Hands in tank vs gloves?

[MariahP]

Do you have a preference for wearing gloves when putting your hands in the water or nah? I usually go gloves because I put on hand lotion but it can really be a pain.

 

[Nano_Man]

There have been posts on here of a gentleman handling Zoas and palys and rubbed his eye He was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery
I think he is mostly blind in that eye.
Also another member spent time in hospital with a swollen hand he could have lost it and the infection came from his reef. We should all be wearing gloves when doing maintenance inside our reefs . But I am guilty of sometimes straight in without gloves. There’s that many toxins and bacteria in are reefs we should take more care imo
More info from @Fish Styx

 

[EgotisticObeseChihuahua]

Sometimes I wear gloves, and sometimes I don't. I wear gloves when handling fish or shellfish because I have a shellfish allergy; I don't want to disrupt my fish's natural slime coat either, but if its something like moving a coral, rock, or algae I will just use my hands.

 

[Stevorino]

If I know I will be touching rock, I wear thick cleaning gloves. I've had some pretty nasty injuries when I went in with no/thin gloves over the years.

I wear the thin medical gloves when handling corals/frags or if I worry my hands may not be clean.

If my hands are clean, then I don't bother if I am doing something like swapping out a powerhead or vacuuming something out of the tank.

 

[NeedAReef]

gloves, unless they go up to the elbow still means you in the water and such, plus the glove will likely have a gap near your wrist and let some water in once submerged since the seal won't be watertight. That being said, handling certain palys without them, especially with an open wound might not be good for your health. depends what you have in the tank I imagine

 

[Sleeping Giant]

I'm usually bare, unless I'm removing GHA by my anemones then gloves go on.

 

[Mschmidt]

gloves most of the time. but I get frustrated with the lack of fine motor control I have.

 

[LandLockedJones]

Best practice of course would be gloves on at all times when handling the tank.

But personally, I hate the loss of feeling through thick gloves. I can work with nitrile gloves, but they tear easily and fill with water.

I have shoulder length gloves now, but rarely find myself using them as I become an even bigger bumbling fool with those on.

 

[Joekovar]

No gloves. I keep out of the tank if I have any cuts.

I keep a bottle of thin superglue next to the tank I case I have a cut and an emergency requires me to get in the tank, the thinking being I can seal the cut with superglue before going in.

 

[Marquarium]

I never wear gloves but I definitely should be. I didn't rubber band my wrists or anything so water still gets in the gloves I use, figured what's the point

 

[Ghostweim]

Gloves here - for many reasons! Just don't want to take any chances. I have heavier rubber ones for going deeper in the tank and short exam gloves for dipping corals, changing out floss and cleaning equipment. Those little bristle worms hide and can irritate your skin.

 

[fish farmer]

I rarely use gloves in my tank, while I'm at the ocean fishing, while I'm freshwater fishing/swimming, occasional use at work (trout hatchery) but usually when working with chemicals or cold conditions.

I try not to put my hands in the tank or use gloves when I have a cut or tender spot, got stung once by my hammer.

 

[exnisstech]

I have shoulder length gloves but rarely use them. I just try to wash my hands before and after. I've never been able to work well with gloves on even when I was wrenching for a living. I don't know how surgeons do it.

 

[ESABOE]

There have been posts on here of a gentleman handling Zoas and palys and rubbed his eye He was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery
I think he is mostly blind in that eye.
Also another member spent time in hospital with a swollen hand he could have lost it and the infection came from his reef. We should all be wearing gloves when doing maintenance inside our reefs . But I am guilty of sometimes straight in without gloves. There’s that many toxins and bacteria in are reefs we should take more care imo
More info from @Fish Styx

As someone on weekly chemo, protection is critical. My problem as a new reefer is finding the right full arm gloves for a petite woman where they don’t go over my head and more importantly the fingers aren’t huge - cause you have to be able to pickup small things on the sand and rocks sometimes and tongs/tweezers aren’t working,

Ok seasoned reefers - looking for recommendations on actual product I can purchase!

Thanks OP for bringing up the topic

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I usually don't wear gloves. I make sure my hands are clean of anything oily though before sticking them in my tank.

 

[slingfox]

I usually wear my full arm length gloves. This was hard to make the switch but after a few mo the I am very used to it now.

 

[MariahP]

As someone on weekly chemo, protection is critical. My problem as a new reefer is finding the right full arm gloves for a petite woman where they don’t go over my head and more importantly the fingers aren’t huge - cause you have to be able to pickup small things on the sand and rocks sometimes and tongs/tweezers aren’t working,

Ok seasoned reefers - looking for recommendations on actual product I can purchase!

Thanks OP for bringing up the topic

I’m also a petite woman with small hands! I ended up getting these and they’re okay - still a bit big but not horrible.

Amazon.com

 

[Shaina Carey]

Gloves here - for many reasons! Just don't want to take any chances. I have heavier rubber ones for going deeper in the tank and short exam gloves for dipping corals, changing out floss and cleaning equipment. Those little bristle worms hide and can irritate your skin.

Oof. That's going to make me get some thick rubber gloves

 

[ESABOE]

I’m also a petite woman with small hands! I ended up getting these and they’re okay - still a bit big but not horrible.

Amazon.com

Notice they don’t offer size small - ugh!

I have these. Fingers are ok, not great but problem is they don’t go up to armpit and are open at end.

The hunt continues.

https://a.co/d/ixp8fZ8

 

[herozero]

Gloves every time. Sharp rock, sharp algae, zoo or paly toxin, coral chemical warfare, plus my hands always have something dinged (dogs, gardening, drums, DIY), there's just too many things that can go wrong. I find I have plenty of fine motor control with fingers personally but to each their own.

AT LEAST Elbow length or **** IMO lol

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