MarkN Posted December 3, 2008 Report Share Posted December 3, 2008 You can see from my signature what tanks I am running and I am having allot of condensation build up in my house. All the problems are upstairs and all the tanks are down. I have a humidifier attached to the furnace that is turned off. My windows are constantly wet and dripping and is causing a mold issue if not constantly wiped up. I know there allot of people on this site with allot more tanks that me and seem to have no issues. I'm not even sure if its a fish problem. Any one have any ideas, help, suggestions, anything!!! Thanks Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lana Bollers Posted December 3, 2008 Report Share Posted December 3, 2008 You may want to invest in a dehumidifier, you can put it in the hallway or something... we just purchased one, for our room. Our room is small so we will be putting in on a timer, as we don't want it sucking the water out of the tank...LOL... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegrandpoohbah Posted December 3, 2008 Report Share Posted December 3, 2008 Are the tanks covered? If they are then there shouldn't be that much evaporation. If not, then it's time to invest in some glass tops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rED O Posted December 3, 2008 Report Share Posted December 3, 2008 Yes, if you don't have lids get some nice glass lids and that will help. Also we use a dehumidifier, like lana suggested they are great for keeping the humidity down and the windows dry ect. You can find one at a local canadian tire for around 150 bucks. With a dehumidifier you will notice a difference in humidity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkN Posted December 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2008 Wow you guys are fast on the replies! Yes all the tanks are covered so I don't think that's an issue. As for the dehumidifier would you put it in the fish room or up stairs where the problem is? Thanks Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rED O Posted December 3, 2008 Report Share Posted December 3, 2008 Put the dehumidifier in your fish room and you will see a noticeable difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted December 3, 2008 Report Share Posted December 3, 2008 How's the ventilation in your house? I've had way more tanks than you have and haven't had problems, but I often leave the bathroom fan running while showering and at least an hour afterward... sometimes it gets left on all day. How new is your home? A lot of these newer homes don't have great ventilation unless the 'switch' is turned on (usually on the 2nd floor somewhere). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkN Posted December 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2008 How's the ventilation in your house? I've had way more tanks than you have and haven't had problems, but I often leave the bathroom fan running while showering and at least an hour afterward... sometimes it gets left on all day. How new is your home? A lot of these newer homes don't have great ventilation unless the 'switch' is turned on (usually on the 2nd floor somewhere). The house was built in 73 and redone a few years ago. It definitely not a new cookie cutter slap it up in a week house! I will try the bathroom fan thing although this may be an issue for the wife, she loves the steam! I think I will see if I can find a dehumidifier anyone have any brand names that are better than others? Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soliver Posted December 3, 2008 Report Share Posted December 3, 2008 If you don't think the fish are the cause of your excess humidity then i would put the dehumidifier upstairs. Do you find that your water evaporates fast after a water change. If so, then maybe they are the problem after all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ishkabod Posted December 3, 2008 Report Share Posted December 3, 2008 You have two possibilities for the problem One is the Steam from showers and the other is the tanks. Before you get the dehumidifier try Saran wrap on ANY opening on the tank.. If you have air Pumps try turning them OFF and watch the fish. Try and get away with as little as possible. I bought an AG sponge filter for my tanks and i have the air hose that pumps the air into the tank under the lid so it's not taking the dryer air and making humid air. Your wife Loves the Steam so make sure the Bathroom door is closed and the bathroom sealed untill the fan sucks up that steam after the shower. You might be better off to buying a more powerfull fan that has a timer on it than a Dehumidifier. It would cost less if the Shower is the problem. I had the same problem at the start of the cold this winter and i have allot fewer tanks than you. By covering the tanks as completely as possible with saran to cover smaller gaps the humidity from those tanks should be negligible. Try to cut shower time and see if that makes a diff. If you can seal off the fish room and if there is a window in there then check to see if it gathers allot of condensation and how that might affect the upstairs. Good luck Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ishkabod Posted December 3, 2008 Report Share Posted December 3, 2008 if you want I'll send you some pics of what I've done to reduce the humidity to bleeding nose and dry throat level Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trixie Posted December 5, 2008 Report Share Posted December 5, 2008 If your furnace dose not have a outside air to the cold air return you should install one .One for your safety and fresh air in the house all new furnace have two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firestorm Posted December 5, 2008 Report Share Posted December 5, 2008 You can buy air pumps with different levels, along with gang valves for any airstones, and turn them down so they don't create as much surface movement and water loss. Also canister filters are a really good way of losing less water into the air, and you can even adjust the output so it creates less surface movement as well. Just make sure you keep some surface agitation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruadh Posted December 5, 2008 Report Share Posted December 5, 2008 (edited) You can see from my signature what tanks I am running and I am having allot of condensation build up in my house. All the problems are upstairs and all the tanks are down. I have a humidifier attached to the furnace that is turned off. My windows are constantly wet and dripping and is causing a mold issue if not constantly wiped up. I know there allot of people on this site with allot more tanks that me and seem to have no issues. I'm not even sure if its a fish problem. Any one have any ideas, help, suggestions, anything!!!Thanks Mark I think you are about to treat the symptom and not the problem. I have a tin basher in my family who does plumbing and heating. I've asked him about your problem and he says that a problem that prevalent is most certainly air circulation. I would advise that you get a good HVAC contractor in there and do a survey of your ducts and circulation as well as the outside air exchange. If someone in the past has been mucking with the dampers on the ducts your system probably needs to be re-balanced. You should, properly, have one complete change of air volume in the house every hour. It will only get much worse when the cold weather really hits. Edited December 5, 2008 by Ruadh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toadie Posted December 5, 2008 Report Share Posted December 5, 2008 Get a dehumidifier don't get HVAC thats an investment over rated. The nice part is the insulation and vapour barrier on your house is probably pretty good suprising considering when it was built. Those fans are important and you should be running those fans during and right after showers fish tank or not. Tell your wife she is making your ceiling yellow. However mold is pretty rare in Alberta and you would need to produce a lot of standing moisture and I mean a lot to create mold issues. You see mold in houses with outside leaks where the moisture gets trapped in the walls but it is so dry in alberta this is rare. Also despite the popular belief toxic mold isn't going to kill you over night if you have bad asthma are real old or have respiratory issues it will make you sick. If you are healthy its not that bad and easy to treat. Open some windows before you get HVAC that will help circulate air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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