who uses rubber gloves?

[johnny313]

I have read in a few posts that some people use rubber gloves in their tank. do you really have to wear them?

[tewkes]

Do you really have to wear a condom? safety glasses? Hard helmet? You see where I'm going.

I wear my Coralife aqua gloves that go up to my armpit everytime I'm in the tank for awhile. Especially when dealing with sharp LR, corals, etc..

When I can't wear those badboys (they are a bit bulky) I wear nitrile rubber gloves with rubber bands around the wrists to keep water out.

I've heard enough stories of weird infections that I'm not taking any chances.

Call me a sissy or whatever you want but I'm not going to the ER with some weird tank related disease.

We don't know what kind of bacteria lives in our tanks.

[BuddhaKiss]

I wear gloves (with the rubber bands) everytime my hands go into the water. Not so much as protection against my corals, but more for my corals protection of whatever I might bring into the tank.

[todd rose]

,

[calvertbill]

Originally posted by BuddhaKiss
I wear gloves (with the rubber bands) everytime my hands go into the water. Not so much as protection against my corals, but more for my corals protection of whatever I might bring into the tank.

ibid

[tgunn]

I wear gloves with the rubber bands on my wrists too.

After I put the gloves on I fill 'em up with RO/DI water and then give them a bit of a squish to ensure they're not mega-inflated. Then I put on the rubber bands. I find since there's already water in the glove, the rubber band is just acting to prevent saltwater from displacing the RO/DI water. I found with dry gloves water always found its way in.

I wouldn't exactly rely on this as a 100% measure but it seems to work well enough for me.

Tyler

[michellejy]

I always wear gloves. For one thing, I have two little ones in diapers, so I am washing my hands constantly during the day. I don't want to get any soap or lotion in the tank. For another, the girl I bought the live rock from when I first set up the tank handled the rock with no gloves even though she had brought some along. She ended up coming in contact with a bristle worm and her hand swelled up to about twice its normal size.

With little ones, I can't afford to not have two working hands to keep them out of everything. Also with little ones, I can't afford to replace my coral since most of my money goes to my kids.

[macchicks]

I dont but I have to get a pair. I got a frogspawn last month. Took a couple tries to find a good spot. The first night I went to the hospital having severe chest pains. No reason or cause found. I mentioned first time I handled coral.

A week later it fell from its spot and I set it back up quickly. I did not think that it was the cause last time. After about 4 hours I was having mild pain again. I have repeated this process with one other fall and one time I finally got the right epoxy to hold it. Both times I have had chest pains.

Get gloves. It cant hurt.

[tgunn]

Amber,
I found that after handling my frogspawn or hammer I don't feel well. Not as far as chest pains or anything, but just a general feeling of malaise.

I do the rubber glove and rubber band trick now; it prevents the slime from the hammer or frog from contacting my hands and thus I've never had a problem since.

Tyler

[Timbor]

I wear disposable gloves every once in a while - not if I put my hands in to target feed, but if I am moving lots of rock around, especially at night...

[Playa-1]

Kinda hit and miss for me. It depends on what I'm doing. If I'm handling liverock or corals I will usually wear gloves. If I'm using a Turkey Baster to blast off the rocks then I usually don't bother.

[petesreef]

I have never worn any kind of gloves in the sevenyears I've been reefing. But I have felt the little sting or irritation on my skin from frogspawn..I always wash my hands thoroughly before I put my hands in the tank, mainly for the corals safety. I'm a construction plumber and mechanic so I am in contact of a bunch of chemicals. Chest pains..hmmm..I just thought it was just the cigarettes, but could be!

[BlkfrontEnd]

I have never wore any gloves...

[MMOORE0324]

I usually wear disposable food grade gloves that I buy from a wholesale store. Mainly to protect my corals. I have sliced my finger open pretty bad on LR though. I was drilling it (out of tank) and I got a sharp piece and whew that baby was a bleeder!!! I have been thinking about getting some nice ones... but that $12 or $15 could get that pretty new frag.

[Playa-1]

Chest pains..hmmm..I just thought it was just the cigarettes, but could be!
That's funny, I thought is was the Chili Cheeze dogs with onion, and Jalepeno's

[LunarDDS]

I wear them ever since a patient asked me why my hands smelled like rotten fish. I had just reached into the tank to move my green slimer after it had fallen over. Some smells just don't go away easy. At least I have a good supply laying around.

[Dave VG]

I never wear gloves and have handled frogspawn, hammers, torches and all of my SPS and have had zero health issues. I have even cut myself while moving rock in the tank as well. Maybe I have just been lucky. I have thought about the long gloves just so that my skin does not dry out so bad from the salt.

[miniwhinny]

Never worn gloves...but I'm now suffering for it. Accidently got stung by my lionfish 3 weeks ago. The pain went after a few hours but now 3 weeks later I've got large sore red bumps where she got me. Not fun.

Pass me the gloves frm now on.

[robertifly]

Wear gloves Yes, touch live rock or corals that could harm me or I could contaminate NO. I'm not a pansy but the more I learn the more precautions I take.

[Nereaga]

Never worn gloves myself.... Call me stupid! Healthy as can be!

*** Knocks on wood quickly***

[Tswifty]

I only do it if I'm moving stuff around... especially if I'm trimming macro, rinsing sand, or aqauscaping. Was in a hurry last night, and rinsed some live sand with my bare hands... guess I hit a few bristeworms in the process... nice swollen and itchy today.

[jtreefdweller]

I would like to here your guys reasons for wearing gloves. Is it to prevent any infections in open cuts? To not infect the tank with any outside things? To not get cut or harmed by coral/fish?

I know a guy who worked at the LFS and his right hand got infected from working in the tanks with a scratch he had. He was in the hospital for a month. When he got out his cat scratched him on the other hand and he started working in the tanks again. Then that hand got infected and he was back in hospital for a month. Needless to say he doesn't work in the saltwater section anymore. But I think there was something wrong with his immune system.

[Lunchbucket]

Gloves ALWAYS. Have you seen soem of the pics of finger infections floating around here? YUCK!

Lunchbucket

[robertifly]

(D) all of the above

[psteeleb]

I have a pair - does that count?

actually I hardly use them but will always wash real well before I put my hands in the tank. If I'm rearranging rock I may use them.