mold resistant paint in the fishroom

I had hoped to get my new fishroom painted before the move-in, but as these things go....it didn't happen. So, I'm still trying to decide how I want to paint it.

I've been looking into mold-resistant paints and paint additives, and it looks like this stuff (3-iodo-2-propynyl Butylcarbamate‎) is one of the better options http://www.homedepot.com/p/M-1-1-5-oz-Advanced-Mildew-Treatment-AM1-5B/202967359

But, as I read the MSDS on it, I realized that this stuff is quite toxic to fish. Well, I'm not planning on putting it IN the tank and I will be draping the tanks and stands with plastic sheeting before I paint.

But what I'm wondering is if this stuff will be volatile in the air until the paint dries.

Anyone have any experience with this product?

Use skills with not problem and also added (wife) eucalyptus to the room??? Supposed to capture moisture???


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chriscoli said:

But, as I read the MSDS on it, I realized that this stuff is quite toxic to fish. Well, I'm not planning on putting it IN the tank and I will be draping the tanks and stands with plastic sheeting before I paint.

But what I'm wondering is if this stuff will be volatile in the air until the paint dries.

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My guess would be yes, and, frankly, I would suspect that it may off-gas even after drying (this is only a guess knowing that, for instance, there are spray-on insulating foams that will off-gas small amounts of toxic chemicals for potentially years after curing). I would call the company and see what they say if the MSDS makes no mention of it.

Easier solution for you may be to make sure all walls are done with greenboard... not mold proof, but it is resistant, and meant for high humidity rooms. That plus a plan for removing humidity from the room in the first place (fans, vents, etc.) seems like it could be every bit as effective as mold/mildew resistant paint.

Jmty said:

Use skills with not problem and also added (wife) eucalyptus to the room??? Supposed to capture moisture???


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Click to expand...

Wait... are you saying that a eucalyptus plant can help to dehumidify a room??

too late at this point to do greenboard. The new wall that went in was done in greenboard, but I'm not able to do the rest of the already existing walls that way.

jasonC,according to wife yes,room been up for 2 years the paint skillz or the eucalip. doing the magic trick. ??? I BELIEVE THE PAINT,don't tell my wife.

chriscoli said:

too late at this point to do greenboard. The new wall that went in was done in greenboard, but I'm not able to do the rest of the already existing walls that way.

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There's another post on here about how green board is useless. The paint is what's important. As for releasing toxins I would contact the company as mixing with paint might change the way it reacts.....also, mention specifically what paint etc....so they can give you a better answer.


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I think KillZ primer is mold resistant.

You'll also want to do a topcoat (if you want color) with a paint designed for use in bathrooms.

I honestly never thought about repainting my fishroom. The room was already painted because it was originally a bedroom, I was just glad to not have everything white. I'm hoping by keeping the room dry enough I won't have to worry about mildew, I guess it could be a few years before I'll really know.

What about doing wallpaper? They've used it in bathrooms, so I'm sure some is at least semi-mold resistant. Its a decent amount of work, but if it ever had any growth, it could be removed and re-papered. Though it might give a space between the paper and wall if not installed properly. Can you use epoxy pain on drywall?

I would suggest going with a washable paint. If you get some mildew you should be able to wash it off with soap and water. Then try not to get mildew or molds by simply keeping the humidity below 70%. I do that with a bathroom type exhaust fan at both ends of the fish room plus a small dehumidifier from Sears that is really to keep the boxes I have stored in the same room dry. With the air conditioning on in the summer there is never a problem. In winter the humidity is always low. There are only a few days in spring and fall where the humidity get to 70 or so. But the real problem is if the humidity gets to 80, then you start seeing mold or mildew on the walls. I have had no problem in 10 years with mold or mildew except in the cabinets above the counter top. I leave them open to get circulation and that seems to solve the problem.

The only other problem is that if you have a wall that is not insulated well and cold seeps through a wall of the fish room, that wall will have condensation on it in the winter, and you will get mold. IF that is the problem, the only answer is to build a wall on top of the old wall to give it better insulation.

Frank, you've really hit on my two main concerns. Since we've just moved in, I'm not yet sure how the room will "behave".

There are lots of nooks and crannies and I'm looking for some extra insurance against funk growing in the corners where there's little air circulation. I've got some fans going for circulation, but there are a lot of nooks.

Second is that I'm not sure how well the external wall is insulated. I agree, if there's a problem, I may need to add some sort of layering to the wall to boost the efficiency.

I should also add that I'm really on the watch for mildew....I've been rapidly developing worse and worse allergies to molds and would like to be able to enjoy my fishroom without itchy eyes....and that's not even mentioning the effects from the scarier types of molds out there.

Christine,

If you really want to make it less likely to get molds and mildews, you probably should go ahead in add a layer of insulation inside the whole room and get rid of any windows. Windows, even of high r valves, still get condensation. BTW circulation with a fan only causes more condensation if you get condensation anywhere. And then you find you have to fill up the tanks again weekly because of high water evaporation. Oh and do not forget the ceiling. If you have a roof over the fish room the ceiling can become a condenser if the ceiling is not well insulated. But that can be cured with more insulation in the attic.
I would recommend you think of the room as a styrofoam box that is being shipped in winter. Anyplace for heat to get out will be suspect. If you can make the room resemble a styro, you have it made.

Cold water pipes running through the room or behind walls can drip with condensation in the winter.

Sounds like a nightmare. But proper planning and execution will give you a mold free fish room.

BTW, the exhaust fans I use serve to remove humid air, but also bring in fresh air from the rest of the house, guaranteeing a good turnover of air in the fish room. And if you get good exhaust fans they are not very noisy. One way to make them less noisy is to put the fan in the attic about 2 or 3 feet above the attic floor. You will never hear them then. And these two exhaust fans I use provide sufficient air movement to prevent mold and mildew throughout my fish room. But then my fish room is in the basement that has wall all underground. One fan exhausts to the chimney and the other to the attic. Both use 4 inch flexible hose.

Thanks, Frank. There are many other things that I'm doing to improve the room.

My original question is about people's thoughts and experiences using that paint additive.

I used to do professional mold remediation for a living... With multiple companies ....

Save your $$ on mold resistant paint... Invest in a high quality dehumidifier , not available at Home Depot ... And have no worries

Low humidity = no mold
Mold will grow on everything regardless of wether or not the surface says mold resistant ...

Just my two cents

Happy to recommend dehumidifiers


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good to know.

Already have a big dehumidifier.....doesn't seem to be having trouble keeping up with the room.