Painting a room that has a saltwater aquarium

[Kiyana79]

Ok don't know if this is the right place to post this but I currently have a 120 gallon saltwater aquarium setup in my basement and unfortunately there is mold growing in the wall and on the concrete from an outside leak, so we need to paint the room., as I don't want to move the aquarium unless I have too.. looking for some suggestions on how to handle the situation ... will have to clean and paint the walls that have mold and then repaint the room..

thanks

[Sisterlimonpot]

To Reef Central
How bad is the mold? can it be covered up with Kils or are you removing it and thus making the mold spores airborn?

[Sisterlimonpot]

I know that you can use a liquid antimicrobial (SP) to kill and remove the mold without making it air born, but you have to be careful with that as well you don’t want that getting in the tank. What I would suggest is some industrial fans blowing out of the basement (in windows and stairs) and covering the tank with plastic. Is the tank up against the wall where the mold is?

[Kiyana79]

The aquarium is against the opposite wall but right by the door out of the room.. I am thinking of just covering the mold with the Kils and then painting over. we haven't ripped the wall completely out yet to see the extent of the mold. How long can the aquarium be covered with plastic wrap?

[badwrasse]

well if you just paint over the mold you are not fixing the problem, if there is mold on the outside of the wall its probably on the inside to. You will have to remove the drywall in that area and use kills/coverstain or the stuff sister is taling about i have never used that though.

If the studs are in good shape you can seal them with the kills/coverstain and be ok but they are wet still you will either have to let them dry out or replace, my vote is on replace because it can take a while for the wood to dry in a basement you will think its dry but in wont be, if you seal moist studs and repair dry wall and the sealer will fail behind the wall and you have fixed nothing if that happends.

Also I wouldn't run your skimmer if you seal anything it will suck the air and fumes into you tank and you skimmer wont get it all, vent the room well if you use kills or cover stain don't get the water based stuff it doesn't work IME(i am a painter by trade) get the white shellac it will dry faster and the faster it dries the fast it quites making fumes/vapors

[sdc19982002]

Extend your skimmer intake to the outside.

[Sisterlimonpot]

And I wouldn't keep the plastic on for more than 1 day. I wonder if you can run the skimmers venturi hose to another room or outside while doing this project.

[badwrasse]

Originally posted by Sisterlimonpot
And I wouldn't keep the plastic on for more than 1 day. I wonder if you can run the skimmers venturi hose to another room or outside while doing this project.

ya good idea