Odd Question about Carpet Shampooing around a Fish Tank

[Jesterrace]

Okay, I have heard some horror stories about people using Carpet Cleaners around their fish tanks and having disastrous results. I haven't shampooed the carpet since getting a tank but here is the setup. I have a 90 gallon tank with corner overflow with Glass Tops and the bottom of the tank sits about 3 feet off the ground on the stand. The front of the stand has a magnetic cover on it and behind it is my 29 gallon sump that is completely open inside the stand. My carpet shampooer is my Kirby Vacuum which cleans via foam rather than a spray. So the question is can I use this thing in the same room as the fish tank without adverse effect or do I need to give it a wide berth? My wife is wanting to clean the carpets in the living room and I want to make sure we aren't going to do any damage to the tank.

 

[GoVols]

Okay, I have heard some horror stories about people using Carpet Cleaners around their fish tanks and having disastrous results. I haven't shampooed the carpet since getting a tank but here is the setup. I have a 90 gallon tank with corner overflow with Glass Tops and the bottom of the tank sits about 3 feet off the ground on the stand. The front of the stand has a magnetic cover on it and behind it is my 29 gallon sump that is completely open inside the stand. My carpet shampooer is my Kirby Vacuum which cleans via foam rather than a spray. So the question is can I use this thing in the same room as the fish tank without adverse effect or do I need to give it a wide berth? My wife is wanting to clean the carpets in the living room and I want to make sure we aren't going to do any damage to the tank.

(lol)
I'm not going to put your reef on the line with my answer:

But... I think you'll be okay as long as you stay away from cans of aerosol carpet cleaner.

Tagging along for more feedback, from other reefers :)

 

[AdamNC]

If anything wrap the bottom of the tank with plastic so the fumes don't get near the sump. I know carpet cleaners will set off a Co2 detector.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Might turn off the skimmer for 24 hours so that the fumes don't enter the water. Can also run some activated carbon to reduce or remove any contaminants.

 

[Jesterrace]

Thanks for the input folks. Sounds like it is a gamble. Would it work if we gave the tank a berth of a few feet around it?

 

[Chrisv.]

We are having our carpets cleaned by ChemDry this week.... Will the tank be ok, or are there things that need to be done to prevent a crash? Thank you!

As was noted above, turn off your skimmer for 24h, toss in a bag of carbon, and if you're completely without lids, think about some saran wrap for the very short term. Run an air stone in the tank itself to help gas exchange while everything is covered up. Open the windows to give good ventilation.

 

[Waters]

I have ran my carpet cleaner many times around my SPS tank in my basement....never had any issues. I left the skimmer on, didn't cover the tank, etc.

 

[Chrisv.]

I have ran my carpet cleaner many times around my SPS tank in my basement....never had any issues. I left the skimmer on, didn't cover the tank, etc.

And this is the most likely scenario. But given how much time, effort, and money is involved in the hobby, I do tend to go full paranoid. There are enough horror stories about this sort of thing that I always err on the side of caution.

 

[Waters]

And this is the most likely scenario. But given how much time, effort, and money is involved in the hobby, I do tend to go full paranoid. There are enough horror stories about this sort of thing that I always err on the side of caution.

Yeah, I don't blame you. Doesn't hurt to be careful.......I was just stating my experiences :)