Painting in a house with fish tanks

[andywoolloo]

painting in the main bathroom which is in the hallway by the fish room and another room with tanks.

iI searched the forum and read this

http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/view ... ish#p50488

the link from silurus doesn't work anymore tho, least not for me.

any particular brand or what should i look for ? there is no window in that bathroom either to fan the fumes out of . I am nervous for my fish. would rather let the bathroom go to hell then kill them. Some of the paints say low docs?

[MatsP]

Generally, I would think that fumes from emulsion paint (water-based paint) would be pretty close to 100% safe. Obviously, don't let dust or paint fall into the tank, but fumes are mainly water. Bathroom paint may have some antifungus additives, but they shouldn't evaporate or waft away [no point in that].

Does your bathroom have a ventilation fan or any other form of ventilation? If so, leave the door closed, and very little will leave the bathroom, I would have thought.

If you can't ventilate the bathroom, then I'd suggest opening windows and perhaps also use a fan to extract air out of your house.

And this link is what Silurus was referring to.

--
Mats

[andywoolloo]

yes on the fan in bathroom. I was thinking closing the door and stuffing a towel under the door from the outside, or not under but right there to block anything that wants to ooze out.

I can close the fish room door and the bedroom door to and stuff towels under in case. They have fast drying paint.

oh thanks for that link.

[andywoolloo]

p.s. should I run carbon like it says? I am not painting in the rooms with fish but nearby. I don't normally use it but I have some on hand. BUt since i'm not painting in actual room prob over kill huh?

[MatsP]

Do you know what type of paint it is?

--
Mats

[andywoolloo]

we haven't bought it yet we're scared. waiting on answers here.

we looked at some fast drying zero doc low odor water based something something is what I remember

[MatsP]

I think you mean zero voc (volatile organic compounds), which is a the solvent that smells in "traditional" paint.

Sounds like the right type of paint, and shouldn't cause any problem.

--
Mats

[andywoolloo]

yes voc ty very much!

[andywoolloo]

everything went fine , used Valspar low voc low odor from Lowes, anyways all went fine, madce sure all fish would be fine, took all precautions, looked down at one point and dog has tongue in paint pan. We say "Mac!!" He looks up at us smiling with a blue tongue.

So focused on the fish forgot the dog.

He was fine only had one lap i think i hope, wiped his mouth out with a wet washcloth per can instructions. that was last night and today he is wreaking havoc in the backyard so I think he is fine.

[L number Banana]

He looks up at us smiling with a blue tongue.

Oh, where was that camera?
Blue sounds very oceanic for a bathroom, nice choice.

[andywoolloo]

i know, right? I should have snapped him with my cell.

It is a beautilful blue. thanks. it's called teeny bikini.

[snowball]

fwiw my tip for when paint or other nasty things are used in rooms with aquariums is to cover the tank with towels as has been suggested and run an airstone from an airpump that is located in a safe part of the house or on a window sill outside with several meters of airline.

[andywoolloo]

ty vm for answering!