I am about to start my reef tank but will the construction i am doing to the house

Hi Guys

I started construction on the house and was wondering if i start my reef tank did construction doing drywall painting and other thinks will this affect the tank. i really want to start my tank because i wont be done until the end of next year. Is there a way to protect it.

 

I think you will be just asking for trouble. Drywalling produces copious amounts of dust. Maybe after the drywall is all finished and the wall painted/sealed. But it also depends on what else you are doing. I would advise against it.

 

i agree with guitarman. too many intagibles that can affect it adversely.

 

Construction in my house devistated my 5 year old established 150G tank. I had a water feed flood from my kitchen that ruined my house, so my home needed to be restored. The contractors did not seal the tank tops as directed in my contract and got paint and texture spray in the tank. It wiped out EVERYTHING, down to the rock, including the rock. My tank was like nuclear holocaust after the contractors did their work on it. It caused a fungal bloom with all the phosphates and harsh chemicals that would not go away. 3 years later, it's barely getting back on track. Hold off on starting your tank, believe me. You can cover the tank, but that will inhibit CO2 exchange which will mess up your pH and will result in coral damage. To me, it's pretty much a lose/lose situation if you do construction and try to maintain a healthy tank. Sorry to be a negative post, but I'd rather be honest (from personal experience) than to see you go through the heartache I had to go through, seeing everything in your tank die off in one fell swoop.

 

Ya not a good idea to start it up until after drywall, plastering, sanding is done. I had a tank going when I did some renovation and building of rooms in my house and it is amazing how the dust migrates to the tank. Wait it out.