Waterbox Cabinet Ventilation

[rhostam]

Hi folk,

Have any Waterbox owners (Peninsula 7225 or similar cabinets) done anything about humidity that gathers in the cabinet?

Background
The Waterbox Peninsula 7225 cabinet is configured with three chambers:

• Chamber 1: Plumbing chamber with a large ventilation cutout for use with equipment like a chiller
• Chamber 2: Sump (included)
• Chamber 3: ATO (included)

Here is how I am expecting to use the chambers:

• Chamber 1: Plumbing and main controller board
• Chamber 2: Sump (as designed)
• Chamber 3: Secondary controller board, dosing, external reactors, and testing

Problem
Right now and until I complete plumbing work to connect the new mixing station to the tank:

• Chamber 2: There is substantial condensation that forms on the doors and walls of this chamber.
• Chamber 3: I used the included ATO reservoir, but it does not include a lid. There is substantial condensation that forms on the doors and walls of this chamber. I switched the WB reservoir (20g) for an existing unused Trigger reservoir (10g) to prevent evaporation. However, it appears that the condensation isn't from the evaporation of the reservoir alone (expected given sump proximity). Still, I expected a marginal improvement.

I thought the condensation forming in chamber 3 would be resolved when I swapped in the enclosed Trigger reservoir. However, it is clear that the humidity from chamber 2 still makes its way into chamber 3. This concerns me due to my intended use post migration.

Brainstorming
I was planning to add some ventilation using the included cut-outs between the chambers. The idea would be to draw moisture in from chamber 3 > chamber 2> chamber 1 > outside of the cabinet. I'd have a second set of ventilation to allow air to be drawn in if it is necessary (is it?).

I don't know where I can source ventilation that is safe to use with humid air. Would stuff you find on Amazon work and be safe/durable (see example)?

Have you installed active ventilation into your cabinets for this purpose? If so, what did you use, and has it helped?

Product links, build photography, etc, would be most appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[blaxsun]

Dehumidifier...?

 

[rhostam]

Dehumidifier...?

Is that what people do? Curious, I’ll research the options.

 

[blaxsun]

Is that what people do? Curious, I’ll research the options.

If you’re getting condensation in your cabinet, it’s probably too humid, yeah. I have a dehumidifier that I use when we get excessive rain and the humidity spikes (usually resolves things in 24 hours).

 

[AstroMelly]

Hi Rhostam

We just set up a 7225 in our house - added water about 2 weeks ago. Now we have started ramping up the flow - I am using a Vectra L2 and it should run at 60% for 10 x turnover (I reckon we have 700 lites in the system). We are running it at 20% at the moment, which is about 3 x turnover. Already I see a problem with condensation forming on the inside of both doors of chamber 2 (and also to a lesser extent on the inside of the door of chamber 3). The condensation is only on one side of the sump - the side facing the water drop from the black glass separator - do you see the same thing?

In fact I do not think it is condensation from water evaporating. The water dropping through the black glass separator in the sump is causing tiny water droplets to be thrown up and this is what I think is condensing onto the insides of the doors (in my case anyway).

I have not yet installed my skimmer which will be in this chamber that the water is dropping into. Skimmer is coming this week. I hope that this will block/stop the issue to some extent but I don't think it will solve it completely. Seems like a bit of a design flaw to me. I'm going to speak to Waterbox about it. I think they will suggest removing that separator as it is the weir at the top of it that is causing the issue.

Luckily the doors seem well protected but I am not sure the hinges will take it indefinitely.

On another note - did you find the glass cover for the main weir fit ok or does yours wobble round like crazy as well? I think I will have to cut the plastic fins underneath to get it to sit flat!

Look forward to hearing from you - check out my build thread?

Cheers
Iain

 

[rhostam]

Hi Rhostam

We just set up a 7225 in our house - added water about 2 weeks ago. Now we have started ramping up the flow - I am using a Vectra L2 and it should run at 60% for 10 x turnover (I reckon we have 700 lites in the system). We are running it at 20% at the moment, which is about 3 x turnover. Already I see a problem with condensation forming on the inside of both doors of chamber 2 (and also to a lesser extent on the inside of the door of chamber 3). The condensation is only on one side of the sump - the side facing the water drop from the black glass separator - do you see the same thing?

In fact I do not think it is condensation from water evaporating. The water dropping through the black glass separator in the sump is causing tiny water droplets to be thrown up and this is what I think is condensing onto the insides of the doors (in my case anyway).

I have not yet installed my skimmer which will be in this chamber that the water is dropping into. Skimmer is coming this week. I hope that this will block/stop the issue to some extent but I don't think it will solve it completely. Seems like a bit of a design flaw to me. I'm going to speak to Waterbox about it. I think they will suggest removing that separator as it is the weir at the top of it that is causing the issue.

Luckily the doors seem well protected but I am not sure the hinges will take it indefinitely.

On another note - did you find the glass cover for the main weir fit ok or does yours wobble round like crazy as well? I think I will have to cut the plastic fins underneath to get it to sit flat!

Look forward to hearing from you - check out my build thread?

Cheers
Iain

Heya,

First, congratulations!

Second, the condensation issues I have are in the chamber designated for the ATO reservoir. The ATO chamber instead houses the kalkwasser reactor, second controller board, and Trident.

The chamber under the overflow is dry as a bone. I use it for the main controller board.

The sump chamber does experience condensation, but mostly on the doors some on the back wall, too. The chamber in the sump you describe I use to house the heater and air stones when I need extra aeration. I (now) have it covered with 1” thick black coarse foam. I did miss an area between pipes and it did have some salt spray, but not condensation like I see on the doors and wall opposite.

I put a temporary piece of foam to cover the huge cut out between the sump and (intended) ATO chamber to see if helped. It did. But not completely. So now I’m looking for a more permanent material that can also be easily removed.

I don’t think a dehumidifier will make sense since I live in Colorado and it’s already dry enough. I’m looking for ventilation fans that are moisture proof to install on one of the wall cut outs between the sump and plumbing/overflow chamber.

 

[AstroMelly]

Hey

Cool to see your solutions! I think one of the problems causing my issues may have been the filter sock chambers were both overflowing when I checked the tank this morning. Fine sand from the substrate was blocking all the socks - especially the fleece ones. I just cleaned them and now they are working again. Also, I figured running the sump return chamber and the previous chamber (after the black glass baffle) at a higher level would reduce the splashing from the weir slots in the black baffle so I have raised the level on that side by a couple of inches. It seems to be much better so far!

Good luck with your search for a suitable material to block that cutout!

Look forward to seeing your progress. I'll post some pictures of my sump in my build thread later - maybe you could give me some feedback on how I have it set up. Not many people are commenting so far!