Sewage Backup

MayoBoy · 05/15/2006, 12:20 PM

We had a sewer back up into the furnace room. That's also the room that holds the sump, RO/DI, etc. (The display tank is on the other side of the wall). The skimmer was half full last night; this morning it was going nuts like it had ChemiClean in it or something (and all the skimmate ended back up in the system).

I've changed the carbon but my main question is what can I use to clean the floor? It's bare concrete with toilet paper, and the other stuff you would imagine would come out of a sewer. Bleach water is going to get into the air and into the tank so that's probably out. Anyone have any ideas on what to use to clean the floor that won't harm the tank? Right now I have fans blowing to dry everything out but it needs to be cleaned and sterilized for health reasons.

omni2226 · 05/15/2006, 01:19 PM

disconnect the hoses to the sump, cover and seal/tape it with a plastic bag. Clean up the mess then remove bag and hook it back up.

omni2226 · 05/15/2006, 01:20 PM

If I wasnt lazy I would insert links to threads on other forums were people have done this while fumigating for termites, painting, resanding floors etc etc.

MayoBoy · 05/16/2006, 05:14 AM

Thanks - I didn't even think about that - I was concentrating too much on the bleach.

To add insult to injury (or in this case, injury to insult), while cleaning up, a filing cabinet slipped, landed on my foot and broke my big toe in 2 places.

I hate Mondays.

05/15/2006, 12:20 PM	#1
MayoBoy Movin' on Up Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Webster Groves, MO Posts: 2,282	Sewage Backup We had a sewer back up into the furnace room. That's also the room that holds the sump, RO/DI, etc. (The display tank is on the other side of the wall). The skimmer was half full last night; this morning it was going nuts like it had ChemiClean in it or something (and all the skimmate ended back up in the system). I've changed the carbon but my main question is what can I use to clean the floor? It's bare concrete with toilet paper, and the other stuff you would imagine would come out of a sewer. Bleach water is going to get into the air and into the tank so that's probably out. Anyone have any ideas on what to use to clean the floor that won't harm the tank? Right now I have fans blowing to dry everything out but it needs to be cleaned and sterilized for health reasons.

05/15/2006, 01:19 PM	#2
omni2226 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Middle Florida Posts: 774	disconnect the hoses to the sump, cover and seal/tape it with a plastic bag. Clean up the mess then remove bag and hook it back up. __________________ I know enough to know I know nothing. Current Tank Info: 55 Marine. 29 Freshwater planted.

05/15/2006, 01:20 PM	#3
omni2226 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Middle Florida Posts: 774	If I wasnt lazy I would insert links to threads on other forums were people have done this while fumigating for termites, painting, resanding floors etc etc. __________________ I know enough to know I know nothing. Current Tank Info: 55 Marine. 29 Freshwater planted.

05/16/2006, 05:14 AM	#4
MayoBoy Movin' on Up Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Webster Groves, MO Posts: 2,282	Thanks - I didn't even think about that - I was concentrating too much on the bleach. To add insult to injury (or in this case, injury to insult), while cleaning up, a filing cabinet slipped, landed on my foot and broke my big toe in 2 places. I hate Mondays. __________________ Getting sucked back in slowly but surely. Current Tank Info: 27 gallon freshwater planted cube. Amazonian biotope