Help with humidity in my basement with fish tank

jaynie1028 · 10/19/2018, 11:07 AM

I’m hoping someone can help me. I have a high ranch so my basement is half in the ground and half out. I have a 150 gallon fish tank with a 30 gallon sump I have been fighting with mold and a musty smell down there for two summers
Now. I use a dehumidifier for 8-12 hours a day everyday and still have the problem. What doesEveryone else do? I know a lot of you guys have fish tanks in your basement. Any help would be really helpful. I have been struggling to fix this problem. I have been thinking about having a dehumidifier installed in my wall next to the fish tank. Any thoughts please.

Thank you

windlasher · 10/20/2018, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaynie1028

I’m hoping someone can help me. I have a high ranch so my basement is half in the ground and half out. I have a 150 gallon fish tank with a 30 gallon sump I have been fighting with mold and a musty smell down there for two summers
Now. I use a dehumidifier for 8-12 hours a day everyday and still have the problem. What doesEveryone else do? I know a lot of you guys have fish tanks in your basement. Any help would be really helpful. I have been struggling to fix this problem. I have been thinking about having a dehumidifier installed in my wall next to the fish tank. Any thoughts please.

Thank you

A dehumidifier will remove water from the air but not at a pace that will solve your problem because your tanks are an unlimited source of more moisture. What you need is air movement that removes the moist air from the room. You need ventilation, like fresh air being brought in one side the room and extracted from the other. like how a ventilation fan in an attic would work. It would probably be easier and cheaper to install an exhaust fan to completely remove the moist air from the room to the outside. You can try this with a fan in a window to see if it works, but it may take a while for the moisture to be removed from the walls if this has been going on for a while. MOLD is an evil mistress and once she has a hold of you, she won't let go easily.

windlasher · 10/20/2018, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaynie1028

I’m hoping someone can help me. I have a high ranch so my basement is half in the ground and half out. I have a 150 gallon fish tank with a 30 gallon sump I have been fighting with mold and a musty smell down there for two summers
Now. I use a dehumidifier for 8-12 hours a day everyday and still have the problem. What doesEveryone else do? I know a lot of you guys have fish tanks in your basement. Any help would be really helpful. I have been struggling to fix this problem. I have been thinking about having a dehumidifier installed in my wall next to the fish tank. Any thoughts please.

Thank you

A dehumidifier will remove water from the air but not at a pace that will solve your problem. What you need is air movement that removes the moist air from the room. You need ventilation, like fresh air being brought in one side the room and extracted from the other. like how a ventilation fan in an attic would work. It would probably be easier and cheaper to install an exhaust fan to completely remove the moist air from the room to the outside. You can try this with a fan in a window to see if it works, but it make take a while for the moisture to be removed from the walls if this has been going on for a while. MOLD is an evil mistress and once she has a hold of you, she won't let go easily.

I also suggest you cover your tank and sump to reduce evaporation. I bought 1/2" PVC sheets from Home Depot and cut them to fit the top of my tank and sump. On the edges, I used stick on insulation bead. I cut holes in those just smaller than my lights which now sit on top of those. You will also need holes for cords, heaters, whatever. This will greatly reduce evaporation, keep the tank warmer, etc. I will try to post a picture later.

windlasher · 10/20/2018, 06:10 AM

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jaynie1028 · 10/20/2018, 07:35 PM

Thank you so much for your help. I’m going to have an exhaust fan installed in the room of the fish tank. I think I need to exhaust the room during the summer. I currently have glass lids on my fish tank. Only the 30 gallon is open but it’s in the cabinet under the 150. I guess it wouldn’t hurt if I made a lid for that tank as well. Thanks again for taking the time
To help me. I know I can’t be alone with this problem.

Editour2 · 10/22/2018, 03:14 PM

Jayne,
along those lines.....I installed an exhaust fan in my fish room which through duct work empties/exhausts outside. It is on 24/7....you just have to make sure you get the proper size for the room you are using it on. My fish room is approximately 10ft long x 6ft wide x 8ft tall...you have to match the cfm's to the room size. There are calculators online that will tell you based on the dimensions of the room (similar to getting the right size air conditioner to cool a room). I have a Panasonic quiet exhaust fan....probably too small for your application but it does the job for me.

https://www.wikihow.com/Calculate-CFM-for-Bathroom-Fan

pecan2phat · 10/23/2018, 09:20 AM

I went with a beefier exhaust layout but it adds up and is more efficient for larger rooms.
Works well if you have a drop ceiling and room under the floor joists.
I used 2 grills spaced about 15' apart in a room about 17'x11'
https://www.supplyhouse.com/Fantech-...iABEgIpX_D_BwE
https://www.supplyhouse.com/Fantech-...lar-for-4-Duct
https://www.supplyhouse.com/Fantech-...ckdraft-Damper
https://www.supplyhouse.com/Fantech-...Mount-115V-10A

jaynie1028 · 10/23/2018, 05:33 PM

Thank you so much. I’m going to have someone come out and measure and tell me what I need. And hopefully get this fixed for once and for all.

10/19/2018, 11:07 AM	#1
jaynie1028 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Suffolk, NY Posts: 775	Help with humidity in my basement with fish tank I’m hoping someone can help me. I have a high ranch so my basement is half in the ground and half out. I have a 150 gallon fish tank with a 30 gallon sump I have been fighting with mold and a musty smell down there for two summers Now. I use a dehumidifier for 8-12 hours a day everyday and still have the problem. What doesEveryone else do? I know a lot of you guys have fish tanks in your basement. Any help would be really helpful. I have been struggling to fix this problem. I have been thinking about having a dehumidifier installed in my wall next to the fish tank. Any thoughts please. Thank you

10/20/2018, 06:10 AM	#4
windlasher Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 504	Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ --- PLEASE HELP SAVE THE DOLPHINS In case we run out of chicken. ---

10/22/2018, 03:14 PM	#6
Editour2 Frank Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Suffolk County, NY Posts: 1,907	Jayne, along those lines.....I installed an exhaust fan in my fish room which through duct work empties/exhausts outside. It is on 24/7....you just have to make sure you get the proper size for the room you are using it on. My fish room is approximately 10ft long x 6ft wide x 8ft tall...you have to match the cfm's to the room size. There are calculators online that will tell you based on the dimensions of the room (similar to getting the right size air conditioner to cool a room). I have a Panasonic quiet exhaust fan....probably too small for your application but it does the job for me. https://www.wikihow.com/Calculate-CFM-for-Bathroom-Fan __________________ Frank Current Tank Info: 215 gal DT, 125 gal sump, 40 gal refugium w/ATS, 20 gal frag tank, reeflo orca skimmer, Knop HD calc reac w/2nd chamber, BRS dual reac, dart rtn pump, 2x tunze 6105's on seasweeps, 2x jebao PP20's, 30gal QT, LED/T5 Ltg, 1/2 hp aqualogic chiller.

10/20/2018, 07:35 PM	#5
jaynie1028 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Suffolk, NY Posts: 775	Thank you so much for your help. I’m going to have an exhaust fan installed in the room of the fish tank. I think I need to exhaust the room during the summer. I currently have glass lids on my fish tank. Only the 30 gallon is open but it’s in the cabinet under the 150. I guess it wouldn’t hurt if I made a lid for that tank as well. Thanks again for taking the time To help me. I know I can’t be alone with this problem.

10/23/2018, 09:20 AM	#7
pecan2phat Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Wallingford, CT Posts: 4,990	I went with a beefier exhaust layout but it adds up and is more efficient for larger rooms. Works well if you have a drop ceiling and room under the floor joists. I used 2 grills spaced about 15' apart in a room about 17'x11' https://www.supplyhouse.com/Fantech-...iABEgIpX_D_BwE https://www.supplyhouse.com/Fantech-...lar-for-4-Duct https://www.supplyhouse.com/Fantech-...ckdraft-Damper https://www.supplyhouse.com/Fantech-...Mount-115V-10A

10/23/2018, 05:33 PM	#8
jaynie1028 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Suffolk, NY Posts: 775	Thank you so much. I’m going to have someone come out and measure and tell me what I need. And hopefully get this fixed for once and for all.