So I had a termite inspection done this weekend from the Orange oil guys thinking I may not need to move the tank. The good news is no structural damage has been done. The bad news is the infestation is beyond the point of orange oil. I talked with the termite guys and they said they did a house with a fresh water tank a few years ago and they tented the tank inside the house and it came out fine. Anyone have any suggestions or experience with this? The guy was saying it is only a gas and would not enter the water....I'm not sure I believe that. This is a tough blow because I just got my tank all dialed in and growing. I had some alk burn on some corals about 2 weeks ago but it has been corrected. Throw out some ideas if anyone has any ideas short or removing the entire tank. It's over 225 gallons so moving the system is not what I want to do. This has moved to the top of my priority list.
termites, house needs to be tented, help!!
- Thread starter shaneh
- Start date
northbay-reefer
New member
Bob I am thinking maybe you will need two tents, one for the house and one for the tank, maybe even pump in air from outside away from the house maybe? leave the lights off for the duration?
Another idea is maybe take the live stock and house it in the garage until the process is done ? your garage is separate from the house.
Another idea is maybe take the live stock and house it in the garage until the process is done ? your garage is separate from the house.
northbay-reefer
New member
If Jason was here, he can give me back the 90 gal tank that he borrowed so I can lend it to you .... lol I am sure someone here has a small tank you can borrow for a week or so. I would treat it like a move and have new water ready to perform a 20% water change after you put everything back into the tank.
Another idea is use your fresh water tank as the temporary tank.
Another idea is use your fresh water tank as the temporary tank.
carne.espada
New member
"only a gas that doesn't enter the water" pure genius! Exactly what state is oxygen when it combines with water so the fish can breathe???
If the methylene bromide or whatever they use doesn't cause a problem I bet the irritant(tear gas) they use first and during will cause a problem.
Is there a way they can tent it and add a fan to the tanks little tent causing a positive ventilation for that small space.
OK so the fresh water tank survived. Do you know anyone with a fresh tank that has the $$ into it that we do ours?
I realize I am not much help but "a gas that doesn't enter the water..." Puullleez!
If the methylene bromide or whatever they use doesn't cause a problem I bet the irritant(tear gas) they use first and during will cause a problem.
Is there a way they can tent it and add a fan to the tanks little tent causing a positive ventilation for that small space.
OK so the fresh water tank survived. Do you know anyone with a fresh tank that has the $$ into it that we do ours?
I realize I am not much help but "a gas that doesn't enter the water..." Puullleez!
Reef Bass
colors and textures
Yeah I can't believe that either Rob. The tank will be surrounded by toxic gas and unless one completely seals the tank off entirely from the air around it, it's going to get in, and that could be devastating to the reef tank. Sealing the tank off would also prevent beneficial oxygen from getting in, which would be bad too. Rob's positive pressure idea would probably work.
Shane, sorry for your predicament there. I would definitely evacuate / relocate the live inhabitants of the tank somewhere else during the procedure, and then seriously seal off the tank, sump, hood, and all plumbing. Maybe tarps with duct tape would work? That's better than a whole tank breakdown.
On the brightside, the treatment shouldn't be too long, and once things are aired out big time, the tank should pretty much be ready to get going again.
Shane, sorry for your predicament there. I would definitely evacuate / relocate the live inhabitants of the tank somewhere else during the procedure, and then seriously seal off the tank, sump, hood, and all plumbing. Maybe tarps with duct tape would work? That's better than a whole tank breakdown.
On the brightside, the treatment shouldn't be too long, and once things are aired out big time, the tank should pretty much be ready to get going again.
haha, I yep just bought this project for life....but it's in a good area of petaluma so i know i will make money on it in the future. Even if i have to break down my reef tank and set it back up again. I think every house in west petaluma has termites....the questions is when are you going to tent not if. Anyways....let me do some thinking and i may need to do a QT tank out in the detached garage for a day or so. This will also give me a chance to do some system tweaking that i have been wanting to do. I'll keep oyu guys posted.....BYW i just loaded a bunch of pics to photo bucket so maybe you guys will get to see some more of the build 4 months after it happened.
PS: everything that went wrong when I hosted the meeting has been corrected so I am back on track...except the termites now.....gurrrr
PS: everything that went wrong when I hosted the meeting has been corrected so I am back on track...except the termites now.....gurrrr
Reef Bass
colors and textures
Shane, I'm on the 3rd house I was going to live in for the rest of my life...
And don't let your reef tank get in the way of your home ownership. Tenting the house and nuking the termites is the thing to do to preserve your house and maintain its value. The rest is just sweat equity.
And don't let your reef tank get in the way of your home ownership. Tenting the house and nuking the termites is the thing to do to preserve your house and maintain its value. The rest is just sweat equity.
carne.espada
New member
I think it would be pretty easy to set up a positive ventilated tent around the tank. Run a squirrel cage to it with supply and an exhaust using dryer vent hose. It seems that it would be very similar to some asbestos containments that we set up in the Navy.
PVC pipe or cheap studs. 30 mil plastic taped like it needs to survive a nuclear blast and well thought out vent piping. I have a blower thing you can use and I would offer to help but haven't been around much lately.
PVC pipe or cheap studs. 30 mil plastic taped like it needs to survive a nuclear blast and well thought out vent piping. I have a blower thing you can use and I would offer to help but haven't been around much lately.
carne.espada
New member
whatever happened to that company that uses liquid N2?
Typically they kill all power to the house prior to tenting (from what they told me).
I was in the same situation just a few months ago, although it was put off. I did ask about doing something similar and the crew I spoke with (working down the street) said what I just said about the power and that they would not allow something to be running in the house (tank). I would love to be proved wrong though as moving out the tank sounds horrid
I'm going to try the over the counter sprays, put the steaks in the ground around the house and clear all wood and moisture from the house. I'll clean all trails of them and see if it stops. ....if not I will take it from there. I'll put the tenting on hold for 3 months or so.
