Outdoor air quality - wildfire

[rishma]

I woke up in the middle of the night and smelled smoke. There is a wildfire in the area, not a danger to my home.

I went and turned off my outdoor air pump. This morning I am wondering if it’s really something to be concerned about for my tank.

I know the safe thing to do is to keep the air pump off until air quality improves, but is it really a risk? I’m guessing it primarily particulate matter. Outside smells a little like campfire. I can run some GAC as a precaution.

I actually doubt I’d see any impact on the corals or water chemistry but just curious if anyone has technical knowledge to share.

Thanks!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’d shut down high aeration, especially with outdoor air, if it looks smokey.

Where are you located? My brother lives on the rim of Eaton canyon right near where that one started and it’s possible his house has burned down.

 

[rishma]

I’d shut down high aeration, especially with outdoor air, if it looks smokey.

Where are you located? My brother lives on the rim of Eaton canyon right near where that one started and it’s likely his house has burned down.

I’m sorry for your brothers home. That’s awful.

I am on the other side of the bay across from Malibu and pacific palisades. It’s 20 miles as the crow flies

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I am on the other side of the bay across from Malibu and pacific palisades. It’s 20 miles as the crow flies

That’s good. Mostly a smoke issue. I expect too much is undesirable, but I’ve never seen any data.

 

[Slocke]

Do you know what is burning? Trees are fine. Issues I’ve seen working wildfires is homes who's wood has been treated. Old home ~1900 sometimes have their wood treated with arsenic and homes in the mid 1900s may contain asbestos. Don't know how those would affect a tank but I'd guess arsenic is bad and asbestos probably is only bad for your health.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

horrible to see these fires and the wind gusts. Almost unbelievable.

Wouldnt running carbon help if there is some outside pollutants?

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

Do you know what is burning? Trees are fine. Issues I’ve seen working wildfires is homes who's wood has been treated. Old home ~1900 sometimes have their wood treated with arsenic and homes in the mid 1900s may contain asbestos. Don't know how those would affect a tank but I'd guess arsenic is bad and asbestos probably is only bad for your health.

didnt even consider the asbestos in the air. That wouldnt even burn, right? It was used as a substance to fireproof, among other things? The arsenic, thats crazy!

 

[Slocke]

didnt even consider the asbestos in the air. That wouldnt even burn, right? It was used as a substance to fireproof, among other things? The arsenic, thats crazy!

Yeah. Luckily California is one state that is actually proactive about it so you should be good.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

Im in NJ. I wish I lived in Ca.

 

[stE26wy14]

Im in NJ. I wish I lived in Ca.

wanna save up together?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

horrible to see these fires and the wind gusts. Almost unbelievable.

Wouldnt running carbon help if there is some outside pollutants?

For organics that dissolve, yes. For fine particulates, no.

 

[GARRIGA]

Have several of these in my house. There's a filter specifically for forest fire smoke

 

[GARRIGA]

Here's the smoke dedicated filter. Don't know how effective but the standard does make the air seem cleaner. Has a built in meter that goes off when anything is sprayed in the house.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

wanna save up together?

If money wasnt an issue, I'd probably base myself in either the Encinitas area or (more affordably) Bay Park region of San Diego. LaJolla would be a dream but thats *** you money.

 

[rishma]

I’ve left the outside air aeration turned off. I guess we’ll run an experiment on what happens when you suddenly increase CO2 and reduce tank pH.

 

[KrisReef]

If you are close enough to the fire the air might contain a tiny bit more of CO2

I would be more concerned if you were close to a fire that was burning in poison oak or worse yet, someone else's home. The stuff people have in their homes and garage's has the potential to release some complicated molecules that might cause your skimmer to overflow at best, and might poison you and your fish if you are close and exposed to the products of combustion.

And if there is an illegal grow near your house, the combustion of pesticides, fertilizers and weed might not be the worst way to go?

 

[GARRIGA]

Brings up a good point. Perhaps turn the skimmer off. Great gas exchange might in this situation be a detriment.

It's events like this that have had me pondering a closed loop system with algae solving gas exchange. Not related to forest fires but the wife cleaning and her hair products. Gotta think some household fumes not in the best interest of the life we keep. Although pets and humans exposed to it and what eases my mind a bit. We're all doomed. Misery accepts company :crying-face:

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

If you are close enough to the fire the air might contain a tiny bit more of CO2

I would be more concerned if you were close to a fire that was burning in poison oak or worse yet, someone else's home. The stuff people have in their homes and garage's has the potential to release some complicated molecules that might cause your skimmer to overflow at best, and might poison you and your fish if you are close and exposed to the products of combustion.

And if there is an illegal grow near your house, the combustion of pesticides, fertilizers and weed might not be the worst way to go?

You can grow weed legally in Ca.

 

[KrisReef]

You can grow weed legally in Ca.

Always could, but now you have to register and pay taxes, to keep everyone safe.

 

[bubbgee]

Yeah my pH today is stuck at 7.9. Might hit 8.0 at peak. Too much CO2 in the air today. I'll still run the air pumps for now to use whatever is left with the CO2 scrubbing media.