{evil laugh} a Halloween suggestion: we've got a lot of strange things...

Sk8r · 10/16/2011, 01:15 PM

...turning up in tanks. Wear gloves.

Srsly, aside from the season, it IS a good idea. Getting a pinky-full of bristles, stung by corals, or worse, a rabbitfish, etc...is just nasty. And a mysterious sting and very painful swelling can involve the ER, and ER folk who are not used to the notion we have stingy-things and toxins in the marine world. The number of things in your tank that are able to harm you through a nice pair of examination gloves are relatively few...and most of those, like rabbitfish, are pretty visible hazards. There are also some really nasty bacterial infections you can pick up in open cuts---so wear protection.

FishAddict87 · 10/16/2011, 01:37 PM

I was wondering if wearing latex gloves would harm the water chemistry. I ask this because there usually is some type of powder on the inside of the gloves. I would really appreciate it if you can answer this for me because I hate sticking my hand in there and not knowing what may sting me

spieszak · 10/16/2011, 01:45 PM

You can buy the powder free, which is advisable... but its more advisable to get the longer ones that run further up your arm.

FishAddict87 · 10/16/2011, 01:51 PM

Good idea thanks

disc1 · 10/16/2011, 02:01 PM

The powder is talcum powder. Magnesium silicate. There's some links between silicate and diatoms, but aside from that it's nothing that will hurt your tank.

Sk8r · 10/16/2011, 02:21 PM

I've always used the cheap exam gloves, from the supermarket pharmacy, and never had any problems (lps reef, growing and healthy)---

Another word to the wise: PARTICULARLY when you are handling brand new live rock or a new speciman rock, gloves are a good idea. There are many things that hitch their way in via holes in the rock, not all of which you would like to touch or feel wriggling against your hand....eh?

Also it's kinder to your specimens: your hands come in with oils, even hand-lotion, perfumes, soap residue, etc; that's one; plus corals and nems spend a lot of food-energy making those little harpoons (nematocysts) and they REALLY don't like to use them: they're expensive for the coral or worm (bristles). If you think you're hurt, the coral isn't feeling so good either, having to make more. Besides, get stung often enough and you can get so sensitized to coral stings you swell up like a very red and sore balloon. I knew one lfs owner that disregarded this advice and had to ask other people to reach into the tank for him. Since corals shed into the water---even this was getting to him; so be nice to your specimens, your fish, and your hands, and take this precaution; likewise, never cut a coral (fragging) without eye protection. Living tissue injected into your eyes is not good.

Be smart, be safe! Macho is no defense against a toxin.

spieszak · 10/16/2011, 02:32 PM

and even if the wiggling stuff against your hand will do no harm, dropping the rock could do plenty.....

I shy away from the cheap exam gloves because of how many I've torn... dish washing gloves for me (rubber bands at the top so they don't turn into water balloons)...

10/16/2011, 01:15 PM	#1
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	{evil laugh} a Halloween suggestion: we've got a lot of strange things... ...turning up in tanks. Wear gloves. Srsly, aside from the season, it IS a good idea. Getting a pinky-full of bristles, stung by corals, or worse, a rabbitfish, etc...is just nasty. And a mysterious sting and very painful swelling can involve the ER, and ER folk who are not used to the notion we have stingy-things and toxins in the marine world. The number of things in your tank that are able to harm you through a nice pair of examination gloves are relatively few...and most of those, like rabbitfish, are pretty visible hazards. There are also some really nasty bacterial infections you can pick up in open cuts---so wear protection. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

10/16/2011, 01:37 PM	#2
FishAddict87 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: NY Posts: 412	I was wondering if wearing latex gloves would harm the water chemistry. I ask this because there usually is some type of powder on the inside of the gloves. I would really appreciate it if you can answer this for me because I hate sticking my hand in there and not knowing what may sting me __________________ 90 gallon Softie LPS Current Tank Info: 90 full reef

10/16/2011, 01:45 PM	#3
spieszak Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 1,877	You can buy the powder free, which is advisable... but its more advisable to get the longer ones that run further up your arm. __________________ I'm new to this saltwater thing, all comments should be taken with a BUCKET of salt! :-) -Stacey

10/16/2011, 01:51 PM	#4
FishAddict87 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: NY Posts: 412	Good idea thanks __________________ 90 gallon Softie LPS Current Tank Info: 90 full reef

10/16/2011, 02:01 PM	#5
disc1 -RT * ln(k) Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Little Rock Posts: 9,705	The powder is talcum powder. Magnesium silicate. There's some links between silicate and diatoms, but aside from that it's nothing that will hurt your tank. __________________ David Current Tank: Undergoing reconstruction...

10/16/2011, 02:21 PM	#6
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	I've always used the cheap exam gloves, from the supermarket pharmacy, and never had any problems (lps reef, growing and healthy)--- Another word to the wise: PARTICULARLY when you are handling brand new live rock or a new speciman rock, gloves are a good idea. There are many things that hitch their way in via holes in the rock, not all of which you would like to touch or feel wriggling against your hand....eh? Also it's kinder to your specimens: your hands come in with oils, even hand-lotion, perfumes, soap residue, etc; that's one; plus corals and nems spend a lot of food-energy making those little harpoons (nematocysts) and they REALLY don't like to use them: they're expensive for the coral or worm (bristles). If you think you're hurt, the coral isn't feeling so good either, having to make more. Besides, get stung often enough and you can get so sensitized to coral stings you swell up like a very red and sore balloon. I knew one lfs owner that disregarded this advice and had to ask other people to reach into the tank for him. Since corals shed into the water---even this was getting to him; so be nice to your specimens, your fish, and your hands, and take this precaution; likewise, never cut a coral (fragging) without eye protection. Living tissue injected into your eyes is not good. Be smart, be safe! Macho is no defense against a toxin. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%. Last edited by Sk8r; 10/16/2011 at 02:26 PM.

10/16/2011, 02:32 PM	#7
spieszak Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 1,877	and even if the wiggling stuff against your hand will do no harm, dropping the rock could do plenty..... I shy away from the cheap exam gloves because of how many I've torn... dish washing gloves for me (rubber bands at the top so they don't turn into water balloons)... __________________ I'm new to this saltwater thing, all comments should be taken with a BUCKET of salt! :-) -Stacey

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