Gloves when dipping hands in tank?

[NewReefAdventure]

I've not used gloves - I've debated it but honestly was more worried the gloves would be an issue (wasn't sure what they were safe)... and never researched enough to consider needing... though I do try to have my arm in there as little as possible to be safe too

 

[Silly clownfish]

25 years of reef keeping and I used to only wear gloves for moving rockwork, fragging, etc - heavier tank work. In the past 6 months to year I have developed a real sensitivity, getting poison ivy-like blisters on random spots of my hands and arms from water contact (not efen directly brushing coral or rock). The blisters last for a week or more and itch.

now I use the should length calving gloves, with dishwashing gloves over. And rubber bands to hold both in place. It is a royal pain, but the calving gloves seem to use alone and the dishwashing gloves are not long enough.

I have a pair of the yellow should length, heavy duty gloves, but they are too thick, and one-size-doesn’t-fit-all. I wear a women’s small or extra small glove and all of the really protective gloves seem to be made for large or extra large men…

hoping that my current hyper-reactivity to the tank is due to a cyano issue I am working on In my main mixed reef. I have no issues with putting my hand in my softie tank. Both have RBTA, which was one of my suspects.

 

[blazn]

When upgrading to a larger display tank 1.5 years ago, after handling all the rock, etc, I ended up with a fever and rash on my forearm, which ended up very itchy. I found that I had a small cut on my hand caused from rock I transfered that apparently caused a bacterial infection. That itchy rash lasted a week or more before it healed. For a couple months after, quite frequently the itchy rash would reappear after having my hands in the tank, even without an obvious cut on my skin. I then purchased Coralife Aquagloves and I use them now when performing water changes/maintenance. Although when performing tasks that require more tactile precision, I'll forgo the gloves. I've avoided any rash experiences since mostly using gloves. I certainly understand why people don't want to use gloves, as they are not convenient and can make tasks more difficult to complete, but after going thru a tank sourced infection, it's worth the protection. Not to mention it also reduces any pollutants from your skin entering the water.

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[waver]

I will use glove when im messing around with super glue - ive never done anything special otherwise, just dont line glued fingers

 

[Buildthereef]

Absolutely put gloves on every time my hands go into tank. Used to not use gloves and scratched knuckle on live rock. Didn’t think much of it at time but ended up getting infected. Had to cut out chunk of knuckle for biopsy and ended up on antibiotics for 4 months to kill infection.

 

[ArachnoJoozt]

I use gloves nearly every time, for shallow work the nitrile gloves, for deeper the calving gloves (but they are very prone to tearing/cutting from sharp corals.
The reason for using gloves is not for myself, but for the water quality. I use lotion against dry hands very regularly, don't want that to contaminate the tank. Water volume is not enough to think that it would dilute enough not to pose a threat.

Ready for some Zoa pruning lol!

 

[jasonrusso]

If Palytoxin was as dangerous as some people say, every LFS owner would be dead.

 

[Leonardo_]

Powderless nitrile gloves here in the farm, always. After some infections I learned the hard way.

Ow, and some safety glasses when fragging.

~Leo

 

[Reef Psychology]

Always use arm's length rubber gloves with tanks and nitrile gloves when fragging, using test kits or moving animals from bags.