How to protect tanks during tent fumigation?

[LeahK]

I found some old posts on protecting tanks while spraying pesticides, but none on tent fumigation, so I'm hoping I can get some advice with this thread.

My apartment building will be tent fumigated on 10/26. I have to vacate the apartment for one night. It will not be possible for me to move my tanks. My plan is to leave them running and cover the tops with a sheet of plastic that will hang down on all sides to about 4 or 5 inches below the black trim. Then I'll tape the plastic to the outside of the tank, all the way around, creating an airtight seal.

My first question is, is that a good idea? Or is there a better way to protect them?

My second question is, will the fish run out of oxygen? How long can the tanks remain sealed like that? Depending on when this all starts on the day I have to vacate, they could be sealed for at least 24 hours.

I thought about getting really big plastic sheets and making something like a bubble on the top of each tank. I could seal up the whole thing and leave just one bit open, and then use an air pump to blow air in there and inflate it, and then seal up the last bit. Would that do any good for the fish?

Any advice is appreciated!

 

[thrak76]

I'm thinking that you may not want to leave the filters running while the fumigation is happening. Perhaps just drop some air stones in to keep the water oxygenated, and make it as air tight as you possibly can.
Maybe move fish to a large rubbermaid container and take them with you? Then you can really focus on sealing those tanks up.

I don't know, i hope others have some good suggestions for you, and good luck!

 

[snoopy65]

With air stones she is pulling air from the room and pulling in the fumigation. I would get some battery operated aerators and take them with me. Your fish are either going to be exposed to fumigation or die from lack of O2 if you leave them.

 

[LeahK]

Thanks Thrak76 and Snoopy 65. I got the idea for sealing the tanks and leaving the filters running from one of the other threads here about spraying pesticides. The idea was to keep the water circulating, but make sure that no air from inside the house gets under the seal.....

(By the way, Thrak76, did you take your user name from a King Crimson album? )

 

[thrak76]

(By the way, Thrak76, did you take your user name from a King Crimson album? )

BRAVO! :y220e:

You're the first person to actually catch the reference (that wasn't a close friend) in 10+ years i've been using this screen name.

 

[LeahK]

BRAVO! :y220e:

You're the first person to actually catch the reference (that wasn't a close friend) in 10+ years i've been using this screen name.

I love that band! Mid-70's is my favorite period, followed closely by the three 80's albums...

I'll stop hijacking my own thread now. I should add, to be on topic , that I'm less worried about the pesticides getting under the seal and more worried about the fish running out of oxygen. Anyone know how long a tank can go with a limited air supply?

 

[TechAquaria]

If I were to hire a company to completely seal off my home and fill it with gas to kill every living thing inside, my aquariums would be outside!

Regards,
TA

 

[snoopy65]

I can tell you from experience with my discus tank....I removed a large plant and the difference in the O2 because of it's removal cost me one discus and almost cost me everything in the tank. And that started within minutes of the plant being removed. So low or no O2 is deadly quickly.

 

[thrak76]

I can tell you from experience with my discus tank....I removed a large plant and the difference in the O2 because of it's removal cost me one discus and almost cost me everything in the tank. And that started within minutes of the plant being removed. So low or no O2 is deadly quickly.

This is interesting...
Was this a heavily planted tank, or was that plant a loner, or one of few? I'm thinking about removing a couple large plants from one tank, and don't want to suffer the same loss. This tank is heavily planted though.

...sorry for the off-topic question....

 

[snoopy65]

Mine is lightly planted. 110 gal 6' tank - 2 amazon swords, 8 anubias species, java fern, dwarf lily, a single giant val, and a couple of crypts. The giant val is what I removed and within minutes all of the fish were gasping at the top of the water, all of my mts left the gravel and went to the top of the tank, even my BN plecos were hovering at the top. The only loss before I managed to figure out the problem (with help here) was one of my 7 discus.