Paint Fumes Harmful?

[cocoacf]

I just spraypainted a canopy yesterday. I let it air out of night and all today... is it ok to put in on my tank yet? Or will the fumes harm the tank...
Thanks.

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by Cocoacf
http:///forum/post/3191046
I just spraypainted a canopy yesterday. I let it air out of night and all today... is it ok to put in on my tank yet? Or will the fumes harm the tank...
Thanks.

24 hours and you should be good to go. I doubt the paint fumes are still with the now dried paint on the canopy. I think the smell is just still in the room where you did the painting.

 

[cocoacf]

Originally Posted by Flower
http:///forum/post/3191056

24 hours and you should be good to go. I doubt the paint fumes are still with the now dried paint on the canopy. I think the smell is just still in the room where you did the painting.
Well I painted it outside so it can't be "the room I painted it in"... and I let it dry out there for several hours. Once it got dark I pulled it into my screen porch to protect it from any bad weather... I turned on the fan and it was quite a windy night. This morning I put it back outside, and let it air out for several more hours before brining it inside. I let it sit in another room besides where my tank is, and about 30 minutes later the whole second floor smelled like spray paint..
So I don't know if it's ready yet..
But that's just a guess... I don't even know if the fumes would harm the tank? I've heard bad things about cleaning the outside of a tank with windex though, so that's why I'm concerned.

 

[cranberry]

What's your humidity and temp where you live?

 

[cocoacf]

Temp when I painted was around 50. No idea about humidity? I live smack in the middle of the U.S.

 

[cranberry]

Your really not suppose to paint in the cold.... 50 is cold. It probably says on the label the lowest temp recommnedation. That paint isn't dry.

 

[cocoacf]

It said 50 is the lowest...
If I bring it in and put it in the basement for the night do you think it'd be dry?
It feels dry to the touch when I move it.

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by Cocoacf
http:///forum/post/3191262
It said 50 is the lowest...
If I bring it in and put it in the basement for the night do you think it'd be dry?
It feels dry to the touch when I move it.

If it is smelling that strong after being brought in from outside, it can't be dry. So its a new day...did you let it dry in the basement and did it help?

 

[ryancw01]

Fumes are especially harmful by way of protein skimmers or anything that pulls air into the tank. When I stained my canopy, I let it sit for about 3 days and it still smelled so I turned off the protein skimmer for another 2 days and everything was fine.

 

[rcreations]

Take it from someone in the paint industry... dry paint does not equal CURED paint. Paint will still smell even after it's dry. It will still smell until it cures. Check your spray paint can to see how long until it cures.

 

[cocoacf]

Thanks for all the info guys. The can says dry to touch in minutes, try to handle in an hour, and ready to use in 24 hours. It doesn't mention a full cure though.
I left it in the basement and it didn't smell..so I put it on the tank and now the room smells lol. I've got a fan blowing inside it to try to push the fumes out of the canopy so hopefully it'll be fine?

 

[kraylen]

The paint needs 24-48 hours to cure in most conditions, In conditions like yours it make take longer. If it is too humid and cold you will start rotting the wood before the paint cures.