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

[smokin'reefer]

We don't need no stinking gloves.

Hold my beer.

 

[The Farmer]

Always wear them when I’m getting down and gritty with my tank. I also wear gloves daily for work I’m used to having them on when working on things

 

[The Farmer]

Always wear gloves when I’m getting down a gritty with the tank. I also wear them daily for work I’m used to it

 

[kevin318]

I wear them a majority of the time. I don't wear them for me, I wear them for the tank to minimize contaminates entering this small eco system. I have Palythoa and when removing them I wear them 100% of the time. Don't want to get sick, not worth the risk.

 

[davidcalgary29]

When I first started in hobby (just a year and a half ago I did only because I saw an article that stated should) but after spending $40-$50 on a couple different pairs of gloves that never kept water out I said "nevermind!". I try not to touch the corals sometimes I do on the base but grab by the base of frag plug, have touched GSP many times with no issues can't kill that stuff or pulsing xenia.

Thirty bucks CAD$ on Amazon for tough, shoulder-length gloves. Flexibility and movement are really good and I haven't had any water incursions.

 

[gt44ever]

I wear them when I'm pulling macro because I know I have bristleworms. Most of the time, I dont bother but I wash my hands frequently and make sure to rinse and dry very well so I minimize risk to the tank. I also wash every time after i get my hands in the tank. I also shower immediately on the rare occasion I have to go for a swim.

When I use gloves, I use double layer nitrile mostly. If I'm going to be doing lots of work with rock or something glove abusive, I have a pair if heavy coated gloves that can take all sorts of abuse.

 

[RobB'z Reef]

I almost always wear shoulder-length gloves for anything to do with my tanks. I got a bit of a chemical burn a bit a few weeks ago with some of the dry chemicals for the Red Sea nitrite test, and it was a good reminder to me that aquarium-related harm isn't always found within the tank itself.

...

 

[DieHardPhotog-Reefer]

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?

I wear gloves about 95% of the time. There are moments when I reach over to lift a thermometer up or maybe pull some crusty salt creep off the edge but for anything else, it's gloves on.

My purpose is twofold:
1st. Most importantly, I'm more concerned with the oils, lotions, detergents and who knows what other residue coming off of my skin into the small ecosystem that is living in my aquarium.

2nd. 3-4 years ago, I got sick from the Chromis fish that my wife and I had in a small quarantine tank. I think the ammonia got too strong for the small space/closet where we had the QT set up. Every evening, after being in that closet feeding or doing maintenance with my bare hands, I would be nauseous. That was enough for me to end that process.

Now, with LPS corals being the 1st purchase to go into our rebirthed system, I plan to be even more cautious about what is touched and how it is handled afterwards.

We use the Coralife Energy Saver gloves that go up to the shoulder and some lower quality gloves for simple things like cleaning the skimmer cup or other moves that don't require a long reach.

 

[SeahawkMom]

The thought to wear gloves has never crossed my mind. Didn't even know that was a thing. I've never see LFS folks wearing gloves. This will make me think about it now. I've always wash my hands with soap before working in my tank, and then wash my arm and hands with soap immediately after. I do get the occassional light coral/anemone stings, or cuts and scrapes sometime, but they seem to heal fine.

 

[Cherie cook]

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

I would love to know what brand you use...I’ve bought some in the past that I paid a lot for, which sprung a leak after 2-3 uses.

 

[TriggerFinger]

I would love to know what brand you use...I’ve bought some in the past that I paid a lot for, which sprung a leak after 2-3 uses.

I don’t have any leaks; I do have issues with dexterity though. It drives me mad when I can’t feel what I’m doing. I have both of these pairs from Amazon. The red and blue pair have been in use for two years. The yellow is new and fit my hands better.

 

[Thornrose]

thornrose:

I had never used gloves in the tank when I hade a riot with my Montipora confusa last fall. It was all over the tank and I think I took out about half a sq meter and Montipora slime was everywhere. The morning after my right arm looked as the attached picture and after a couple of hours I felt sick and got fever. The fever left after 12 hours but spots were there for month. Now, I use a glove when cleaning out Montipora.

 

[davidcalgary29]

Jesus.. You guys are killing me. Your mother in law is a danger. Lol.

 

[lkriley]

I never used to wear gloves at all. But now my clown fish are larger and start trying to bite me when I reach in the tank. It didn't hurt at first, but the bigger they get the more it hurts and I don't want to bleed into the tank. They used to be so sweet and eat out of my fingers....So other than feeding I now wear gloves. I never had any issues with the zoos or palys.

 

[MichaelReefer]

After the horror stories of Bristle worms, I always wear the thick rubber dish washing gloves if I'm working in the sump or refugium.

 

[Acroporaguy]

I always wear them. I never used to, but I ended up getting a bacterial infection (Fish TB) while I was working in the livestock department at my LFS. Not a fun experience. Trust me, wear some dang gloves!!!!!

 

[Acroporaguy]

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.

Same thing happened to me. Fortunately 7 months of daily antibiotics got rid of it. I had a lesion on my finger.

 

[Cherie cook]

Yup...wait till he‘s exposed to palytoxin...or gets a nice case of vibrio.

 

[Sandhurst2121]

I'd never worn gloves until I cleaned out a cannister filter. Sores, blisters and a rash from finger tips to upper arms. 6 weeks under doctor with special creams. I now wear gloves just to dip a finger in the tank.

 

[Proteus Meep]

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

Always


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


Always unless you follow Lemmy's Philosophy



3. What brand and type of gloves do you use


Generally the Reflexx 12" nitrile gloves with an elastic band around the cuff to stop any water getting in, very tough glove so protects well and can be re-used several times