Help Have to bomb house for flea

[axlerod]

Is there any other precautions i should take besides covering my tank with plastic. i was going to cover my tank in plastic and leave the lights off so it doesn't melt the plastic

[Hemmie]

Make sure all filters and pumps are turned off WHILE you're bombing. They'll suck the stuff into the tank. After things settle, you can turn them back on but keep things covered. You can use a blanket insted of plastic if you're worried about the lights.

Remember that anything in the room....nets, basters etc will have to be washed. Keep all your fish food put away. Make sure the implements you use are stored (cutting board, knives, make-up water).

If you need to get back into the room to do anything, wear a mask (a towel over your face is fine).

If you have a flea problem, try Advantage. It kills all the fleas on the animals, and the ones in the house will jump on the animal and die. It takes maybe a month to rid the house of the fleas, but it's safer than bombing.

It's that time of the year!:eek:

[frankk]

I second the use of Advantage.

Had a serious flea problem years ago, for which no amount of bombing, dipping, or yard insecticides were of any help.

Tried the Advantage on the dog, and noticed most were all gone in only three days... I now use the stuff every summer and never have a problem.

[tony]

Where do yall get this Advantage stuff? I got four dogs and we need to use this stuff before it get out of control.

TIA
Tony

[Hemmie]

You have to get it from a Vet but I think you can get it online too. Do a Google search.

make sure it's the brand name ADVANTAGE, there's a lot of copy cats out there.

[axlerod]

We use advantage just did not put it on it time i my self haven't had any flea bites but my 3 year old daughter and wife wake up with a couple of new bites each day. but then again we live out in the sticks and have 2 dog and 2 cats so that stay out all day.
If i shut off all my pumps for the day the lights will have to be shut off because i won't have no flow thru my chiller with no chiller and flow tank temp will be up around 80 to 90 easily i'll leave my power heads in side the tank running for circulation. i was hope that with the tank totaly covered in plastic and the sump under the stand covered in plastic i could leave my main pump running and just shut off my protien skimmer

[ginntonic74]

You can go to you lps and get bio spot. It works better then frontline and advantage. It kills the eggs and larva as well as protect against mosquitoes. And it is cheaper then those as well.

[Flanders]

I wouldn't do it, especially if you have crustaceans. The flea poison will probably kill them even if a tiny bit gets in your tank. If you do a search on flea bombs + shrimp you'll probably get an idea.

I would try a carpet powder first. I have friends who had the worst flea problem I've ever seen and they were able to get rid of it with a carpet powder and advantage.

Using a blanket sounds like bad advice to me. I would seal with plastic if you're going to do this.

[jiperalta]

If going the bombing route, tight seal with plastic and use lots of fresh carbon to give yourself half a chance.


I would opt for the advantage/bio spot route. Much better for people, pets and tank

[baron_vonklyff]

I have heard of people using an air pump to provide aereation for the tank. However you have to run an air hose outside to pump fresh air into the tank, and then an air stone in the tank to provide maximum aereation.

Cover the tank with a plastic tarp if possible, and make sure that all corners are secured. This will generate a positive pressure inside the covering and will therefore keep all hazardous chemicals out. You will also want to cover your sump and refugium if you have them.

Finally, if you are using a closed loop system, you can leave that on. Closed loops do not expose the water in the lines to the atmosphere, and therefore you can keep good circulation in the tank while you have it isolated.

Good Luck!

[glaudds]

If you decide to bomb the house, you might want to try to run an air line (using a compressor or air pump) in from the outside to aerate the tank. It also may create some positive pressure inside your plastic sealed tank which may lessen the chance of the fogger getting to the water.

[glaudds]

Hey baron,
My thoughts exactly! Beat me to it:D

[biomanjcs72]

I've done this before, both flea bombing, and bombing in presence of tank.

You can buy "roach powder" at Lowes, Home depot, etc.
THis stuff is Boric Acid and is used as a preservative in several foods. (you can also make a buffering solution with it (boric acid that is, not the roach powder, which has all sorts of contaminants, afterall, it's supposed to be a poison right?), but I'll leave that one to Dr. Holmes farley-)

OK, get you some roach powder and sweep it into all carpets, couches, bed mattresses, chairs, anything else that has fabric/fluffy/foamy type matrix that flea larvae can live in.

Also sweep it lilke sweeping compound across hardwoods, etc, and into corners, baseboards, (you may want to wear a mask here as it gets really dusty, also the tank should have already been covered W/ a couple of layers of beach towel, etc equally thick filtering type fabric, and air pumps/inlets definately turned off

Run caulk lines (of the powder) around the backs of cabinets, baseboards that aren't caulked, etc.

Let it sit for a day (in the carpet and fluffy stuff that is) and vacuum up like normal.

You've left enough behind that your house is now flea proof for about the next year or so. (and yes, it's safe for kids to be around in this form, much more so that bombing residue, IMO...)

The boric acid kills the flea larvae, breaking the reporductive cycle, which is the main cause.

THe advantage, and other stuff is great to keep them from picking said critters up in their daily outside routines.

And if you are set on bombing, don't seal tank W/ plastic, we all know what happens to children who are sealed in plastic, any questions.. Use thick beach towels, or bath towels, two, three or four layers thick, make sure they are heavy anough to dampen down any fabric gaps (it's probably permissable to tape ends of towels down/together, but the idea here is gas permeable, filtering membrane) Cover all sumps (in same manner as tank), fugies, turn off all AIR pumps, and block/close any air inlets (like to a venturi skimmer or something)

You can actually leave a few power heads on for circulation, etc.

I've done it and didn't lose my crabs or fish, or any percieved detriment to the tank or inhabitants, but I dind't have any Expensive/Old corals in there.

I did always do a carbon flush immediately after as well.

Hope that helps.

edit:

I really like the idea of the positive pressure from an outside air hose. "boy in the bubble" So I thrid of fourth that, whatever this is...
-Jcs-

[axlerod]

THANK YOU for all your help and idear's I myself didn't want to go the bombing route I'm going to try the roach powder. i'm not looking forward to covering fish tank, bearded dragon cage and moving the bird for the day out. at least i won't have to wash every thing in the house again thank you