Reef Safe Fire Extinguisher?

Brisk

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Are there any fire extinguishers that is reef safe or any you would recommend for a home with a reef?
 

shakacuz

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always handy to have it even if not just for the reef. i'm going to assume what inside of the extinguisher will somehow effect the tank in one way or another in the same way aerosols, candles, etc would
 

Readywriter

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Are there any fire extinguishers that is reef safe or any you would recommend for a home with a reef?
Maybe im nuts but I think if you need to use a fire extinguisher in your house a reef tank should be at the bottom of the list of things you give a crap about
 

DED65

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Most homes should have a class abc extinguisher for most fires and probably a class k for kitchen fires. If the fire is big enough to require an extinguisher, you will probably want the fire department involved, at least for insurance and most for safety. If the fire department is involved, they are most likely to refuse entrance by you to try to mitigate any issues with the tank.

If the fire was big enough and near the tank, I would just take a big hammer, break the tank and try to put it out that way.
 

Reefer Matt

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Are there any fire extinguishers that is reef safe or any you would recommend for a home with a reef?
The fire alone is not reef safe. I would focus on personal safety over reef safety at all times. Dry chemical extinguishers are commonly available for home use. As far as if the ingredients in them are harmful to reefs, I believe @Randy Holmes-Farley can help.
 

PharmrJohn

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The fire alone is not reef safe. I would focus on personal safety over reef safety at all times. Dry chemical extinguishers are commonly available for home use. As far as if the ingredients in them are harmful to reefs, I believe @Randy Holmes-Farley can help.
Absolutely. We're trained every year with fire extinguishers. The rule is to evaluate your situation first, then try to put it out IF it's possible without risking life and limb. I tell ya, I'll sacrifice my tank in a heartbeat if that's where the cards lie. In my book, it's ALWAYS a good idea to buy three extinguishers. One main, one backup and one to discharge and get a feel for what an extinguisher does, how it sprays and how long it lasts.
 

JayM

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Typical dry chem extinguishers are filled with monoammonium phosphate. Probably fine as long as you don't spray it directly into the tank (can't think of any reason you'd need to do that). Or you could grab a co2 extinguisher if you're really concerned.
 

areefer01

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Absolutely. We're trained every year with fire extinguishers. The rule is to evaluate your situation first, then try to put it out IF it's possible without risking life and limb. I tell ya, I'll sacrifice my tank in a heartbeat if that's where the cards lie. In my book, it's ALWAYS a good idea to buy three extinguishers. One main, one backup and one to discharge and get a feel for what an extinguisher does, how it sprays and how long it lasts.

Also note some fire extinguishers have expiration and/or service dates. It really comes down to what type of extinguisher you purchased and use case.

With regards to "reef safe" that depends. This may sound out of place but when in doubt call a local fire station or stop by and ask. There are a couple different common fire extinguishers such as are pressurized water, co2(carbon dioxide), and dry chemical. You can search on those and there should be a table.

  • As noted or mentioned safety first, right?
  • Also noted there are residential fire codes in homes depending on location that may have in-ceiling extinguishers
  • Somewhat noted, loosely, is that home aquaria does have a fire risk - saltwater, electrical, and in some cases mixed (heaters, power heads, etc)

To circle back you may find a better answer, or better extinguisher for the job, if you reach out to a fire station. At first they may look at you funny but that is only because you may not have asked the question in the terms they understand. But after a few minutes I guarantee that they will get it and guide you.
 

Readywriter

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Took me an hour to realize this is an expert troll thread. Gave me some real can of worms ideas for later use
 

DED65

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Absolutely. We're trained every year with fire extinguishers. The rule is to evaluate your situation first, then try to put it out IF it's possible without risking life and limb. I tell ya, I'll sacrifice my tank in a heartbeat if that's where the cards lie. In my book, it's ALWAYS a good idea to buy three extinguishers. One main, one backup and one to discharge and get a feel for what an extinguisher does, how it sprays and how long it lasts.
Yes. Even in food service management, it was required training every year. We also had to inspect and sign off on extinguishers monthly. Have you ever seen the overhead sprinklers go off? What a mess and they don’t stop. Ansul systems get into everything. I will never forget PASS.
My home owners insurance requires a fire extinguisher within 10 feet of the wood stove. I do have 3, one in the living room, one in the garage and one in the kitchen. They can really come in handy in an emergency, but you do need to know when to give up.
 

Just grow it: Have you ever added CO2 to your reef tank?

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