OH NO! Got a drop of paint in tank

[Sharkey18]

So I am painting the back of my tank today, using min-wax oil based glossy black paint.

 

All was going fine until a drop of paint fell off the brush into the sump.

 

I had a towel in my hand and almost immediately was able to soak up MOST of the paint droplet as it was dispersing on the surface. ( It was oil based so it floated).

 

I've added a poly filter and the skimmer is running.

 

Here is the BEST news: My return pump was off! Hallelujah! ( I was in the middle of a water change and had the pump off while waiting for salt water to mix a bit more.... )

 

So right now any paint residue that I did not get out right away should be contained in the sump.

 

Suggestions?

[epleeds]

good question. I would think it would be best to drain the sump completely and then add carbon once you fill it back up. but im sure someone with more knowledge then me will chime in.

[flooddc]

That's suck!!!!

Do you have poly filter pad? it suppose to absorb any chemical product in your tank. LFS or know anyone that work in hospital.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=10421&cmpid=11csegpl&ref=6111&subref=AA&CAWELAID=525409262&catargetid=1570170725&cagpspn=pla

[Sharkey18]

Yup, added a poly filter.

 

Am also thinking about draining sump, but that's another 100 gallons. Ugh.

[Der ABT]

you can always do some quick surface skimming by barely submerging a tupperware to try and soak up the oil

[Origami]

Surface skim and run the skimmer. Add a bag of carbon if you haven't already. Mechanically clean it if it's on the walls of the sump. If it's only a drop or two, I think you'll be fine.

[basser9]

Always want to have a good supply of high quality micron bags on hand the right

set of bags would take the oil right out of the system as it passes over the overflow

and into the bag.

This site has some nice 7in wide bags down to .5 microns.......get a mix of them.

 

http://www.dudadiesel.com/search.php?query=%2Bfilter+%2Bbag&i=filterbags

[Coral Hind]

I wouldn't worry about one drop that you already cleaned most of it up. It's diluted with about 500g in your system and the skimmer would remove most of what is left.

[CaptainRon]

One drop? If it were me, and I was quick enough to dab up most of it like you said you already did - I'd move on with life - I can't imagine it'd do much, even if the whole drop was in there.

 

It can't be any worse than when I dropped a remote in a temporary tank I had setup years ago. I didn't notice the remote until hours later. When I opened the remote, it looked like parts of the "electronic bits" had disintigrated. But the tank and it's inhabitants were fine.

[Sharkey18]

Wow, thanks everyone.

I was able to get probably 90% out right away. I decided to empty 80% of the water from the sump as an extra precaution.

 

Poly filter is floating on top, no color change.

 

It just means I will do a larger water change than I was already planning. Was in the middle of a 30g change, just increased it to 100g. Figured a nice big water change is never a bad thing....

 

Now, back to watching paint dry.....

[basser9]

I worked at sher/williams in balto making/mixing paint there was some pretty nasty stuff

i mixed in there.

Alot of very toxic metal hardeners added to make the paint tougher......could with out question

crash a sps tank........if it was I i would get some bags.

Edited January 22, 2013 by basser9

[zygote2k]

I worked at sher/williams in balto making/mixing paint there was some pretty nasty stuff

i mixed in there.

Alot of very toxic metal hardeners added to make the paint tougher......could with out question

crash a sps tank........if it was I i would get some bags.

I worked for SW too back in the day, but honestly I wouldn't worry about 1 drop of paint. You got it out and put a polyfilter in. That's enough. Hind is right about the dilution issue and if you were worried about it, a bag of carbon would be fine.

FWIW- to soak up oil on the surface, use paper towels. Just lay them flat and they'll soak up anything on the surface.

[Sharkey18]

All looks good today. Thanks for the help!