Anyone use a dehumidifier to help with hot air?

[captexas]

During the day when the lights are on and it is usually a little warmer in the house, water evaporates from the tank. As I don't keep windows or doors open often (even less as weather gets warmer), this moisture in the air just hangs around and makes the room very humid and warm. Even the ceiling fan in the room doesn't help much with the problem. I wanted to see if anyone uses a dehumidifier to help reduce this problem. Any info would be appreciated! :D

Chris

[Reefdude]

We have a dehumidifier from when we were overseas in japan...its a pretty big unit and it pulls plenty of moisture out of the air, only problem is that it gives off plenty of heat while its running. I think your better off just dealin with the heat you already have.

[TexasState]

My dehumifier kick out some heat too. I'm thinking about running my dehumidifier in a different room. In the fish room, I'm going to get some variable speed vornado.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000050APX/qid=1047617861/sr=-3/ref=sr__3_etk-tools/104-7305769-8101533?v=glance&s=kitchen&n=228013

[Henry]

I thought about getting a de-humidifier, but just decided to run my A/C at about 65 degrees. That seems to work for me.


Henry

[JimT]

Actually, if you are having humidity problems a dehumidifier is the way to go. Air conditioners have to reduce the humidity before they can start to cool efficiently. If you take that factor away by using a dehumidifier then you save significantly on your air conditioning bill. I know of people who have been able to cut 25% off their monthly electrical bills just by adding a dehumidifier. I know I plan to get one before summer kicks in.

[captexas]

JimT -

Thanks and welcome to MAAST. I think I am going to look into them. Kind of scary to see my electric bill as it is with my tank, sure don't want to see what it will be keeping the thermostat cranked down to keep the house that cool this summer. As you know others that use them and you are looking to get one, do you know what are some good places to shop for them?

[Hammer]

My opinion, it all depends.
I had so many tanks in my apartment for a while that my humidity was getting insane. So I got a pretty good unit that took out GALLONS of water each day! (115 reef with MH, 120 reef with MH and 125 FOWLR with VHO, then a whole mess of other smaller tanks and FW tanks).
At first I had that dehumidifier running constantly! I loved the dry air by contrast to it usually feeling like I walked into a fish store. But it was taking too much electricity. After a while I got a digital temp thign from radio shack that also showed my humidity. I think figured out at what % I could still keep the tanks cool with evap. I then could actually let the place warm up a little bit to 74° instead of a few degrees cooler.

It does generate heat. I had the intake towards the tank, the output going towards where the AC intake was, and I put a floor fan pushing the air that was to help out. At the optimal settings it would only have to come on a few times a day, but I had to really recirculate the air in the apt.
For me, it was more then worth it.
Of course a chiller to keep a tank cool instead of using a lot of fans would greatly reduce the humidity as well.

[texasreefer]

I have to run a de-humidifier w/ my tanks. I was getting mildew in my window sills because I wasn't getting enough air movement in the room where the tank is located. The unit works good but it does produce some heat, but I don't have a problem w/ humidity anymore. I have to empty the bucket on mine a couple of times a day so it is pulling a lot of moisture out of the air.

[Pernelf]

We live in a small apartment (about 700 sq ft) and have a 75, 30, 20 and a 10gallon tank. They make our apartment extremely humid (greater than 60% relative humidity in the winter and better than 50% in the summer).

My husband bought a Whirlpool 40 pint dehumidifier. Our central air system runs much less nowdays, which seems to compensate for the cost of the electricity for the dehumidifer. Our electrical bill has not been any more expensive than before. However, our apartment is much more comfortable and my allergies are not as severe either.

http://www.whirlpool.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=973305&prmenbr=181&catname= Dehumidifiers&itemsku=AD40DSL

[fishcraze]

Wonder how much a dehumidifier costs? and which brand name is good and where you get it??

[Hammer]

I went on Ubid.com and got mine. After $ shipping it cost me $110 total to get mine. And I think it is the 50 pint model.

Also note, if you can, locate the unit where you can hook up a drain hose to the collection tub. Otherwise you will fogret to drain the water a few times a day and it will get humid again on you.

[fishcraze]

can you drain the water back to your tank since it's pretty pure -maybe low pH and no good minerals, but you can buffer it w/ superdKh and add trace minerals as you want to..

[Hammer]

Nope. The condensor is made of aluminum and or copper in most cases. So any exposure is not good. Plus you are taking out the air born contaminates from the surrounding air as well.

You can water plants, your lawn, etc. with it though.

[fishcraze]

yah, forgot about the copper thing!!! thanks.