Do you stick your hands in your reef tank?

[ReefReadyYouTube]

There are a lot of mixed feeling about this subject. Some people say to not put your hands in your tank ever and if you have to wear gloves. I’ve read but not putting your hands in your tank you can increase coral growth. While on the other hand some say it’s completely fine to put your hands in your tank as long as there’s no soap, lotion, or any contaminants. What do you think? And do you stick your hands in your tank?

 

[S2G]

I think anything over my wrist and my current skimmer goes off the rails. Nothing else is affected

 

[Jimbo662]

I usually just put my hands in maybe once a week. When I do I was hands / arms with soap and rinse very well.

 

[Hemmdog]

I try not to. But when I do I wash and dry my hands and arms at least twice before putting them in the tank, just hot water no soap. I do see better growth when I haven’t been in the tank for anything in a few days. I wear the big gloves if I’m working with liverock or palys.

 

[ccombs]

I worked with no gloves in my tank when I was battling algae and doing daily manual removal. I just made sure to be thoughtful of not getting any chemicals (cleaners, finishes in wood shop, etc.) on my hands for a few hours prior and then washed really well before getting in there. I did not notice anything negative.

 

[Kellie in CA]

Only if I have to. I have some long tweezers that I use for almost everything.

 

[motortrendz]

I do all the time, when I need to anyway. I do use long forceps or tweezers when I need to reach something in the rocks, I always make sure my hands are clean and dry before. So far so good. Only got poked once a long time ago by a vermitit snail tube, that was a debacle and a bad infection. Which is why I use tools if I need to reach for something (usually a frag the fell or a piece of a colony a fish broke off, and made into a frag lol)

 

[Nate h]

I will put my hands into my tank, but I always try and use my grab tool. If I do put them I wash and rinse them off the best I can.

 

[MTBake]

If something needs to be done in the tank, I dont think twice about taking care of it. Not sure how maintainence could be done without sticking hands in the tank to be honest. How else would you pull a pump out for cleaning that has been suctioned to the glass?

 

[Scurvy]

I do but as infrequently as possible. Once a month maybe. Sometimes it’s inevitably the only way to do something.
Gloves only when working in the Fuge cuz I know theres bristle worms in there I cant see.

 

[Halal Hotdog]

A little confused about the topic. People take precautions to different levels, but every reefer I have ever known puts hands in their tank. I don't see away to avoid that.

 

[ReefReadyYouTube]

A little confused about the topic. People take precautions to different levels, but every reefer I have ever known puts hands in their tank. I don't see away to avoid that.

I know of some people who only use Long tweezers or forceps to move or take stuff out of the tank instead of their hands.

 

[Halal Hotdog]

I know of some people who only use Long tweezers or forceps to move or take stuff out of the tank instead of their hands.

I see. Interesting, I can't even imagine doing this successfully, but my tank is 72" x 24" x 24". I do have forceps and different grabbers that help me, but I am usually at least wrist to elbow deep to reach all the corners.

 

[dopey]

I try not to..

but it's mainly because the bristleworms. Have this fear of accidentally touching on when near my rock

Going to wear the thickest gloves I can find when moving the rock to my new tank.

 

[Nalini Akolekar]

I try to keep my hands out of the tank as much as possible, but i have a hard time finding tweezers long enough to be helpful in my deep Waterbox. Evertything I see is stainless steel and gets rusty even if cleaned and dried. Any recommendation?

 

[WVNed]

almost every day

 

[ReefReadyYouTube]

I try to keep my hands out of the tank as much as possible, but i have a hard time finding tweezers long enough to be helpful in my deep Waterbox. Evertything I see is stainless steel and gets rusty even if cleaned and dried. Any recommendation?

Plastic twisters

 

[Dragonreef202]

Yes I do stick my hands in my tanks. I do use gloves on my hands so I don't allow lotion and the soap that may be on my hands.

 

[NanoDJS]

Everyday multiple times a day , in 3 tanks that are plumbed together , and in the QT and Nano also , going like this for a few decades

 

[Qasimja]

i do but i have aqua gloves the kind that cover your whole arm