Painting room, what about the fish?

Lauren

Lauren

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Aug 9, 2003
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Today i am prepping my walls for paint. I need to strip off probably 10-15 coats of latex paint before I can paint my walls again. I'm concerned about the fish. I have a 20 gallon tank in my room, and currently a 5 gallon hospital tank set up, where I'm treating a nasty bite on one of my barbs. My mom and I surely can't move the tanks, but I don't want to kill my fish in order to paint my room.

The heavy duty black plastic trash bags fit over the 20 gallon. I was thinking about pulling one over, and putting masking tape all along the edge to make an airtight seal. That would keep any fumes out, right? As for the 5 gallon, that I could move, or I could trash bag it as well.

Do you think that'll work? Or will I have to temporarily move the tanks to a different location?
 
I've stripped wall paper and painted in the same room with 2 120 gallon SW tanks. I made sure to turn off any air intakes (ie skimmers and bubblers), and open a window for ventilation. Never had a problem. If you choose to cover the tanks--run an airline into another room so there is still fresh oxygen available. An airtight seal will result in low oxygen levels, and that's bad news. Also make sure the covering is't going to trap heat-- a spiking temp can be lethal, especially if the oxygen levels are dropping anyway. Running some fresh carbon would help remove anything that did get in, as well, though I've never needed it for painting.
 
So do you think by just leaving the tanks without any air intake, and keeping windows open and fans, that the fish will be okay with latex paint stripper?
 
Should be--the newer products really don't produce nearly the fumes that the older products did. If you're comfortable in the room with the product in use, the fish will likely be okay as well.
 
Lauren said:
I need to strip off probably 10-15 coats of latex paint before I can paint my walls again.
Click to expand...
this is a stupid question, but why do you need to strip off the old paint? why not just paint over it?
How old is the house that it has 10+ coats of paint?
I assume 1 coat per decade?
If so is the wall horsehair/plaster (rather than sheet rock)?
 
geoffgarcia said:
this is a stupid question, but why do you need to strip off the old paint? why not just paint over it?
How old is the house that it has 10+ coats of paint?
I assume 1 coat per decade?
If so is the wall horsehair/plaster (rather than sheet rock)?
Click to expand...


If you have too many coats of latex paint, it gets too heavy, I guess, and peals away easily. That is what is starting to happen in my room. and this is why I need to remove the paint. the walls are plaster.

91, when we moved into house, walls painted purple and yellow, mom didn't like it, primered over and wall papered. 3 coats of paint.

99-2002, I get tired of wallpaper, tear it down, paint over primer, 2 coats, don't like it, primer it again, paint it a different color, 3 coats with primer, then add a textured effect, 1 more coat. Its too bright, primer over it twice, add 2 coats of white paint. (my mom told me I wouldn't like it, but wanted me to figure it out for myself, yeah, I learned my lesson)

and that is where I am at right now with 3+2+3+1+4= 13 coats of latex paint and primer. Now I want to paint the walls beige and color wash over them with cream, so about 3 more coats, and my walls won't have it. So I need to strip a couple coats down before I add anymore. That is the downside of latex paint.
 
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