aprilaire 8192 Fresh Air Ventilator with Dehumidification (200 CFM)

Aprilaire 8192 Fresh Air Ventilator with Dehumidification offers the advantages of a ventilator while mitigating concerns about bringing overly humid air into a home.

shop.aprilaire.com

I installed one last year and has been great, PH went up and humidity control is awesome along with temp control

 

[jdiefenbaugh]

Awesome do you have a link to fan?
Right now I can't help to feel like I'm being counter productive. I know I am evap alot more water in room in hotter temps. I dont feel like I'm getting it out properly and most likely pounding the co2 back into water.

So your fresh air is coming from skimmers? No fresh air in from intake fan of any sort and your only exhausting air in room?

Hoping monitor comes sooner than later so I can actually see where in sitting in room. Right now I'm kind of running blind.

My fish room is only partly sealed off, and I usually keep the door open. Skimmer intake is only for increased pH.

The exhaust fan I'm using was developed for hydroponics/greenhouses.

 

[LRT]

Can you install something like this in your home?

Aprilaire 8192 Fresh Air Ventilator with Dehumidification (200 CFM)

Aprilaire 8192 Fresh Air Ventilator with Dehumidification offers the advantages of a ventilator while mitigating concerns about bringing overly humid air into a home.

shop.aprilaire.com

I installed one last year and has been great, PH went up and humidity control is awesome along with temp control

Unfortunately not right now. We are currently renting but trying to buy home we are in or will be moving soon to new house. Definetely will be looking into something like this.

 

[LRT]

My fish room is only partly sealed off, and I usually keep the door open. Skimmer intake is only for increased pH.

The exhaust fan I'm using was developed for hydroponics/greenhouses.

I love this! Do you have link to humidistat? Im still going to have to get fresh air into room but this is huge start. Right now semi sealed my ac unit is already working alot more than it usually does with room kinda sealed, window open and cheap exhaust fan in it. Im going to have to seal the room ac/heat duct as well so its not pulling that air.

 

[jdiefenbaugh]

I love this! Do you have link to humidistat? Im still going to have to get fresh air into room but this is huge start. Right now semi sealed my ac unit is already working alot more than it usually does with room kinda sealed, window open and cheap exhaust fan in it. Im going to have to seal the room ac/heat duct as well so its not pulling that air.

The fan has thermometer/humidistat incorporated with the controller. You set it to a hi/low temperature or humidity priority, but it has set points for both, and adjusts the fan speed accordingly.

 

[LRT]

Circling back to this with a few quick questions.
I got my co2, temp and humidity monitor.
With fish room door open.
Co2 looks ok indoors with a high around 4-500. I was expecting much higher levels.
Humidity is closer to 35-40%
However when I close door and seal fish room with window open my humidity sky rockets to 50-60% and lowers my PH. Something I also didn't expect. I figured my co2 was high.
Id love to just run with fish room open and not worry about 115+ weather and what thats going to do with water temps if I seal fish room and open window.
Feeling like the most efficient fix here may be just add inline air pump for more oxygen? Get a good dehumidifier and work with temps in house?
Or should I set up an exhaust fan hooked up to humidistat?
Exhaust fan hooked up to humidistat would cause house ac to run extra time considering it would be sucking out air used to cool house.

Only want to do this once and not be counter-productive.

 

[Subsea]

I'm feeling like I can put some fans on sumps and manage water temps when it comes down to it or run chiller as its just sitting now so i can manage water temps.
Just looking for ideas here. Not even really sure what I should be concerned with when I seal room. I have a co2/humidity/temp monitor on the way.
I was thinking about dual intake/exhaust fan in room window?

@LRT ,
Everything except dual intake/exhaust fan. Use an AC window unit with exhaust intake open to bring in outside air. I bought a 5000 BTUHr unit from Home Depot for < $150 with a 11 SEER.

Also run air pump from outside to feed protein skimmer and air stones.

 

[Subsea]

If your goal is to consume co2 and increase oxygen then a well lite refugium is an option. Light produces oxygen thru photosynthesis while consuming carbon dioxide. If room is an issue, then consider a closed vessel algae reactor with internal light. I made my own from 3” clear pvc. Initially I put lights on the outside but clear pvc grew green film algae which blocked the light transmission. I like clear pvc because 8 can see pods everywhere.

 

[LRT]

I'm feeling like I can put some fans on sumps and manage water temps when it comes down to it or run chiller as its just sitting now so i can manage water temps.
Just looking for ideas here. Not even really sure what I should be concerned with when I seal room. I have a co2/humidity/temp monitor on the way.
I was thinking about dual intake/exhaust fan in room window?

@LRT ,
Everything except dual intake/exhaust fan. Use an AC window unit with exhaust intake open to bring in outside air. I bought a 5000 BTUHr unit from Home Depot for < $150 with a 11 SEER.

Also run air pump from outside to feed protein skimmer and air stones.

Hi @Subsea thank you for your input.
I have been leaning this way just haven't pulled the trigger.
Since I posted. Ive upgraded my small skimmer to dual intake reef octopus. As well as 220 eshopps. All 3 lines ran outside.
I've gotten my ph around 7.9 at night and 8.1 consistent -2 peak(on good day) during day. Thats with fuge light running reverse light cycle.
No fresh air intake.
Problem im running into now is running this way and doing absoloutely nothing and allowing my humidity to climb to 50%. This is where I'm seeing the Ph drop.
You thinking seal room up and add ac will get me to where I need to be?

 

[LRT]

Does it make sense to you that high humidity with 4-500 co2 in house would cause my ph to lower so drastic?
If I open the window at night I see barely any swing.
Trying to understand the mechanics of whats happening.
@Subsea

 

[Subsea]

50% humidity would be low for my 1/2 ton dehumidifier. It’s lowest setting is 40%. A window ac will maintain a pleasant temperature and remove moisture from the air. Use your humidity meter to determine if closing door is necessary.

 

[Subsea]

Does it make sense to you that high humidity with 4-500 co2 in house would cause my ph to lower so drastic?
If I open the window at night I see barely any swing.
Trying to understand the mechanics of whats happening.
@Subsea

I see no corollary with humidity effecting co2 in water. High humidity would reduce evaporative cooling but I see no connection with increasing co2 in water.

 

[LRT]

50% humidity would be low for my 1/2 ton dehumidifier. It’s lowest setting is 40%. A window ac will maintain a pleasant temperature and remove moisture from the air. Use your humidity meter to determine if closing door is necessary.

Right on thats where I'm at. Fish room door open to house, no fresh air intake. Humidity climbing to 50%.
When I open window at night, on a cool night my PH stabilizes. Humidity drops in process.
Opening window is almost out of picture. I could throw ac in window and seal room if that's what it going to take.

 

[Subsea]

[Opening window is almost out of picture. I could throw ac in window and seal room if that's what it going to take.]

Get yourself a small window ac and use your meters to evaluate best way to operate.