strange question

[FishyReef]

So I come home from work today to discover that workers were redoing the floors in the apartment below me. My place totally reeks of varnish/polyurethane (literally stings my eyes its so bad). I still have a bucket with about half of my live rock sitting in the hallway out back where the fumes are particularly bad. Anyone know if the fumes will damage my live rock? I was planning to take as much of it in to my office tomorrow as I can to add to the tank, but I'm concerned whether its going to be ruined tonight with the fumes? I covered the plastic bin as best I could in the mean time.

 

[R3verb]

If they are 5 gal buckets (like the Homer buckets from home depot) those are air tight so you should be fine. If they are open, I'm not sure. You may just run down to home depot and pick a few up, they are only like $3.50 with the lid.

 

[FishyReef]

It's a 20g plastic bin from target - not air tight. I don't think all of the rock will fit into a single 5g bucket, and I don't have enough powerheads or heaters for more than 1. If I wasn't feeling so lightheaded from the fumes I'd just drive it all up to the office now LOL. Do you think the water would stay warm enough to avoid a die-off overnight if I put it in the buckets without a heater? (I live in Boston and my apartment gets into the low 60s at night)

 

[R3verb]

You know I have no idea. What I would tell you thought is this, I would call your landlord and tell him you need him/her to pay for a hotel room while the floors below you are being done. Those fumes are REALLY bad for you and can cause brain damage if you inhale to much of it and even death in very bad cases. I would take you bin with you to wherever you are going to sleep tonight. Get some fresh air, call your landlord, get to someplace with fresh air.

 

[little_fish]

+1 R3verb

I would be a tiny bit concerned about the LR and I would probably change out all the water they are sitting in.

 

[FishyReef]

Well, after getting some fresh air, I finally decided just to take the rest of the rock up to my office (about an hour round trip, plus unloading time). Before I left, my roommate tried to call our landlord several times without luck. I finally went over to his house and told him he had to come and open windows in the apartment below us to air it out. It took him awhile to understand what I was asking - he's elderly and English is a second language (not the best landlord situation, but we didn't have much say in it after our first landlord died last fall and the house was sold to someone else - yes, its been a crazy 6 months LOL). Now I'm back home, cats and I are locked in my room, which has been airing out for several hours now, and I've left a few windows open throughout the house even though its 34 degrees out - better safe and cold than sorry. I did ask my landlord about putting us up in a hotel to no avail - at this point, with windows open downstairs and in my place, I think we'll be okay for the night. Live rock is safe now in the main tank so I don't have to worry about that. We'll see if I'm coherent tomorrow LOL.

 

[R3verb]

Yea keep those windows open. If you have an electric space heater use that. But those fumes are very bad for you so try and keep as much fresh air going through your room as your can. It may help to put a towel under your door to keep as much air from coming into your room as possible. If you start to have troubles breathing or tunnel vision GET OUT. Glad to hear your live rock is ok though.

 

[FishyReef]

Yup, put a towel under the door and both windows are open with a nice cross breeze. I'd go to a hotel if it was easy to do so, but packing up the 2 cats, a litter box, and then trying to find a hotel this late at night that would take us feels a bit more challenging than I really want to take on. I'll keep an eye out for breathing troubles or tunnel vision and get the heck out of dodge if I need to! Thank you so much for your input and helping me to see that it is a serious situation!

 

[R3verb]

you're welcome!

 

[viperbjd]

close those windows before you bust a water pipe...

 

[marcah]

been warm enough up this way where the chance of busting a pipe is nil..

 

[FishyReef]

Let's hope, Marcah! So I closed the windows in the rest of the house before finally going to sleep last night, but kept the ones open in my bedroom and slept just fine (gotta love electric blankets :D) The house was much better when I opened my bedroom door this morning - you could still smell it but it wasn't as toxic (no eyes or throat burning, etc). The windows in the apartment below stayed open all night but I think the landlord left the heat on as well so pipes are probably fine (I don't think it got below 30 last night, and was 38 when I checked this morning). I did open a few windows in the house today just to continue to get fresh air inside and so my kitties aren't overcome with fumes while I'm at work. Fingers crossed there's no lasting damage from it all!!

Hey Marcah, I see you're in Mass too - what LFS's do you recommend? I still haven't found one I'm thrilled with up here.

 

[marcah]

I am in the springfield area and to tell you the truth I dont know of a good one either... I end up doing everything online..:grumble: