drywall dust?

[McBeck]

I've been doing a lot of home improvements lately, including finishing my basement. Let me just say I really had no idea how heavy a sheet of drywall is - ouch!

The Tub is mostly walled off from the area in which I'm working, but it's far from sealed. Will the dust from sanding mess everything up & if so, any suggestions to help prevent/reduce the problem?

Thx!

[sirreal63]

Becky, cover the tank and the air inlet for your skimmer. You don't want the dust settling on the water, but other than a ph change I don't think it will harm anything. I would definately try and avoid it getting on the water or sucked into the skimmer.

[McBeck]

I was afraid you'd say that. ;)

It's the big Rubbermaid tub, so it's a PITA to cover. I've been trying to figure out how to cover it and more importantly, UNcover it without dumping any dust accumulation into the water. Ah the joys of reefing... :lol:

[Hobbes8017]

Becky

You definitely want to keep the dust out of the tank. When it contacts the water, it will become drywall mudd again. Drywall dust is so fine, it will travel everywhere in your house. I would shutdown your heater/blower while sanding. In large computer rooms, we only allow wet sponge sanding if work is being done around our equipment because the dust can be sucked into the computers and settle on things. It is not really corrosive, but will reduce the cooling by covering all the components.

Someone recently posted a complete tank crash from work being done on his house. If I remember, it had to do with staining wood, but I would be very careful letter any airborne construction debris from getting into your tank.

You can reduce the dust a lot by getting a little thing they sell at Home Depot / Lowes in the drywall department. Its a sanding pad with a hose that draws the dust through a bucket of water and traps it. It is powered by any shop vac.

Another way to keep the dust down to a minimum is to clean as you go. Slowly sweep up the dust and get it out. Walking around on a floor covered with drywall dust will just kick it up into the air more and more.

If it was me, I would seal the fish area off with plastic sheets hanging from the ceiling and also cover your tank and sump directly.

[McBeck]

Maybe I'll just go for the stucco look and skip the sanding. HA!

Thanks for the tips - I think I'll pick up some plastic tonight.

[Bushong87]

like hobbes said cover from the ceiling to the floor, get some of the painters plastic, its cheap and whats it designed for

[aroundtuit]

There is a new drywall mud product that produces less dust. I found it either at HD or Lowe's. I don't remember the name, but I can check it tonight if someone is interested. I used it along with one of the sanding blocks that attach to a shop vac (no H2O with this one). Its still not full proof, but it helps. You do have to clean the shop vac filter frequently as it gets plugged and doesn't capture as much dust.

[Markk96]

Do not use the new Drywall Mud from HD, I used some of it in my basement and we found that it has some issues.

[beaker77]

HomeDepot and Lowe's also sells a sander that attaches to a ShopVac. It's called Sand&Kleen. It's around $90.

[ReefWerkes]

Just do a better job taping... ha!

[Goalie66]

Of all the remodeling I did on my house the drywalling was the worst. Never again. I'm glad I didn't have a reef tank at the time.

[aroundtuit]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6856129#post6856129 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Markk96
Do not use the new Drywall Mud from HD, I used some of it in my basement and we found that it has some issues.

I wasn't aware of any issues. What is the problem with it?

[ksteiny]

Dont just cover your skimmer inlet, turn you skimmer off. Be sure to add some carbon. filter floss, polyfilters ect. to help if any gets in the tank. Change it again once all the dust is cleaned up. It never hurts to have some water ready to go for a big water change either.

[scubabill]

did you try wet sanding . Thats what i do with no dust at all.

[Hobbes8017]

Wet sanding would help, but it is more difficult then dry sanding. If you get it too wet or dont have a clean sponge... you can mess up all your work. You can leave lines in your mudd all over the place.

I have started over after a friend tried to wet sand a drywall job. Was not fun.....

[scubabill]

I like wet sanding better than dry so so so much cleaner . Just takes a little practice. Taping is the key to drywalling.

[Mykayel]

I would cover your tank with a sheet and then lightly spray the sheet down with water.... that and just seal off the room that your working on to keep the dust from leaving.

[Arsenal11]

i like the new low dust mudd, what are your issues?

[Hobbes8017]

awesome idea about light spraying sheet.... Never thought of that. Would keep the dust that dost make it through a barrier for falling off after sheet is removed. That idea is a winner! Give him a prize!

[caesura]

If you can seal off the tank room and put a fan in a window blowing in. The positive pressure created will not allow the dust to go in that room. Or better yet you can seal the room your working in and put a fan in the window blowing out and the dust will not leave that room. Closing any air returns or vents in the room you are working in will also help.

[DrBDC]

Def. turn off all HVAC and close all vents. When I did my basement I had drywall dust in a closet upstairs. That's after turning everything off and closing down and the basement door open with a box fan blowing out. That stuff gets everywhere. Next time I call in a pro taper (or whatever their trade name is). They get in and out so fast in 2 or 3 consecutive days. I seem to do mud the same way I do body putty on cars. Too much on, too much off. Repeat a dozen times and still not be happy. Ceiling drywall is a booger too. Wet sanding is great but it's a big mess to clean up off the floor when you're done but not any dust to speak of.

Get a roll of air tubing and run it all the way outside for the skimmer, the longer and farther away the better.

[McBeck]

I've never tried wet sanding. It's tempting, but I think I'm going to stick with what I'm good at. :)

I did put up plastic, shut down the furnace/blower, & used a box fan. The damp sheet is an awesome idea - I'm going to add that to my repertoire.

If I ever get my house done, maybe I'll have y'all over for a tank tour! :D

[Nanook]

All I know is that after taking down a bunch of drywall and backerboard the other day is that I blew black snot for at least a day afterwards.

dave:lol:

[Im Lon 2]

I just got down a few months ago mudding and sanding my basement 1150 sq foot.. For the most part I wet sanded, but when I got done I sanded the whole basement at the same time.. I tried to cover the fish room up as much as possible, but like others have said this stuff will go every where, and I had just as much dust in the fish room as the whole basement. My skimmer went nuts for about a week other than that everything was fine. I like the Idea of the sheet and wetting it down a little, great idea.

I was really nerves the other night when we sealed the basement floor (so no moister would get to the carpet from the floor) the whole house stunk so bad we slept with the windows open the heater ran all night (of course the temp was down tin the 30's) I was scared that the fumes would upset the tank, but everything went well with that as well.