Gloves: When to use them and when to skip them?

[revhtree Verified Admin]

I must admit that I've never been a big fan of wearing gloves in the tank although at times I wished I had! Today let's talk about what you do and the appropriate times when to wear gloves!

1. Do you wear gloves when working in your reef aquarium?

2. When should you be wearing gloves if not all the time?

3. What brand and type of gloves do you use?

 

[mtfish]

I have been sticking my hands in the ocean since before I can remember (I think!). I work as an environmental biologist in the bays. I have been cut by oysters, barnacles; stuck by hardheads. Bottom line, I think my immune system is working well and I have not gotten sick (yet). Now I do have good knowledge on the stuff that can make me sick (ie. Vibrio's; staph) so I do not suggest anyone follow my footsteps. I have knowledge of persons getting very sick and even dying while fishing and getting an infection. This is a risk assessment each person must make. For me, I never wear gloves while in my tank. I do wear a glove on my left hand when shucking oysters!

 

[vlangel]

1. Do you wear gloves when working in your reef aquarium?

I must confess that I never ever have worn gloves. Even when I was an aquarium tech for 5 years for a lfs I never wore gloves.

2. When should you be wearing gloves if not all the time?

Just because I have never done it does not mean that I don't think gloves are a good idea sometimes. Palys and zoa's have toxins in them that I believe can be dangerous. So if a tank has palys and zoa's that are being pulled from rock or plugs where those toxins can be released and possibly enter the body (through a break in the skin, or rubbing of eyes or mouth) it is probably wise to reduce that risk with gloves. Also a friend of mine got fish tuberculosis from a humu trigger by not wearing gloves. That was almost 20 years ago and she faithfully wears gloves now.



3. What brand and type of gloves do you use?

 

[LRT]

I try to wear them when I clean my trays it never fails I end up with scrapes and cuts. Cuts do sting for awhile and after seeing some of horror stories about things people catch from reef id rather be safe than sorry.
Also try not stick my bare hands in system if I can absolutely help it in fear of introducing a contaminant.

 

[725196]

1. Do you wear gloves when working in your reef aquarium?

Rarely. I have a pair but have not even gotten them wet yet, so I guess never.

2. When should you be wearing gloves if not all the time?

I am sure I will find I time I should have worn them, after the fact but I guess if I ever needed to remove any rock work.

3. What brand and type of gloves do you use?

mines with fingers... I don’t know the brand, the are lab gloves that are chemical free.

 

[DWPhilli]

I try to wear gloves whenever possible, mostly because I seem to always have cuts somewhere on my hands.

I use the normal lab gloves when working with frags, and the long thick yellow ones when I have to reach down to the bottom.

 

[mattdg]

I rarely ever wear gloves, in tank. They get in the way and since I can't feel what I am doing, coral get's dropped, bumped, pushed around in a manner that is more harmful than wearing no gloves at all. As for toxins, I am aware of the risk when it comes to certain fish, urchins and coral and maintain my distance. When fragging toxic coral, outside of the aquarium, I do wear latex gloves, mask and eye protection.

I am very careful with how often I put my hands in the tank in a given week. I make a list of what needs to be done in the tank, throughout the week and perform all 'hands in tank' duties on one day. I also keep vinegar water in a spray bottle, near each tank. I spray down hands and arms, scrub and wipe off with a beach towel dedicated to tank duties. I am very careful on the day to not use any lotion or clean around the house with chemicals. It has made me more cognisant of the potentially harmful chemicals we use around the house, swapping almost all of of them out for natural alternatives.

 

[TriggerFinger]

Gloves every time. Shoulder length for tank maintenance and latex for touching frags, rocks etc

 

[piranhaman00]

Ive let bristleworms stab me and I do not have a reaction. Therefore, I do not wear gloves when doing anything.

 

[kenchilada]

The only glove I wear is covered in sequins.

 

[CMMorgan]

I prefer to wear gloves - typically nitrile, doubled if I am doing any heavy cleaning.
I have a few reasons:
1 - not to pass any cross contamination from my hands into the tank from things like hand sanitizer or cleaning supplies.
2 - working in an aquarium exhibit previously, we had to wear puncture proof gloves as protection from the lion fish - I guess the habit stuck.
3 - protection from little zaps

Each there own... just my best practice. I do not use them to chamge socks but I do turn off my pumps before I change them.

 

[JaimeAdams]

Well take it from the guy who got a mycobacterium infection from the tanks at work. followed by the surgery and 9 months of antibiotics. You probably do want to wear gloves.

 

[KrisReef]

1. Do you wear gloves when working in your reef aquarium?
I didn't use to but recently bought some long-armed gloves to keep my dirty self out of the tank.

2. When should you be wearing gloves if not all the time?
If you are going to be in for an extended length of time it is good for your skin to avoid frequent immersion as well as reducing pollution introductions into the tank.
3. What brand and type of gloves do you use?
l am trying out a few different brands and don't have a favorite to recommend.

 

[gentlefish]

I do not wear gloves, its a personal choice. I think its a leftover from Scuba diving, I wear hardly any protection. It helps me not to touch anything or at least know its there before breaking anything. Got stung by fire corals a couple of times... but protection of the reef is more important than personal comfort.

 

[Roosterjack]

I tried the long orange gloves but they are a pain in the neck to put on and almost always end up getting water in them.

I should wear the nitrile gloves when I adjust corals, and sometimes do.

 

[Billldg]

I mainly wear nitrile gloves when I feel the possibility for cross contamination is possible. Especially when I am doing maintenance between tanks.

 

[Midrats]

No need. The skin on my hands is like leather from hauling around on halyards.

 

[RobB'z Reef]

Gloves are for snowflakes

 

[RobB'z Reef]

Ive let bristleworms stab me and I do not have a reaction. Therefore, I do not wear gloves when doing anything.

 

[TheDuude]

Only Sailors use those!!