Humidity. Why do reefers not talk about this?

PirateLove · 11/04/2015, 12:49 AM

Why do we not hear anything about humidity from saltwater aquariums? I live in Virginia, close to D.C. and have a 15 gallon tank and a 30 gallon tank in a single room. My whole house is comfortable but when you walk into that one room it feels like the carpet is cold/damp (no i do not have a leak of any kind). I have bought a commercial dehumidifier for the room. Only having a total of 45 gallons in the room, I can not imagine what someone with a 75 or 150 is going through. What do you guys do? Is it living in different parts of the US? Do you just not notice it? Any advice or feedback would be appreciated!!

Sk8r · 11/04/2015, 12:52 AM

Frigidaire dehumidifier, not too pricey, re things in our hobby, and even in Spokane, spring and fall rains can really up the humidty. I have a basement sump and a basement library, not to mention fabric storage. Got it from Amazon.

shiftline · 11/04/2015, 01:02 AM

I don't worry about it with my 30g. Although I'll be doing a bigger tank ends summer and it will be rimless. So I'm curious to tag along

ThRoewer · 11/04/2015, 01:24 AM

Too high humidity isn't really a big issue here in California, rather the opposite, especially during the summer.

ca1ore · 11/04/2015, 01:33 AM

I think if you do a search, you will find that there are a number of threads on humidity issues. In most cases, typical house A/C systems will eliminate the problem, though many of us also run a dehimidifier in basement sump rooms for the humid months at least.

theMatrix · 11/04/2015, 05:45 AM

I got a thread started and solved at the end of it.

70pint dehumid going. Empty every 5 days. The best part about it is, that room was an addition to the house the hvac system doesn't quite keep the room warm in the winter (Chicago negative degree torture) and since addint the dehumidifier. The room is much warmer as i was told the transfer of water in the air converts to heat.
BuT a cover on the aquarium helps drastically to almost no humidity

iClown2 · 11/04/2015, 05:51 AM

Do you close the room door or something?

Spar · 11/04/2015, 07:42 AM

i just use an exhaust fan in my fish room that sucks it out. i haven't had any issues. Dallas has sort-of high humidity most of the year at least.

Pastey · 11/04/2015, 07:52 AM

Being from Louisiana, I have to ask - What is this humidity from fish tanks you speak of?

Greybeard · 11/04/2015, 09:18 AM

Had a friend with an online coral business running it out of his basement... several large, shallow, well lit (Metal Halide) tanks, in the basement of a typical wood framed home with open joists.

He rented a store front when the floors started to buckle.

Showing my age a bit here, but didn't 'Mr. 5000' have to tear his system down because the humidity was destroying his home?

It's not that we're adverse to talking about it, but that it's a well understood issue, with well known and effective methods of control. A good dehumidifier and proper ventilation, unless you're 'going huge', it's not a problem.

stingeragent · 11/04/2015, 11:21 AM

Never notice it but humidity in austin texas is usually close to 100 percent anyway

davocean · 11/04/2015, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThRoewer

Too high humidity isn't really a big issue here in California, rather the opposite, especially during the summer.

Yep

tzylak · 11/04/2015, 02:35 PM

Yes, So Cal is relatively dry.
Regardless, during the summer I keep my windows open. Consider airing out the house often.
In the 'colder' season when the heater is on I used to run air humidifiers; now I have the aquarium to moisten the air. . . . Consider it an asset not a burden :-).

Pickupman66 · 11/04/2015, 03:47 PM

Here in TN we have quite humid air most of the year. I have a 66 gallon open top system in my living room and have never had issues with the humidity over the year we have had it. Prior to this it was a 180 in the den. the house is a very open floor plan.

that said I had the sump for the 180 in the garage and you could tell a huge difference in the humidity and warmth it added to my insulated garage.

sbash · 11/05/2015, 02:31 PM

When I first set up my sump/fuge in the basement (of an older house), there were carpet tiles in the room and minimal air flow. After a couple months, I noticed the drywall near the carpet was wet. I had to pull it all out, I threw out the carpet and replaced most of the drywall. Definitely get a dehumidifier!!!

m0nkie · 11/05/2015, 02:50 PM

I installed a room AC just for this problem.. have over 300gal of water in my study room. Gets so humid in Cali summer

Luke Schnabel · 11/05/2015, 03:06 PM

My 120 is in my basment with a dehumidifier running at 60%... Where I live it's always humid so I can't tell.

Shawn O · 11/06/2015, 09:36 AM

Here in eastern Ma. we call high humidity Spring, Summer and Fall. My living room gets pretty muggy in the summer and the AC usually removes the extra heat and humidity.

11/04/2015, 12:49 AM	#1
PirateLove Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Lexington,KY Posts: 511	Humidity. Why do reefers not talk about this? Why do we not hear anything about humidity from saltwater aquariums? I live in Virginia, close to D.C. and have a 15 gallon tank and a 30 gallon tank in a single room. My whole house is comfortable but when you walk into that one room it feels like the carpet is cold/damp (no i do not have a leak of any kind). I have bought a commercial dehumidifier for the room. Only having a total of 45 gallons in the room, I can not imagine what someone with a 75 or 150 is going through. What do you guys do? Is it living in different parts of the US? Do you just not notice it? Any advice or feedback would be appreciated!! __________________ "Pirate love, is what I'm looking for. Pirate love, is what i'm wanted for." Current tank: Cad Lights 42 versa. Kessil AP700. Some Sps and Lps.

11/04/2015, 12:52 AM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Frigidaire dehumidifier, not too pricey, re things in our hobby, and even in Spokane, spring and fall rains can really up the humidty. I have a basement sump and a basement library, not to mention fabric storage. Got it from Amazon. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

11/04/2015, 01:02 AM	#3
shiftline Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Canada Posts: 537	I don't worry about it with my 30g. Although I'll be doing a bigger tank ends summer and it will be rimless. So I'm curious to tag along __________________ ReefDudes - Making Reefing Easy! Current Tank Info: Fuson 30L

11/04/2015, 01:24 AM	#4
ThRoewer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Fremont, CA Posts: 9,555	Too high humidity isn't really a big issue here in California, rather the opposite, especially during the summer. __________________ Pairs: 4 percula, 3 P. kauderni, 3 D. excisus, 1 ea of P. diacanthus, S. splendidus, C. altivelis O. rosenblatti, D. janssi, S. yasha & a Gramma loreto trio 3 P. diacanthus. 2 C. starcki Current Tank Info: 200 gal 4 tank system (40x28x24 + 40B + 40B sump tank + 20g refugium) + 30x18x18 mixed reef + 20g East Pacific biotop + 20g FW +...

11/04/2015, 01:33 AM	#5
ca1ore Grizzled & Cynical Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 17,319	I think if you do a search, you will find that there are a number of threads on humidity issues. In most cases, typical house A/C systems will eliminate the problem, though many of us also run a dehimidifier in basement sump rooms for the humid months at least. __________________ Simon Got back into the hobby ..... planned to keep it simple ..... yeah, right ..... clearly I need a new plan! Pet peeve: anemones host clowns; clowns do not host anemones! Current Tank Info: 450 Reef; 120 refugium; 60 Frag Tank, 30 Introduction tank; multiple QTs

11/04/2015, 05:45 AM	#6
theMatrix Registered Member. Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 302	I got a thread started and solved at the end of it. 70pint dehumid going. Empty every 5 days. The best part about it is, that room was an addition to the house the hvac system doesn't quite keep the room warm in the winter (Chicago negative degree torture) and since addint the dehumidifier. The room is much warmer as i was told the transfer of water in the air converts to heat. BuT a cover on the aquarium helps drastically to almost no humidity

11/04/2015, 05:51 AM	#7
iClown2 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 30	Do you close the room door or something?

11/04/2015, 07:42 AM	#8
Spar Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 2,517	i just use an exhaust fan in my fish room that sucks it out. i haven't had any issues. Dallas has sort-of high humidity most of the year at least. __________________ 450g Mixed SPS/LPS Reef (MH/T5/VHO)

11/04/2015, 07:52 AM	#9
Pastey Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Baton Rouge, LA Posts: 835	Being from Louisiana, I have to ask - What is this humidity from fish tanks you speak of? __________________ I got a fever, and the only prescription is more pictures.

11/04/2015, 09:18 AM	#10
Greybeard Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Buffalo, MO Posts: 651	Had a friend with an online coral business running it out of his basement... several large, shallow, well lit (Metal Halide) tanks, in the basement of a typical wood framed home with open joists. He rented a store front when the floors started to buckle. Showing my age a bit here, but didn't 'Mr. 5000' have to tear his system down because the humidity was destroying his home? It's not that we're adverse to talking about it, but that it's a well understood issue, with well known and effective methods of control. A good dehumidifier and proper ventilation, unless you're 'going huge', it's not a problem.

11/04/2015, 11:21 AM	#11
stingeragent Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 1,032	Never notice it but humidity in austin texas is usually close to 100 percent anyway

11/04/2015, 02:35 PM	#13
tzylak Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Oceanside, CA Posts: 457	Yes, So Cal is relatively dry. Regardless, during the summer I keep my windows open. Consider airing out the house often. In the 'colder' season when the heater is on I used to run air humidifiers; now I have the aquarium to moisten the air. . . . Consider it an asset not a burden :-).

11/04/2015, 03:47 PM	#14
Pickupman66 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Winchester, TN Posts: 3,714	Here in TN we have quite humid air most of the year. I have a 66 gallon open top system in my living room and have never had issues with the humidity over the year we have had it. Prior to this it was a 180 in the den. the house is a very open floor plan. that said I had the sump for the 180 in the garage and you could tell a huge difference in the humidity and warmth it added to my insulated garage. __________________ What a Pretty day to stick your head in your tank and stare at your corals. 15 years reef keeping experience in old school simplistic ways. /><{{{{"> Archon BETA Current Tank Info: 66 Gallon SCA Rimless, Custom 40 Breeder sump, DC pumps, Lumentek Pro 240 controlled by my Archon

11/05/2015, 02:31 PM	#15
sbash Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Ottawa Canada Posts: 98	When I first set up my sump/fuge in the basement (of an older house), there were carpet tiles in the room and minimal air flow. After a couple months, I noticed the drywall near the carpet was wet. I had to pull it all out, I threw out the carpet and replaced most of the drywall. Definitely get a dehumidifier!!!

11/05/2015, 02:50 PM	#16
m0nkie Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: LA Posts: 6,264	I installed a room AC just for this problem.. have over 300gal of water in my study room. Gets so humid in Cali summer __________________ 560gal in the making

11/05/2015, 03:06 PM	#17
Luke Schnabel Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Canton. Ohio Posts: 288	My 120 is in my basment with a dehumidifier running at 60%... Where I live it's always humid so I can't tell. __________________ In wall 125 gallon display and 48g frag tank w/ 75gallon sump Apex Controlled, 2xMP40, 1 MP10, Ecotech M1 return, reef octopus x5000, 4x Ecotech Radion G2 with T5 supplament(Display), 2x AI Hydras (fr

11/06/2015, 09:36 AM	#18
Shawn O Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: People's Communist Republic of Massachusetts Posts: 1,474	Here in eastern Ma. we call high humidity Spring, Summer and Fall. My living room gets pretty muggy in the summer and the AC usually removes the extra heat and humidity. __________________ "55gal glass box full of water, rocks and some not-so-amused little fishes" 2x Occellaris, 1 Pajama, 1 Neon Dottyback. Current Tank Info: 55gal tank, sumpless, ReefOctopus Classic 90, Twin bulb T5.