Aquarium Evaporation and Walls

[SaltlifeHokie]

Not sure where to post this but I’ll start here.

I set this tank up in about 4 months ago and tonight noticed where the drywall/trim is cracking. The bank is in the basement and I have a dehumidifier in the room. What should I do? Obviously my house is more important than my tank.

 

[tzabor10]

Those pictures don’t help. Please use better lighting. Drywall isn’t the only wall solution. Try covering the lid and sump for less evaporation. Good luck

 

[SaltlifeHokie]

Here are better pictures of it splitting away.

 

[braaap]

Here are better pictures of it splitting away.

How old is your home? Honestly it is more likely that the dehumidifier is causing the issue. Those look like contraction cracks. Drywall and trim contain moisture. They also absorb moisture. If you never used a dehu before and now are because you have a tank you are likely drying out the materials causing them to shrink and cracks to appear.

Turn off the dehu and give it 2-3 weeks and see how it looks. You could also just use some painters caulk. Fill those cracks and paint and call it a day.

 

[tzabor10]

That crown molding is gorgeous. So taking it down to put up plaster or concrete walls would be a setback.

 

[SaltlifeHokie]

How old is your home? Honestly it is more likely that the dehumidifier is causing the issue. Those look like contraction cracks. Drywall and trim contain moisture. They also absorb moisture. If you never used a dehu before and now are because you have a tank you are likely drying out the materials causing them to shrink and cracks to appear.

Turn off the dehu and give it 2-3 weeks and see how it looks. You could also just use some painters caulk. Fill those cracks and paint and call it a day.

The house was built in 2003. I have never used a dehumidifier in it until the tank. I will cut it off. I guess I am more concerned about any long term affects on the home this may cause. I realize caulking can “hide” it but do you guys see any long term affects on the structure of the home from?

 

[SWFT]

How old is your home? Honestly it is more likely that the dehumidifier is causing the issue. Those look like contraction cracks. Drywall and trim contain moisture. They also absorb moisture. If you never used a dehu before and now are because you have a tank you are likely drying out the materials causing them to shrink and cracks to appear.

Turn off the dehu and give it 2-3 weeks and see how it looks. You could also just use some painters caulk. Fill those cracks and paint and call it a day.

I agree with above. Drywall/trim typically crags in the winter when your heater dries out the air. Dehumidifier also amplifies the problem. This doesn’t look bad and can be caulked easily. Also, some caulk is less flexible than others and could be causing this. I don’t think it’s a concern at all by looking at your pictures. Just refresh it with new caulk and repaint trim if needed.

 

[jda]

Humidly causes wood to expand, not contract. That wood is contracting, which is a normal winter time thing. If your furnace has a humidifier, then you might want to run it. In any case, not the tank.

 

[SWFT]

The house was built in 2003. I have never used a dehumidifier in it until the tank. I will cut it off. I guess I am more concerned about any long term affects on the home this may cause. I realize caulking can “hide” it but do you guys see any long term affects on the structure of the home from?

What’s the humidity level? Do you have an accurate way to measure?

These look like superficial cracks. Structural cracks will take a lot more than a tank/dehumidifier I think.

 

[hoffmeyerz]

That is not structural. That is not abnormal to see and I agree with the previous post that that is a result of the trim contracting from low humidity.
I own a hardwood flooring company and deal with the effects of moisture every day. An "ideal" range for humidity is 30% -50%, running a dehumidifier dried out the air pulling moisture from the trim causing it to contract and pull from the wall.
Turn off the dehumidifier, wait a while, then re-caulk the trim.
Then enjoy your beautiful tank!

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

That's just bad trim work. Come visit my house for more examples of bad trim work.

 

[hoffmeyerz]

That's just bad trim work. Come visit my house for more examples of bad trim work.

LOL....
I see way too many guys using caulk as an excuse for sloppy work, it's a real shame.

 

[braaap]

The house was built in 2003. I have never used a dehumidifier in it until the tank. I will cut it off. I guess I am more concerned about any long term affects on the home this may cause. I realize caulking can “hide” it but do you guys see any long term affects on the structure of the home from?

Not structural. Up your humidity by 10-15% and I bet they go away.

LOL....
I see way too many guys using caulk as an excuse for sloppy work, it's a real shame.

Try your best and caulk the rest. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[braaap]

That's just bad trim work. Come visit my house for more examples of bad trim work.

Was your home built from 2009-2014? Lol

 

[hoffmeyerz]

Try your best and caulk the rest. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

That's hilarious....lol....love it!
I've never been able to do that, I'm old school and a little OCD on installing my trim

 

[braaap]

That's hilarious....lol....love it!
I've never been able to do that, I'm old school and a little OCD on installing my trim

Haha same. We finished remodeling a home about a year ago. I was coping everything by hand and making sure it was perfect. Nobody noticed. So it’s back to caulking I go.


Although….. maybe they didn’t notice because it didn’t look sloppy? Hahaha

 

[Katrina71]

If it feels humid, get a lid, or maybe try a ceiling fan to circulate the air. Octoaquatics makes beautiful covers that you probably wouldn't notice.

 

[ryanjohn1]

Trim in all homes regardless of whether there is a fish tank or not will do that

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Was your home built from 2009-2014? Lol

No, 1961. But I had the terrazzo restored in 2019 and along with that, new moldings. I'm in florida. Took about a year for their terrible work to show.

 

[PapaFishRocks]

LOL....
I see way too many guys using caulk as an excuse for sloppy work, it's a real shame.

Putty and paint, make a carpenter what he ain’t. LOL