# Rate of evaporation of 50gal tank vs a humidifier?



## newguy (Mar 18, 2006)

My apt in the winter has a relative humidity of around 10%, it's so bad to a point that ANYTHING non-wood i touch i get zapped with visible sparks flying. All store bought humidifiers are useless with their tiny 3 gallon water tanks. I am looking at a professional solution that will cost thousands of dollars and pain in the rear to install.

Then a friend reminded me an open top fish tank is the perfect humidifier. And it makes sense if you have a 50 gallon open top tank with warm water. 

So does anyone know how the evaporation rate of a 50 gallon standard tank compares to a humidifier that's rated at about 3 gallon/day. 

thanks


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## wet (Nov 24, 2008)

This is all relative of course, but ballparking my tank just now, I've lost about 4-5" of water in a 40 gallon breeder that lives in Los Angeles. It's enough humidity to easily grow aquatic plants emergent around the aquarium, though those same emergent plants are also healthier when the tank is half filled. (Naturally trapping more humidity at any given height above the water line.) As another estimate, a 10 gallon sump and a couple ~10 gallon tanks inside the apartment makes it unbearable during a hot summer: think walking off an airplane in Bangkok or something.

I happen to have a Vicks humidifier -- the translucent blue and white one that's $50 at Target/Walmart without a model number, takes the rectangle cartriges, far from fancy -- I used as a DIY fogger on that same aquarium, and I'd say it was about the same amount of humidity. Maybe more. It's a maybe 2 gallon container (maybe less? maybe more? too comfy right now...) that will empty in about a day and a half when run without a timer.

It's cheap to try without a lid for a while and see if you can save that humidifier money, right? You're probably thinking this already, but just like when I adapted my paludarium into an aquarium, I'd suggest leaving the water line a few inches below the rim when you go open top. Sometimes fish are dumb and see something new above the aquarium and get all excited and end up outside the aquarium. 

(I've had this happen to Paradise fish and SAE.)

I hope this helps some. I think you should just try it and see if the static/humidity gets better to manage. Then maybe a tank in every room you find uncomfortable!!!


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Ditto the 'tank in every room'!

My area is also rather dry in the summer, and the tanks evaporate as much as 2" per week, if I have a fan running. This would be in really hot weather. I would suggest you keep a small fan running across the top of the tank. This will blow away the humid air into the room, and bring more dry air into contact with the aquarium water surface, so more water will evaporate. 

Remember to replace the evaporated water with RO or Distilled water, or else the GH and KH will start climbing.


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## TonyVideo (Aug 11, 2010)

Good point Diana. It also doesn't count toward your water changes either when you add xx amount of R/O water each week because of evaporation.


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