Help with adding a ventilation air duct

[gborrillo]

My 90g tank is unfortunately in my family room that has multiple other heat sources (tv, electronics, etc) and so I am adding an air duct that would blow the hot air from my tank outside instead of recirculating it in the room. I also have a chiller, which I am currently going to run outside as well. The distance both the duct and the chiller would have to run is very short (approx 3-5 feet max). The tank is up against the back wall, so its that close to the outside. I have MH lighting, on a stand with an open top tank.

Question: is it as simple as drilling a hole through the drywall, and installing? Where would be the ideal place to install this? Above the halides? Would it be as efficient if it were to be behind the actual tank so that it would not be seen?

Please help. Any info or inpu would greatly be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

 

[reefland]

I don't see how it would be any different than installing a dryer vent, you can use the same equipment/parts. You may be interested in using a duct fan to help suck/blow/force the hot air to the outside. They tend to be 6 or 8 inch units so you may need to use some adapters. They also have plastic air draft valve which work just like a check value to prevent outside air from coming into the house. I use one by deflect-o sold at home depot.

 

[gborrillo]

Thanks reefland. Thats what I figured, but I am not very technically inclined in this area. I went to home depot and saw this tub-n-spa ventilation fan for $170. Here it is: http://www.deflecto.com/OMS/getimage.aspx?ID=2565

I didnt buy it because I wasnt sure if that is what I need. Would you mind giving a bit of info as to how exactly it would be installed? I appreciate it.

Oversimplifying it:

I drill the hole big enough for the vent. Then attach the duct to it , and then connect to the fan? Where would the fan go? Would you must put it outside? Or would it have to be installed inside the walls? Keep in mind, I am going to install this vertically, so I cant put it in the crawlspace above.

 

[reefland]

Thanks reefland. Thats what I figured, but I am not very technically inclined in this area. I went to home depot and saw this tub-n-spa ventilation fan for $170. Here it is: http://www.deflecto.com/OMS/getimage.aspx?ID=2565

I have that exact fan in my reef room for venting the back room. I think that is overkill for what you want to do. (You didn't want to vent the entire room right?)

Secondly that fan will not vent to a 4 inch opening common to a dryer vent (I tried). You will need a 6 inch hole or two 4 inch holes. I'm pushing air about 20 feet of tube.

I didnt buy it because I wasnt sure if that is what I need. Would you mind giving a bit of info as to how exactly it would be installed? I appreciate it.

They have much simpler fans that actualy go inside the duct work (looks like a fitting). There are about $30. Sounds closer to what you want to do. That should work good for pushing air 4 to 5 feet.

I drill the hole big enough for the vent. Then attach the duct to it , and then connect to the fan? Where would the fan go? Would you must put it outside? Or would it have to be installed inside the walls? Keep in mind, I am going to install this vertically, so I cant put it in the crawlspace above.

They sell a vent tube with a lint trap on the end. Should be able to stick that in the hole, fill void around the tube with insulation. Then hook the vent tube up (or a draft blocker first).

The big fan you referenced would be wall mounted or something, it is much to large for in the wall. It's designed for in the ceiling or attic mount for venting a spa room. The other fan I talked about would just get attached to the tubing as a fitting.

 

[gborrillo]

Thanks a bunch for the info....I am going to try it tomorrow and see how it all comes out.

I also saw that you are the 'Durso' guy....which actually is great for me, because I have a question for you. I have a 90g oceanic tank, that has an overflow box in the back left. The overflow has a 1in overflow and a 3/4in return. I wanted to increase the overflow rate, so I converted both the 1in and 3\4 to an overflow and piped a return along the back of the tank. What options do I have as far as using a durso-type pipe in my current setup? Is it possible to use 2? Not sure how that would work, but thought I would check to see if you have come across this problem.

THanks again, Richard.

 

[reefland]

Yes it is possible to use two. I personally don't recommend it as getting both of them tuned right can be pretty hard. But I know of many people doing it. Remember that the teeth spacing in the overflow grate tends to be the limiting factor in the water you can process. You may have to modify that.

 

[reefland]

BTW - that tube with lint trap I talked about is slightly wrong. It is not a lint trap its a bird/critter guard on it to stop them from nesting in the tube.

 

[mark78]

Check out...

http://www.nehydro.com/VortexBlowers.html
http://www.nehydro.com/DaytonBlowers.html

The vortex would be better suited to aquarium area use, since they offer some weather resistant ones. The Dayton is a big ole chunck of metal, its a lot cheaper but I don't know if it would last forever. You would want to mount these away from the tank and let them suck the hot air out of it. Great CFM's !