Refinishing Wood Floors - What do I do with my Aquarium

[JOHANNA]

I run a 75 gallon reef and am assuming that the dust and chemicals in the air will be like armaggedon to the tank.

Does anyone have advise about what precautions I can take for my tank when I get my wood floors refinished? I am thinking I am going to take the livestock and run a seperate tank in a different part of the house for the week. Don't know if that will even be ok. I will be moving out for the week. I am starting to think that the fish and corals should too. Will it be ok to just wrap the tank and sump and skimmer in plastic and tape it off? Or do I need to get everything out of that part of the house?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks
Matt

 

[DA fisherman]

In the building I work in they don't use the regular polyurethane that smells horrible. They use one that drys the same day with almost no smell, but I still don't know the effects on a aquarium... It's much better on humans... is there anyway you can ask them Which one they using?

Or best bet is to try and move the aquarium or if it's safe to cover.

 

[Arati]

What i did was cover my aquarium with plastic wrap and then buy a long air line for my skimmer to run out the window. they used water based poly. it took 2 days and I had no problems. I also left the lights off the entire time.. im was afraid my house would explode.

 

[JOHANNA]

Thanks for the advise. I had the floors done a 5 years ago with a water based poly and it did not last. I am looking at using the good stuff. Oil based really bad for people, probably really bad for all living things. I am wondering if I only leave some water and sand in the tank and keep it off for a week will I have to cycle it again when I get home. I plan on dropping in a heater and keeping the powerheads going. I would also be shutting off the skimmer and return pump.

I think I can tape off the tank pretty airtight?

 

[Long-Island-Mike]

I had the same problem about 6 months ago, My oak was scratched up and I wanted to refinish it. I decided to go with a new pre finished floor just to be safe. I have a friend in the business that will give you a great price, PM if you need his #.

 

[coralnut99]

The waterbased polys have improved quite a bit in the last few years. You'd be amazed how durable these finishes are now. But as suggested, find out what they are using. Arati's advice on venting the skimmer should work well for a couple of days. You may not need to move outta town.

 

[Alex]

Don't for get the dust, that in itself can wreck havoc.

 

[jcono]

I believe new Fed regulations have resulted in floor polys with much lower VOC's, (chems that cause the awful fumes.) However a professional floor guy might modify the poly with thinner which would mean dangerous fumes.

As for dust, again it depends on the machine your guy uses- I used a floor sander with a vacuum attachment which captured virtually all the dust.

So I guess ask your floor guy if he's using low-VOC poly and a sander with a vacuum attachment.

BTW the new water based polys are MUCH better than they used to be- if used correctly.

GL,
Jan

 

[coralnut99]

I believe new Fed regulations have resulted in floor polys with much lower VOC's, (chems that cause the awful fumes.) However a professional floor guy might modify the poly with thinner which would mean dangerous fumes.

As for dust, again it depends on the machine your guy uses- I used a floor sander with a vacuum attachment which captured virtually all the dust.

So I guess ask your floor guy if he's using low-VOC poly and a sander with a vacuum attachment.

BTW the new water based polys are MUCH better than they used to be- if used correctly.

GL,
Jan

Agree 100% on all points.

 

[MIKE NY]

I did mine a few years ago. I wouldn't do it this time a year. I did mine in the spring. I just covered the tank, left the lights off for the day and opened all the windows.....

 

[latino277]

My tank crashed the lastime they did my floors. Came home to everything dead

 

[guarda]

If you can wait a few months and get it into and seal off a lower floor room with two open windows I think you could greatly diminish any risk of toxification.

+1 with the newer tech water based products. Did my floors last year and they still look pretty good, even after heavy high heel traffic.

 

[jcono]

Also did mine in slightly warmer weather when I could keep windows open. Had no problems.

 

[fcamargo6thave]

Hey i am in the same situation but i will not be redoing my floors but will be laying the floating laminate hardwoods over them because the floors in the room are done lol and i also dont want the dust from sanding all over the house. The room i am redoing is in the same room as my tank just wanted to know if anyone had any tips on moving the tank without to much of a disruption in the tank. Its been running for almost a year full of coraline algae corals, fish LR and various other little guys lol. if anyone has some suggestions on what to and not to do please let me know thanks

 

[guarda]

You didn't Say how big your tank is but I did close to a 100% water change last year with no issues. Most corals can go for quite some time without water. Drain, move, new water, lay laminate, drain, move, new water. That's what I would do.

Hey i am in the same situation but i will not be redoing my floors but will be laying the floating laminate hardwoods over them because the floors in the room are done lol and i also done want the dust from sanding all over the house. The room i am redoing is in the same room as my tank just wanted to know if anyone had any tips on moving the tank without to much of a disruption in the tank. Its been running for almost a year full of coraline algae corals, fish LR and various other little guys lol. if anyone has some suggestions on what to and not to do please let me know thanks

 

[fcamargo6thave]

thanks for answering its a 90 gal, i think i can knock the job out in 6 hrs but not to sure.

 

[coralnut99]

thanks for answering its a 90 gal, i think i can knock the job out in 6 hrs but not to sure.

If it's a nice square room without much cutting, 6 hours may be too much. If you haven't used laminates before, make sure you unpackage the strips and let them breathe for at least two days before you put them down.

If you take rug with a rubber back to it and manage to slide it under about 1/2 the tank, it only takes one guy to pull and one to push. On a smooth floor, it should glide pretty easy.

 

[fcamargo6thave]

If it's a nice square room without much cutting, 6 hours may be too much. If you haven't used laminates before, make sure you unpackage the strips and let them breathe for at least two days before you put them down.

If you take rug with a rubber back to it and manage to slide it under about 1/2 the tank, it only takes one guy to pull and one to push. On a smooth floor, it should glide pretty easy.

thanks for the tip about letting it breathe i almost forgot but yea alot of cutting involved its a weird room and i have to lay down 3/4 plywood to even out the new floor (another reason why i dont want to refinish the existing floor). I am just a little worried my tank will crash by having to take everything out and then put it back in. 110 lbs of LR and sand thriving with life worries me a little. What i am thinking of doing is getting a new 55 gal rubbermaid garbage can on a trolly and moving the water that way.

 

[guarda]

ah yes, great advice about acclimating the planks. Forgot about that.

 

[garys reef]

i just did that in my house however i did move the tank to the basement i used bona water based poly the smell was not bad at all and this stuff is strong look it up on the internet i swear by it i have wood floors in my kitchen which take alot of abuse not to mention 2 bull mastiffs and the floor is great