Nitrate poisoning and I'm desperate to save my fish!!!! Please help...

[Andy Sager]

So you're saying...?
I shouldn't put the exhaust, just rather leave those windows open a crack, plus the doors to the house, yes?

And when can I turn back on my bubbles (sitting on the carbon I guess)

And should I bring the pumps back inside or rather leave them outside...?

And how long does the pump have to sit on the carbon? For instance today when they are plastering? And tomorrow when they're painting? Are you saying leave it in the carbon till Friday morning?

Also, when they paint upstairs I will close the door. So i dont need to worry about that, correct?

Gosh my head is spinning from this nerve-wracking stuff.

Either you are not reading what I'm posting or I don't know what is the problem. I've answered this question 3 times. The air pumps should be off so there's no need for them to be outside. You want them under cover so that they don't get paint on them. You just don't want them to be running when there are fumes from the paint in the room. If you have to turn them on before all the fumes are gone, being on top of carbon helps filter out the fumes. You don't take the pumps off the carbon until there are no fumes in the room. It all depends on the condition of the room, not the clock.

 

[Libby1]

Either you are not reading what I'm posting or I don't know what is the problem. I've answered this question 3 times. The air pumps should be off so there's no need for them to be outside. You want them under cover so that they don't get paint on them. You just don't want them to be running when there are fumes from the paint in the room. If you have to turn them on before all the fumes are gone, being on top of carbon helps filter out the fumes. You don't take the pumps off the carbon until there are no fumes in the room. It all depends on the condition of the room, not the clock.

Okay, okay. Sorry if im frustrating you. This all just seems super scary so it's confusing. I'm reading every, single word. I'm probably just overthinking everything.

Update:

They finished plastering the room. I left the doors open and window a crack opening for a bit longer, and my brother came and said he doesnt smell anything. So I brought in the pumps while still leaving the door open, put carbon into a cardboard box in 2 piles of probably around 1.5 to 2 inches high in the center (I first lowered the walls so there's sufficient air able to be sucked in through the carbon) and placed each pump's filter spot onto its individual pile. Then i shut the doors and turned on the pumps and filter. I peeked into the tanks and the fish seem fine. I left the tanks wrapped in the plastic for now.

They are plastering upstairs now, but the door is closed the whole time.

Questions:

1) Based on what you said (just want to double check!!) I can remove the pumps from the carbon if there arent the initial fumes, correct? There's always a lingering smell for a while, I believe even days, but it's not the initial fumes.

2) When can I uncover the plastic from the tanks? Do I need to worry about dust particles floating due to the old paint they scraped off earlier? Or it's okay if it's mostly settled?

Also, tomorrow is the painting.. so the fumes are stronger than plaster. Am I doing everything correctly and shouldn't panic, just do the same i did today? The fish were without bubbles or filter for approx 2.5 hours I believe.

Thanks!

 

[Andy Sager]

Okay, okay. Sorry if im frustrating you. This all just seems super scary so it's confusing. I'm reading every, single word. I'm probably just overthinking everything.

Update:

They finished plastering the room. I left the doors open and window a crack opening for a bit longer, and my brother came and said he doesnt smell anything. So I brought in the pumps while still leaving the door open, put carbon into a cardboard box in 2 piles of probably around 1.5 to 2 inches high in the center (I first lowered the walls so there's sufficient air able to be sucked in through the carbon) and placed each pump's filter spot onto its individual pile. Then i shut the doors and turned on the pumps and filter. I peeked into the tanks and the fish seem fine. I left the tanks wrapped in the plastic for now.

They are plastering upstairs now, but the door is closed the whole time.

Questions:

1) Based on what you said (just want to double check!!) I can remove the pumps from the carbon if there arent the initial fumes, correct? There's always a lingering smell for a while, I believe even days, but it's not the initial fumes.

No, I said ANY fumes. If there are fumes in the room, the air pump will pull them in and infuse them into the water. If you leave the pumps on the carbon, that will prevent the fumes from getting into the water. There is no harm in keeping the pumps on a bed of carbon. Eventually, the carbon will absorb all it can absorb and do nothing more. The only thing to be concerned about is any carbon dust clogging up the air filter and all you need to do for that is replace the air filter. No big deal.

2) When can I uncover the plastic from the tanks? Do I need to worry about dust particles floating due to the old paint they scraped off earlier? Or it's okay if it's mostly settled?

If they left the drop cloths attached to the wall and the tanks are behind it, you don't need to keep the tanks sealed tight. There has to be some air that gets into the tank via the atmosphere to oxygenate the water. There's no exchange of gases if the tank is sealed close. The air pump is making bubbles but it's when the bubbles burst at the surface that the exchange happens. If there is no fresh oxygen at the surface, what is exchanged is bad air for bad air. ( a.k.a. CO2)

Also, tomorrow is the painting.. so the fumes are stronger than plaster. Am I doing everything correctly and shouldn't panic, just do the same i did today? The fish were without bubbles or filter for approx 2.5 hours I believe.

Thanks!

Yes, do the same thing tomorrow.

 

[Libby1]

No, I said ANY fumes. If there are fumes in the room, the air pump will pull them in and infuse them into the water. If you leave the pumps on the carbon, that will prevent the fumes from getting into the water. There is no harm in keeping the pumps on a bed of carbon. Eventually, the carbon will absorb all it can absorb and do nothing more. The only thing to be concerned about is any carbon dust clogging up the air filter and all you need to do for that is replace the air filter. No big deal.

Got it. So I'm leaving it on the carbon just to be on the safe side. Thanks for clarifying.

Am I assuming correctly, that if the filter gets clogged (at any point in time) it would be a gradual thing, right? Like, if I want to leave my house on Friday for this weekend and be back on Sunday at some point, and leave the bubble machine sitting on the carbon the whole time.. if when I leave, i see that the bubbles are going strong, can I assume it will be fine? Because if anything, when I come back on Sunday I might see it a bit less bubbles vs suddenly a total clog, correct? Just wanna be sure.

If they left the drop cloths attached to the wall and the tanks are behind it, you don't need to keep the tanks sealed tight. There has to be some air that gets into the tank via the atmosphere to oxygenate the water. There's no exchange of gases if the tank is sealed close. The air pump is making bubbles but it's when the bubbles burst at the surface that the exchange happens. If there is no fresh oxygen at the surface, what is exchanged is bad air for bad air. ( a.k.a. CO2)

Okay I removed the plastic halfway from the top of the tanks. My large tank has a glass top but there are some cracks where air gets in. Tomorrow when they come to paint i will seal the tanks again with the plastic.

Question. Is it necessary for any reason to do a water change before Friday..? I'd rather not because I dont wanna uncover the tanks so much, and I dont wanna kick up the dust particles on the floor or surfaces till they're done with their work.

Yes, do the same thing tomorrow.

Okay. Thank you for all your help and advice!!

 

[Andy Sager]

Got it. So I'm leaving it on the carbon just to be on the safe side. Thanks for clarifying.

Am I assuming correctly, that if the filter gets clogged (at any point in time) it would be a gradual thing, right? Like, if I want to leave my house on Friday for this weekend and be back on Sunday at some point, and leave the bubble machine sitting on the carbon the whole time.. if when I leave, i see that the bubbles are going strong, can I assume it will be fine? Because if anything, when I come back on Sunday I might see it a bit less bubbles vs suddenly a total clog, correct? Just wanna be sure.


Okay I removed the plastic halfway from the top of the tanks. My large tank has a glass top but there are some cracks where air gets in. Tomorrow when they come to paint i will seal the tanks again with the plastic.

Question. Is it necessary for any reason to do a water change before Friday..? I'd rather not because I dont wanna uncover the tanks so much, and I dont wanna kick up the dust particles on the floor or surfaces till they're done with their work.


Okay. Thank you for all your help and advice!!

Actually, as long as the water temp is not cold, doing a water change a couple of days after the work is done is a good idea. If the temp gets too cold, I'd wait until the heater gets the temp back up to "normal" as raising the temp too quickly can kill the fish.

 

[Libby1]

Actually, as long as the water temp is not cold, doing a water change a couple of days after the work is done is a good idea. If the temp gets too cold, I'd wait until the heater gets the temp back up to "normal" as raising the temp too quickly can kill the fish.

I'm curious.. did you miss my question regarding the pump filter..? Or are you deliberately not responding to "stupid, self understood" questions although I say, rather ask than not ask and not be sure.. lol

Regarding water change, my temperature is warm, and I always match the approximate temperature when doing a water change. I just rather not do a water change until things are cleaned up, unless you say i should, for some reason. (In terms of the plaster dust, etc although perhaps the carbon is taking care of that, and the pumps were behind the plastic so hopefully there's not that much could have reached it directly)

Thanks!

 

[Andy Sager]

I'm curious.. did you miss my question regarding the pump filter..?

I guess I did. We were talking about the air pumps so much that I assumed you have air driven filters. The filters go back on when you start using the air pumps.

Or are you deliberately not responding to "stupid, self understood" questions although I say, rather ask than not ask and not be sure.. lol

Regarding water change, my temperature is warm, and I always match the approximate temperature when doing a water change. I just rather not do a water change until things are cleaned up, unless you say i should, for some reason. (In terms of the plaster dust, etc although perhaps the carbon is taking care of that, and the pumps were behind the plastic so hopefully there's not that much could have reached it directly)

Thanks!

I don't know what your weather is like up there today but if airing out the room with the windows open causes the water in the tank to be cooler than the heater can keep stable, it's best to wait until the heater catches up than matching the colder water for a water change. This applies for after the work is completed and the room is cleaned up.