Termites

[Jon770]

I think I have to tent my house due to termites :mad2:

I remember at a past meeting someone mentioned an alternative to tenting, where there is no threat to your tanks....

Has anyone used this method? Is is effective? Most importantly, does anyone have contact information for local companies that do it?

Thanks in advance.

 

[ninjamini]

A big and expensve job. It depends on what type of termites you have. Did you find wings?

 

[FatmanII]

Is it possible to completely seal the tank? I know lights being off for 2+ days usually does not hurt coral. Wow thank goodness I tented recently thats a scary thought.

 

[bawla47]

i think i heard joe talking about they can use electricity to kill them now, not sure if thats the method your thinking of?

ive heard a few people in the club that had there tanks normally treated as well, and came through with no casualities. you just have to make sure you seal the tank COMPLETELY out, and run an air pump of some sort, to the exterior of your house.

hoopefully somone can chime in that has experienced this before.

 

[ninjamini]

I would assume that anything that penetrate walls and kill everything in there, termites, rats... will get in the tank and kill everything. Heck thats what the gas does. Termites are hard to kill...heck they survived a nuclear bomb. That gas they use is really nasty stuff.

 

[Sk8r]

I can't remember which company it is, but when I was down in the termite belt, we used one [a major, maybe Acinitox] that sank tubes all round the house, and in each tube a piece of 'bait' wood. Where they got action at the next checkup, they install poison in the tube. Allegedly it gets the colony, and protects for a very long distance around about, because it takes out the breeders. It did seem to work: I lived on a lake, a few feet from the water, and it stopped all problems with termites, after we had repeatedly done the other methods.

 

[ninjamini]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9147568#post9147568 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sk8r
I can't remember which company it is, but when I was down in the termite belt, we used one [a major, maybe Acinitox] that sank tubes all round the house, and in each tube a piece of 'bait' wood. Where they got action at the next checkup, they install poison in the tube. Allegedly it gets the colony, and protects for a very long distance around about, because it takes out the breeders. It did seem to work: I lived on a lake, a few feet from the water, and it stopped all problems with termites, after we had repeatedly done the other methods.

Those are bait traps. They work great for subterranean termites. Those are the ones that live in nests arond your house and send the workers out to get food (aka your house). There are also those that are live in the house. They wont leave the food (again your house) to go find some out side. Those need to be gassed.

found this with a quick google.
http://www.factsfacts.com/MyHomeRepair/termites.htm

My real advice is to have 3-5 companies come to do a termite inspection. There usually free to you. Get pricing and talk treatment. When it comes to termites you have to get a professional anyway.

Are you shure you have them? Did you find a swarm or wings on the window sill?

 

[loyalrogue]

Vikane gas (Sulfuryl fluoride) is what they use when they tent for termites.
It's made by Dow Chemicals and they advise removing your aquariums and houseplants.

When I was in property management we had to tent several buildings over the years, and there were always tenants that had aquariums.
The termite company had a clause in the contract that released them from any liability, but they had good advice for anyone who couldn't move their tank.
Make sure you talk to a manager or consultant from the company and explain your situation.
They've dealt with it a thousand times before and might have some new or better advice than I can give.

From my unqualified and spotty memory, you'll need:
A heavy plastic sheet
Duct tape
Enough air tubing to reach from the tank to your airpump(s) about 10-20' away from the outside of tent
Airpump(s) and airstone(s)

The top of the tank has to be completely sealed with a plastic vapor barrier.
Visqueen makes some serious multiple layer, aluminum core, gas barrier plastic sheets for protection against Radon gas, but almost all the tenants used heavy-duty trash bags or regular Visqueen construction plastic instead.

Remove everything that's on the tank, or sticks out of the tank except for the air tubing and the cord to a powerhead.

Duct tape the plastic sheet down to the glass, not the plastic frame. (it's easier to scrape the glass clean with a razorblade later)
Get it as airtight as possible, but don't stress about it not being completely 100% airtight around the tube and cords.
Since you are pressurizing the tank with the outside airpumps, the positive pressure will vent your excess air out those tiny gaps, and keep the Vikane from coming in.

It's just simple physics when you really come down to it.

On a side note, the powerhead should be pointed at the surface to help with the oxygen exchange in addition to the airstone(s).

Good luck, and remember if something goes wrong,... this conversation never happened.

 

[jessp]

i have read this exact same thing, keep the pressure inside the mini tent greater than outside w/ the pumps and it should prevent gas from getting in.