sump evaporation

[jnguyen4007]

I figured that my 20 gal sump evaporated about 8 to 10 cups of water a day based on the number of times I had to refill it daily. I worried about the possibility of mold forming from the excess moisture getting into the wall and such. Is it better to run the dehumidifier for 2 to 3 hours a day while the AC is on, or is it better to turn off the AC and open the window for a couple of hours. Unfortunately I don't have the skills to run one of those air vent to pull air outside so I won't even consider playing with that idea.

 

James

[Bendalat]

James,

 

I don't think 10 cups of water could do anything bad.

For your peace of my, you can run the dehumidifier.

Set it at 50% or 55% then forget about it.

Don't open the windows, at this time of year, the outside heat and humidity are almost always higher than in your house.

FYI, I've been having my tank more than 3 years, it evaporates about 2 gallons/day.

I set the dehumidifier at 50% and everthing is fine.

Hope this help.

 

Khanh,

 

I figured that my 20 gal sump evaporated about 8 to 10 cups of water a day based on the number of times I had to refill it daily. I worried about the possibility of mold forming from the excess moisture getting into the wall and such. Is it better to run the dehumidifier for 2 to 3 hours a day while the AC is on, or is it better to turn off the AC and open the window for a couple of hours. Unfortunately I don't have the skills to run one of those air vent to pull air outside so I won't even consider playing with that idea.

 

James

[jnguyen4007]

Khanh,

 

Thanks so much for the assurances. I have a little soon to be 2 year daughter who likes to play around down stairs where the reef and tropical fish tanks are. The thought of her getting exposed to molds is enough to frighten me. Do you leave yours on all day or just a few hous a day?

 

James

[Valeria]

I set my dehumidifier to 40% and leave it on the whole day. It turns on as soon as the humidity goes above 40% and goes off when it has reached the desired percentage.

[Bendalat]

Khanh,

 

Thanks so much for the assurances. I have a little soon to be 2 year daughter who likes to play around down stairs where the reef and tropical fish tanks are. The thought of her getting exposed to molds is enough to frighten me. Do you leave yours on all day or just a few hous a day?

 

James

James,

 

I don't know what kind of dehumidifier that you have.

Mine is automatic. I turn it on all day and night, but it just runs when the humidity in the house is more than or equal 50%. (I set it at 50%).

 

Khanh

[jnguyen4007]

I have a whirlpool model that our aunt gave us. It has a dialed setting that we can turn all the way to the dryest seting from which it runs continuously, and a fan setting for low and hi. I haven't been running it for more than a few hours at a time for me to notice whether it turns off when the humidity is low. Right now I have it on in a corner about 1.5 feet away from the sump with a setting about 40%. Should I move it somewhere else or does it matter where it's placed?

 

James

[Bendalat]

I have a whirlpool model that our aunt gave us. It has a dialed setting that we can turn all the way to the dryest seting from which it runs continuously, and a fan setting for low and hi. I haven't been running it for more than a few hours at a time for me to notice whether it turns off when the humidity is low. Right now I have it on in a corner about 1.5 feet away from the sump with a setting about 40%. Should I move it somewhere else or does it matter where it's placed?

 

James

 

James,

 

I've heard people saying that the ideal humidity for the house is from 45% to 60%.

Could somebody check for fact?

If it's too dry, it's bad for your nose...

If it's too wet, it causes heavy breathing and mold growing.

That's the reason I set my dehumidifier at 50%.

I have a thermo-hydro in my fish/laundry room, it's range from 50% to 55%.

Hope it helps.

 

Khanh,

[jason the filter freak]

heres a fun idea/question to jack this thread with (sorry) and possibly start a debate... why not run a dehumidifier near/in the same room as your tank. And barring having any airborn contaminates that would get into an open top/sump system anyway put a float level sensing pump in the resivoir of the dehumudufuer and have it pump the water... right back into your sump... I use top off from the inroom ac system in the room next to the room I have my tank in all the time under the assumption that I made here at the start... if there are any contaminates that could be found in the condensation resivior they would be getting into your tank any way via open tops/sumps so why not just add the water back to your tank....? Any one?

[Rascal]

heres a fun idea/question to jack this thread with (sorry) and possibly start a debate... why not run a dehumidifier near/in the same room as your tank. And barring having any airborn contaminates that would get into an open top/sump system anyway put a float level sensing pump in the resivoir of the dehumudufuer and have it pump the water... right back into your sump... I use top off from the inroom ac system in the room next to the room I have my tank in all the time under the assumption that I made here at the start... if there are any contaminates that could be found in the condensation resivior they would be getting into your tank any way via open tops/sumps so why not just add the water back to your tank....? Any one?

 

Jason:

 

I'm not sure but I think the concern is contaminants from the metal used to condense the water in the dehumidifier. Heavy metals could build up to toxic levels in your tank. The same would probably apply to the AC runoff.

[Rascal]

heres a fun idea/question to jack this thread with (sorry) and possibly start a debate... why not run a dehumidifier near/in the same room as your tank. And barring having any airborn contaminates that would get into an open top/sump system anyway put a float level sensing pump in the resivoir of the dehumudufuer and have it pump the water... right back into your sump... I use top off from the inroom ac system in the room next to the room I have my tank in all the time under the assumption that I made here at the start... if there are any contaminates that could be found in the condensation resivior they would be getting into your tank any way via open tops/sumps so why not just add the water back to your tank....? Any one?

 

Jason:

 

I'm not sure but I think the concern is contaminants from the metal used to condense the water in the dehumidifier. Heavy metals could build up to toxic levels in your tank. The same would probably apply to the AC runoff.