Fumigation...

[~TG~]

We are due for our Qtrly spray/fumigation for those DARN fleas....
BUT this time they are going to spray inside as well and im freaking out!!

What precautions other than unpluging the tanks and covering them up do i need to do? and is a "heavy blanket" enough proptection and what about my sumps? everything needs to be off for 2-3 hours so im really freaking out...has anyone ever had this done please need pointers here..
I was told they use an aerosol thing.. soo?? :unsure

I wanted to wrap everything up with that packing wrap... and seal it but can i do that? what about O2 for my fish / my corals??

:cry help.. :cry

[Noodle]

Cover any exposed water surface in a couple layers of heavy plastic (both tank, overflow box if you have one & sump)... if you can tape the edges of the plastic to the tank and make it as airtight as possible, that would be ideal as you don't want any of the aerosol to get in.

Turn off anything that might be pulling outside air and pumping it into the tank (protein skimmers). You can run the closed loop (if ya have one) for water circulation.

I would air out the house for a bit before unsealing the tank.

[Headless_donkey]

We had two open top tank crash because of the exterminator. We moved to traps instead.

[Bill S]

Just curious, what has fleas? We haven't had a flea problem in YEARS, since we changed heartworm meds.

[~TG~]

My backyard has fleas and lots of them!!! LOL
Even my DOGS refuse to go outside... I dont know what the problem is I was told by our Vet that there was a " Flea outbreak" right now cause of the weather.. not sure if it was only in my backyard or all of SA.....LOL

[Ram_Puppy]

hey ~TG~...

funny story, maybe give you some ideas as well if you want some revenge on those fleas for making your life miserable. :)

http://exoticgardens.zoovy.com/c=rpzheSt6aKkqlA6LdKaO95wsd/product/PINGPR_RES

buy a pinguicula, put a light over it (incandescent)

put it on the carpet (w/ light) and the fleas will jump towards the heat to their ultimate doom.

:)

[matt]

If it were my tank, I would seal it up tight with plastic and tape, and if you have a skimmer, run the line for the air intake outside the house. This will keep some O2 in the water. Of course, if they're also spraying outside the house, forget that idea. I had an infestation of fleas in my house last summer and I did not spray specifically because of my tank. Instead, I called a guy who has a company called fleabusters; he uses a non toxic powder that prevents the eggs from hatching. It took a few weeks, but they were gone. I also put nematodes in the yard and switched from frontline to advantage on the dog. I'm going on 8 months flea-free. Killing the adult fleas doesn't do much, you have to break the life cycle. I couldn't believe the difference the nematodes made. Advantage also made a big difference; works much better on my dog than frontline.

Insecticide is HIGHLY toxic to marine life and can certainly kill most of what's in your tank at pretty low concentrations.

[Bill S]

Thus, the reason for my question. We have had NO flea problems - and believe me when I say we HAD flea problems - since we switched to a monthly heartworm product, Revolution. I haven't seen a flea in years. I mean YEARS. And we used to bomb this place on a regular basis!

[brewercm]

I had them real bad about 10 years ago and someone gave me a powder to put down and you rake it into your carpet. I couldn't remember what it was, possibly same thing that Matt was talking about. If that's not an option and they have to fumigate you could seal it up real well like Matt said. As far as oxygen you could try to make a charcoal filter with wet rags prior to the air going through the carbon and and then an air pump inside of that pushing the air to an air stone for a short period just to keep air going to the tank.
Easier to make than explain.

[~TG~]

:cry well... the execution has been initiated and the gas chamber is going on at home as i type this... :sick .. NOTE TO SELF..... **Stretch wrap WILL work if you have help putting it on and a smaller easier to handle roll** I went ahead and sealed all the tanks as best i could, shut EVERYTHING off and covered everything with large damp towels and i have started praying... :( I have to return in 2-3 hrs soooo I will keep you all updated.. I just hope and pray everything is ok and that i havent lost Thou$and$ of dollars from a freaking $95 SPRAY CAN.... :angry

Interesting thing.. the guy told me they did Sean Elliot's home not to long ago and apparently he has several big tanks and he doesnt recall if they did anything to them other than covering the tops.. and everything survived... but then again I'm NOT Sean Elliot... :unsure

[erikharrison]

I used to work for Terminix, and this was always a HUGE issue. Cover your tank, and anything else with exposed surface area with wet (damp) towels. We currently have a small apartment, and when we clean, I have always done this. I am sure the exterminator will tell you, be diligent on vacuuming. The eggs will hatch due to the disturbance, and their life cycles are shortened by the pesticide. It is important to do daily or every other day, or you will have unhatched eggs, and another explosion. I wouldn't let your animals out, especially with fleas in the house. OH OOPS, TREAT YOUR DOGS FIRST ;) It won't help having them carry the fleas all over the house!

[erikharrison]

Also, alteredego purchased his 600g or close to that, from Sean Elliot.

[brewercm]

Also, alteredego purchased his 600g or close to that, from Sean Elliot.

Hope he hasn't given up the hobby. I remember back in the early 90's before he opened his own shop he used to frequent several stores around town (before he was traded the first time). He used to go to the second Fintique that used to be open on the corner of Bitters and Nacogdoches. Anybody know where he gets his fish now if he still has them since he no longer has a LFS that I know of. It was always pretty cool and nobody ever bothered him while he was there.

[caferacermike]

Who is Sean Elliot and why did he have fleas?

[brewercm]

It's okay folks, he's from Austin and probably goes for the Mavericks. :lol

[erikharrison]

Sean Elliot is an old school Spurs player. He used to have a LFS in San Antonio.

[~TG~]

WELL the momment of truth came at 6pm when i peeked thru the doors and found everything..............
:w00t ALIVE!!!!!! WOOO-HOOO

I ran around my house like a mad woman opening all the windows and doors... ceiling fans full speed.. A/C at 60.. waited about 20 minutes more and peeled off all the wet towels and stretch wrap while tapping on the glass saying "it's ok babies momma's coming" ....lmao both my parents are here from out of town and my Dad thought it was just HILARIOUS he thought i had either lost my mind or inhaled the fumes... both my parents are nurses like me but they are both retired now and older so they got a kick out of me screaming the occasional "CODE BLUE" and "ALL CLEAR" when i powered up the pumps... it was a trip... I can say i had no casualties AT ALL..not even my little pond fish outside... that booger has survived a mosquito infestation, bird invasion, and the 06-07 freeze without a problem...
ohh and by the looks of things the Fleas are gone too!! have to wait it out a few days for the moment of truth! >_< NO MORE NIGHTMARES...


caferacermike---Who is Sean Elliot and why did he have fleas?
I'm sorry i HAD to laugh (out loud)....well more like ROFLMAO.. it was innocent but funny at the same time...

T

[brewercm]

Glad to hear everything is looking good for ya. I would imagine that pond fish loved the mesquito invasion and gept them at a reasonable number. I know I've never seen mesquito larva, tadpoles, or anything else in my pond since the fish probably eat them quicker then they can reproduce.