How sensitive are royals to fresh paint?

koltrast · Post by **koltrast** » 05 Dec 2003, 16:22

We need to paint the ceiling in the fish room using a poisonous paint.The fish tank contains a couple of Panaque nigrolineatus and some less important non-catfish.

Do I need to move the fish during the painting or will it be sufficient with large daily water changes? Will filtration with activated carbon help?

magnum4 · Post by **magnum4** » 05 Dec 2003, 19:17

We need to paint the ceiling in the fish room using a poisonous paint.The fish tank contains a couple of Panaque nigrolineatus and some less important non-catfish.

Do I need to move the fish during the painting or will it be sufficient with large daily water changes? Will filtration with activated carbon help?

AFAIK no one has tested resistance to poisonous paint.

Two methods. 1~ move the tank to another room.
2~ turn off any air pumps which would pump the fumes in and cover the tank so it's almost air tight. it's good to lower the tank water level fist to allow more air to be trapped.

will it be sufficient with large daily water changes?

would not do any harm, but i would not rely on this method.

Will filtration with activated carbon help?

[/quote] Yes to an extent, try and get marine grade carbon.

plesner · Post by **plesner** » 05 Dec 2003, 21:36

Magnum4 wrote:Yes to an extent, try and get marine grade carbon

Excuse my ignorance, but I've never even heard of different kinds of active carbon. Am I right in supposing that the marine kind is able to absorb more chemicals or what ?

magnum4 · Post by **magnum4** » 05 Dec 2003, 22:33

Am I right in supposing that the marine kind is able to absorb more chemicals or what ?

There are lots of different grades of carbon, depending on the manufacturing process and size. Marine grade in the uk is one of the best IMO. Marine grade carbon comes in small granes (not big chunks) and is very effecient and will quickly remove substances, but it's retention capactity is not much greater than lower grade carbon.

Yann · Post by **Yann** » 06 Dec 2003, 18:08

HI!

I have repainted the celling of my appartment, I don't know how poisonus the stuff was but sure it was at least a bit.
I did cover correctly the tank with a plastic protection, I also had my widows wide open to make maximum air circulation. I also turned out every venturi system. It all went pretty well and didn't lost any fish.
If you have an airstone I would cut it of as well.

Of course to be safer and if you have a place to put your fish elsewhere while you are repainting I would do that since I have no idea how poisonus your paint is...

Cheers
Yann