I’m getting ready for my first real grow (one plant already going) but am sure that my humidity is going to go up!
I actually have a few new humidifiers for earlier veg and seedling phases for the tents but am looking at a dehumidifier for the lung room.
Anybody have experience with the Midea Cube? I was thinking of getting the smaller model and having it drain down the sink and run constantly in the lung room. I figure if that’s ever not enough I’ll get little ones for the tents but am hoping that between the two little humidifiers and the one big dehumidifier I’ll be good to go!
Figured I’d ask though before I spent the money on the thing.
Midea Cube 20 Pint Dehumidifier for Basement and Rooms at Home for up to 1,500 Sq. Ft., Smart Control, Works with Alexa (White), Drain Hose Included, ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2023
Just took mine to recycling. It only lasted barely past the warranty, then started icing up. I wouldn’t buy another one. I replaced with a Frigidare; so far so good.
I know nothings perfect. I’ve had good experiences with Midea and Frigidaire before.
Icing up? (This might sound like a stupid question) — but what do you think caused that? Like, just running it often? Was it really humid/cold or something?
I have one of the larger ones with the built in pump. It keeps my new england basement (with a slightly leaky exterior “bilco” style door) at 50% humidity reliably and 45 if I want it to work harder. We have it set up to pump down the washer drain. It’s been nearly a year, and still going strong.
A 20 pint dehumidifier isn’t going to remove much moisture. Maybe it’ll be enough for a tent though?
I would look in your local classifieds for used dehumidifiers. I grabbed some 70 pint GE dehumidifiers for super cheap ($20 each!)
I’ve been using the 70 pint GE dehumidifiers for years and years now. My first GE I bought new in 2015 or 2016 and it’s still going strong. It runs pretty much 24/7 every summer too. The used ones I bought work well too.
I also have a 30-50 pint Ideal Air dehumidifier that works well but I prefer the larger GE’s. The 30-50 pint just can’t keep up in my 7’ x 10’ flower room. It may be enough for your lung room though.
Honestly, even the 70 pint has trouble keeping up in the humid summers here. But the area I live is very humid in the summer and the house I grow at also seems to retain a lot of humidity.
Good to know the GEs are treating you well. I’m in Colorado so it’s generally pretty dry here, but I’m learning even with it being dry here, throw a few plants in a tent and the humidity will go up!
A dehumidifier seems an essential item in the arsenal.
Look for 2019 DOE 50 pint standard dehumidifiers (equal to 70 pint of the 2012 DOE standard.) A lot of dehumidifiers say they’re 50 or 70 but they’re not even close to the performance of a 2019 DOE 50 pint.
I’ve been exploring this topic lately cause I’m currently drying weed and monitoring humidity closely, and I also use a lungroom.
DampRid crystals are basically calcium chloride, which you can buy in bulk. I’m considering that, and literally using more of less of it to control humidity. I might shovel a bunch into a wheelbarrow, or simply in some five gallon buckets.
I’m trying to get super creative about it. For example, in my wine cooler where I’m drying, I will have to use a combination of DampRid and paper/cardboard to get my humidity on target.
So a wheelbarrow of calcium chloride and a supply of folded brown boxes might help in a lung room. Maybe?
I’ve got some of the lab grade stuff (scary) but wasn’t planning on using it. It seemed too easy (and the chemicals are gnarly so don’t want that in open air flowing around). In any case, interesting idea — I’m sure some have done it or a variation?
I’m with you. Dust would be a concern for me, too. I figure there’s a reason the crystals are usually under a membrane or film when they in a product form.
I’ve explored bulk vermiculite but that dust might be even worse.
I worked in a grocery store produce department. I remember slightly damp/soggy boxes, and how they’d dry right out in the sun. It’s kind of a ghetto solution, but I could see old, clean cardboard boxes working well, and they are reusable forever.
I started with a 30 pint I. A 10x12 lung room and it did the job great.
Moved in to a 12x12 ft lung room and not good at all.
After buying 2 more dehumidifiers for the room they just did not hold up.
50 pint then a 120 pint.
Finally purchased a waykar 150 pint dehumidifier and finally it is doing what I need it to do.
Brings humidity down to 30%rh
Good luck
I can’t speak on that specific dehumidifier but regarding Midea as a brand, I only have praise for the little window unit I bought about 4 years ago and put in my shed. My irrationally superstitious brain is almost averse to talking about it in fear I might jinx it. But it pretty much runs 24/7 for 5 months out of the year with multiple starts per day and no sign of trouble since I rolled the dice on an unknown (to me) cheap AC.
Thank you all for input here — don’t stop if you have more reviews or things to say :). It seems like there are some good industrial options out there, and as I ended up falling in the midrange budget wise I went with an IdealAir unit and will keep yall updated!
It ran just about $300 and is capable of about 30pints a day.
