How do you deal with high house humidity?

[Lowkeycoral]

Good morning all,

 

I'm having a dilemma. I'm running a consistent 50-60 sometimes even 75% humidity inside my condo even with bathroom fan running and larger laundry exhaust fan running as well. My tank is a 66 with no top. I have to top off probably a half gallon or so per day. My AC helps dehumidify to a point but it's still an issue and with winter coming ia will get worse. My place is under 1000sq ft with no central heating system. What do you guys do to remedy your humidity issues? I would like to add a second tank to my place but I can't imagine it until this is resolved.

 

Thanks for the input!

[Sal10104]

use like a 20-30 pint dehumidifier. I got a 50 pint for my 300g and the air has never been over 70% humidity in my fish room.

[Lowkeycoral]

I'm looking to keep it at 50% or below. I am looking at a dehumidifier and glass top. Was just curious if this was common practice. I was hoping to have a 150 gallon in my bedroom eventually so I would have over 200g of salt water in my place.

[Sal10104]

I'm looking to keep it at 50% or below. I am looking at a dehumidifier and glass top. Was just curious if this was common practice. I was hoping to have a 150 gallon in my bedroom eventually so I would have over 200g of salt water in my place.

 

i have a 300g in my bedroom. I hate glass hoods. it blocks so much light. just get a dehumidifier. You won't even notice the humidity then.

[sangheili]

Live in the desert

 

I do have a large dehumidifier for the garage that gets turned on during the winter when the AC isn't running so much (AC will remove humidity).

[braaap]

I live in Seattle and normal humidity in your home is 50-60%. 75% is rather high for sure. I wouldn't advise getting a 150gallon tank in a 1,000 sq foot condo. You are just asking for massive issues.

[ezcompany]

Dehumidifiers will solve your humidity issues.

[Lowkeycoral]

Well if I get a glass cover I would think a 150 would be possible for a bedroom. I guess I'm just tired of even 60% as the usual humidity. Sounds like I'm not totally out of line with other reef tank homes

I'm setting up a humidistat that will kick my laundry ceiling fan when it rises but I really love hearing other reefers take on this.

[Sal10104]

Well if I get a glass cover I would think a 150 would be possible for a bedroom. I guess I'm just tired of even 60% as the usual humidity. Sounds like I'm not totally out of line with other reef tank homes

I'm setting up a humidistat that will kick my laundry ceiling fan when it rises but I really love hearing other reefers take on this.

 

Like i said earlier i got a 300g tank in my bedroom without an issue. That water volume is excluding my sump. (Which is 75g) even with the 150 i wouldn't go with more than a 30 pint/day. my 50 pint only pulls about 30 pints a day in my bedroom to keep my bedroom at 55%. Just a warning dehumidifiers are quite loud. I run mine on low just to keep the noise down. Im actually thinking of getting an inline fan to blow the air under my stand and have it dehumidified under there to quiet it down.

[Lowkeycoral]

I'm ordering a 30 pint model tomorrow. Still debating on glass tops but I'll see how this works out. I read good quality glass only effects something like a 12% decrease in PAR and light volume. Kinda of interesting. Another thing to keep clean though.

[Subsea]

I'm ordering a 30 pint model tomorrow. Still debating on glass tops but I'll see how this works out. I read good quality glass only effects something like a 12% decrease in PAR and light volume. Kinda of interesting. Another thing to keep clean though.

 

 

The athmosphere has three major gases that are in equilibrium with the water: nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide. These gases maintain dynamic equilibrium in our aquariums. Depending on air water interface in your system, a glass cover can change some of the dynamic equilibrium chemistry.

 

IMO, a glass cover over a reef aquarium is not a good idea.

[markalot]

I don't have any issues with glass tops over a 150 gallon aquarium, but the sump is open. I evaporate about 1.25 gallons a day.

 

Some ideas for humidity.

 

A lot of folks like to keep the house fan running even when the AC turns off. This re-humidifies the house due to the moisture buildup on the coils when the unit is off. Think cold pop can on a warm day.

 

Turning on a ventilation fan is just pulling more air in from outside, if it didn't your house would implode.

 

I see nothing wrong with reducing evaporation in the aquarium using partial glass or plexiglass tops. I use plexiglass tops, two of them, elevated just a little to keep some airflow moving but little evaporation. I do run a sump, 30 gallons, and it has a fan over it to help keep the tank cool.

 

Good luck!