Termite Tenting Advice

[diveshooter]

Got some disturbing news yesterday that my condo complex will have to be fumigated for termites. This is a 180-unit complex and the entire process including erecting and removing of the tenting could be as long as 7 days.
My tank is a 90 gallon and heavily planted, but without any discus yet, thank God. I'm hoping I can cover or wrap the tank with plastic with a good-sized air pocket and leave the lights off.
Has anyone had to go through this before? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Gordon C. Snelling]

If you just wrap the tank good with plastic you should be good to, Vikane, the gas they use is not esp water soluble and there for does not absorb into water much if at all. I would turn off the pump/filters and wrap the tank. If I remember correctly, the need to remove fish tanks came off the vikane label recently due to the insolubility of the product. That said if there were fish in the tank I would suggest moving them anyway. even a little would likely be fatal. However I have seen many fish tanks come thru the process unscathed if the air was turned off.

[diamond_discus]

If you just wrap the tank good with plastic you should be good to, Vikane, the gas they use is not esp water soluble and there for does not absorb into water much if at all. I would turn off the pump/filters and wrap the tank. If I remember correctly, the need to remove fish tanks came off the vikane label recently due to the insolubility of the product. That said if there were fish in the tank I would suggest moving them anyway. even a little would likely be fatal. However I have seen many fish tanks come thru the process unscathed if the air was turned off.

Can you have tank wrapped and without air for 7 days ? I always wonder what I need to do with all my tanks if my house ever need to treat any termite (I hope I don't ever have to do that).

[jaykne]

I just had an addition added on to my house and they just sprayed the walls 4 feet up from the ground room not even open to the house yet but just opening the back door was enough to get in the tank in my living room. I tried everything to save them but seems once it gets in the water causes all kinds of problems, some survived for 2 weeks but caused permenate damage.

[diveshooter]

Looks like I'm gonna go with wrapping the tank with plastic. The other option was to up-root all the plants, remove the fish and rent a tank at my LFS for a week but this seems like more of a hassle.
I plan on doing a 50% water change the day before and unplug the lights and air pump. I use a canister filter so this should be okay to leave running. I'll use a battery-powered vacation feeder, cross my fingers and hope for the best.
I'll take before and after photos to share my experience so others won't have to repeat my mistakes if this turns into a disaster!

[Acro]

I would take a bucket add charcoal insert air pump and wrap with plastic.

[Gordon C. Snelling]

The charcoal wont hurt, there is no guarantee that the vikane will not cause some damage to the tank but in general as I said it is not very soluble into water. Jaykine not sure what they treated your house with but just opening the door to the room should not have done damage to your tank unless something esp harsh was used in which case I would not want to be in the house with it myself.