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[APD] Re: Excessive Humidity



>From: "Eng Family" <engfam at telus_net>
>Subject: [APD] Re: Excessive Humidity
>http://www.humidexatlantic.com/
>
>Low power consumption, easy to install and quiet operation.

Victor, 
Do you have one of these (or know someone who does)? Looks intriguing. Like
others who have mentioned excessive humidity, I too had a humidity problem
near my aquarium room. I maintain ~500 gallons of water in a 9x12 room.
Most of the tanks are open top  (I havent used glass covers on my serious
plant tanks in 15 years... I guess I wanted to avoid etched glass <g>). The
exposed water surface is something like 30 sq ft. My tanks are on 3 level
stands, and I do have limited wooden enclosures on the side and very top to
reduce some of the potential evaporation.  
Although my lighting is not attenuated by the glass + silica + dirt,  there
is one serious consequence: excess humidity. Over the last 5 years or so, I
started to notice mold on the molding and lower paneling in the den next to
the fish room.  Mostly on wood surfaces.(maybe that's why it is called
molding :) 
The wife doesnt like my messy fish room, so the door stays closed alot.
Trying to conserve on electrical costs and becoming accustomed to not
running the A/C too low probably contributed too.  I live in NC and we have
LOTS of humidity. Not as much as Paul K however. 
I tried a dehumidier. It dried out the room nicely, but during the summer
it raised the room temp to way over 90deg. (i have central air, but keep it
at 79-80deg. With all the lights, the fish room stays ~5 deg higher). I
called out the heating and A/C folks and they were stumped. The amount of
humidity that my aquariums were generating exceeded their standard charts.
Their best suggestion was a supplemental window unit, but I said no thanks. 
Two to three years ago, I basically solved the problem (i think) by
installing a very quiet, slow flow, Panasonic ceiling exhaust fan in the
fish room. I tend to keep the fan on 24/7.  You cant hear it when it is on.
 The mold in the next room is esentially gone and the aquarium room is now
MUCH more comfortable than it used to be. An added benefit is that I am
bringing replacement fresh air into the house (thru the inevitable cracks
here and there) and the warmer outside summer air kicks on the A/C more
often during the summer. The A/C is also doing more dehumidification, cause
the outside air is less humid than the exhausted air from the fish room.
Another benefit is that I dont have to lower the thermostat and hear my
wife complain that she is too cold. 
In 2003, the "system" didnt work so well in the Mar-June time frame because
the south had the most rain in the past 100 years. It may have been the
only period where running the fan was actually introducing more RH. 

Among people with lots of aquariums or large open ones, it would be good to
hear how many other folks have a humidity problem and how they solved it. 
Neil Frank


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