HELP!!! I have termites

[duffgarden]

What do I do? I have a 155 gal reef with like a 40 sump. Do you think the tank can survive fumigation if I cover all the openings super good with duct tape or something? Or am I just dreaming and gonna have to break everything down. The thought of doing that makes me sick.
Anybody out there already gone through something like this?

 

[misfit]

I think the only way to be sure you wont loose everything ,would be too move it ,but maybe someone else will have gone thru this already and have better things to tell you.But if you think about it<there have been people who have just sprayed some windex or pledge in the room and have had deaths.This stuff is way stronger than windex :scared:

 

[zman1]

How long does the fumigation take? one day, two days, a week? I would at least shut down the system for the day of and cover the system completly with a tarp. I wouln't think you would want a skimmer running or any thing that breaks/agitates the surface water during that time (overflows/sump). PHs running that don't aggitate the surface water would be okay. I think the length of time would be the issue. When is it safe for humans to return? JMO.

 

[moneyman]

Originally Posted by zman1
How long does the fumigation take? one day, two days, a week? I would at least shut down the system for the day of and cover the system completly with a tarp. I wouln't think you would want a skimmer running or any thing that breaks/agitates the surface water during that time (overflows/sump). PHs running that don't aggitate the surface water would be okay. I think the length of time would be the issue. When is it safe for humans to return? JMO.
I think you are onto something zman... I would leave the skimmer on but extend the intake to get outside air.
Also, maybe an air pump to pump in fresh outdoor air into the completely covered tank. This will create a possitive air system to prevent chemical from entering the tank.

 

[mrdc]

Would putting a box fan on some sort of stand so that air would blow over the tank help any?

 

[alyssia]

I had to set off a flea bomb in my house. I completely covered the tank, turned everything off except one PH. Everything was fine for me but the house only had to be sealed up for two hours, then I could open all the windows and air it out.

 

[sharkbait9]

I work as termite tech, for a little while. If your having a professional do it, they will most likely use termidor or equivalent and this stuff is very toxic to fish, timbor, bora care. See link for details. http://www.termidorhome.com/ When I used to treat with this stuff, I would trench along the house and spike the ground with a nozzle and spray. Not to much spraying can be done inside with termiticides if any at all. Any of the professional grade chemicals are all highly toxic to fish. We would recommend to customers when we service account and houses that had fish tanks to place a plastic paint tarp over the tank, turn off light and place a fan blowing over the tank and away from it. On the plus side there is very little fall out from applying termiticides. In some/ most applications are done by drilling into the concrete wall and applying the chemicals inside the foundation. Following the recommendation will and should take care of any possible fall out of any chemical if any.

 

[promisetbg]

Oh that stinks..I would'nt risk it.

 

[alyssia]

But what's the alternative? Won't the termites eat the house? :hilarious

 

[zman1]

Fumigation and outdoor barrier treatment are two different subjects. So if they don't fumigate the inside of the home then I wouldn't be that concerned. I know the outside barrier application chemicals cannot be used indoors. I think it's a moot point. Just shut it down and cover until they are done outside as a precaution...

 

[sharkbait9]

Originally Posted by zman1
Fumigation and outdoor barrier treatment are two different subjects. So if they don't fumigate the inside of the home then I wouldn't be that concerned. I know the outside barrier application chemicals cannot be used indoors. I think it's a moot point. Just shut it down and cover until they are done outside as a precaution...

This is true, with a BIG BUT. if treatment is needed inside, timbor, bora care can be used inside on unpainted/stained wood in the location of infestation. Most if not all houses are painted/stained in the “living quarters” of the house. Normally the basement, crawl space are unpainted/stained where normally the treatment would take place.
A general broad spectrum application can be sprayed inside along baseboards and infected areas of the house. Some general broad spectrum spray or dust like “premise” Tempo, Tempo dust, Suspend , delta dust, demand. These are just a few of the chemicals that can and will be used inside homes. Not all these insecticides will/can be used for termites, but all are deadly to fish.
The pest control tech will dust box joist, box beams, headers inside to treat for termites. This is why we recommend that the home owner turns the lights off places a plastic tarp over the tank with a fan blowing over and away from the tank.
For the four years that I worked as a tech, I have never had a tank crash from treatment and I have never heard of any other techs crashing a tank, due to the fact that every fish tank owner followed the recommendations, when treatment was needed in the same or by the room with the tank.
It is up to the home owner to ask these important questions.
1. How extensive is the infestation?
2. How much damage have the termites done?
3. Are the termites sub- terrain?
4. What is the inside treatment? If any?
5. Location of treatment in correlation to the tank?
6. Will any spraying be done inside?
7. What is the fall out time if any?
8. Think of your own questions at this point?

 

[theappe3]

When you talk about a tarp are you referring to covering the tank in an airtight bag so nothing can get in?

 

[symon]

Originally Posted by sharkbait9
This is true, with a BIG BUT. if treatment is needed inside, timbor, bora care can be used inside on unpainted/stained wood in the location of infestation. Most if not all houses are painted/stained in the “living quarters” of the house. Normally the basement, crawl space are unpainted/stained where normally the treatment would take place.
A general broad spectrum application can be sprayed inside along baseboards and infected areas of the house. Some general broad spectrum spray or dust like “premise” Tempo, Tempo dust, Suspend , delta dust, demand. These are just a few of the chemicals that can and will be used inside homes. Not all these insecticides will/can be used for termites, but all are deadly to fish.
The pest control tech will dust box joist, box beams, headers inside to treat for termites. This is why we recommend that the home owner turns the lights off places a plastic tarp over the tank with a fan blowing over and away from the tank.
For the four years that I worked as a tech, I have never had a tank crash from treatment and I have never heard of any other techs crashing a tank, due to the fact that every fish tank owner followed the recommendations, when treatment was needed in the same or by the room with the tank.
It is up to the home owner to ask these important questions.
1. How extensive is the infestation?
2. How much damage have the termites done?
3. Are the termites sub- terrain?
4. What is the inside treatment? If any?
5. Location of treatment in correlation to the tank?
6. Will any spraying be done inside?
7. What is the fall out time if any?
8. Think of your own questions at this point?
This is all very realitive, and yes i think you would need this to be airtight, but wouldn't a fan blowing out still cause a draft to be pulled! This is only for any inside treatment. Also do you have a chiller or a sump you need to contend with? I would be worried about heat buildup with it being covered!

 

[nate0729]

First of all, you need to have your pestcontrol operator tell you whether they are Subterrainian or Drywood Termites. The subs can be treated from outside, either trenching, baitstations and whatnot. No harm to the fish tank. If they're drywood, you can either have the house tented (not good for fishtank, no matter what you try to cover the tank with the fumes will get in and kill everything) or you could talk to the operator about foam injections at the site of the termites, or if your a handyman type of guy you could depending on how bad the infestation is just remove the wood that the termites are in. Drywood termites take roughly 15 years in your home before they begin to swarm. They're very slow, don't panic, they've been there for a while. Subs you should have treated immediately.

 

[tiberius]

Originally Posted by duffgarden
What do I do? I have a 155 gal reef with like a 40 sump. Do you think the tank can survive fumigation if I cover all the openings super good with duct tape or something? Or am I just dreaming and gonna have to break everything down. The thought of doing that makes me sick.
Anybody out there already gone through something like this?
You said fumigation, so do you mean tenting the place? If tenting then you need to break the tank down and remove everything tank related out of the house. I had to do it and I have a 110. Only thing is that I didn't have my house tented since it doesn't leave any residual trace and termites will come back and continue to eat. I just had to move my tank into another room where the carpet is and we blocked off the window and door and A/C vent for that room. We put a window unit in. Had the floors stripped and then sprayed and all the holes and spaces injected as well then refinished the floors. Tough job. Reason why the tank stayed there for 4 months!

 

[trainfever]

This thread is a year old, Im sure its long over with.

 

[tiberius]

I wish these people would come back and let us know what they did and if the tank survived if they just covered it. I have read so many people that will be tenting their home and come on or on other boards and post this then they don't come back and say what happened!!!