Controversy: Hands in tank

[Anonymous]

reefland wrote:

'I think some of you are a bit paranoid'

:lol:

i agree

fwiw-while there have been some documented cases of disease transmission from aquaria to people(t.b. included). the incidences are very rare-given the amount of bare hands placed in tanks.

i rinse my hands and arms with fresh water only before placing them in my tanks-and make sure my nails are trimmed(sharp edges)-that's all.my hands have been in tanks thousands of times(also while working at lfs's),both fresh and salt water, with cuts on fingers,arms, etc.with never any problems-if anything, small cuts seem to heal faster after a few dunks in s.w. tanks!

as long as you don't have any possibly dangerous residues, like solvents, etc. on your hands (mechanics, etc.) you should be fine!

(but then again-when i get a small cut, i let my dog lick it instead of running for the mercurochrome! 8O :wink: )

LeoR wrote:

'Hands are also psychologically stressful to inhabitants'

:?:

1-how have you determined this?most of my fish ignore me completely-not only that, but i've found that some fish are more easily caught by hand than by net!(they seem less frightened by my hand-used to amaze my customers, too 8O )i've had fish eat right from my fingers, and let me pet 'em, too.
2-a turkey baster is not?why would that be :?

 

[Anonymous]

I hear a lot of talk about these "grabbers" and "pokers" and clear "skewers" for feeding. Where do you get these items? I want some!

try the search words "acrylic feeding prong" at your favorite mail order supplier.

My anemone and green frillies get fed with mine.

po

 

[SPC]

Posted by IcToO:

I hear a lot of talk about these "grabbers" and "pokers" and clear "skewers" for feeding. Where do you get these items? I want some!

-The grabber I ordered from my LFS, mine is made by Ehiem and is well built. The skewer I made myself out of a pc of rigid air line from the LFS.
As far as hand washing goes I just wash my hands like I do before I eat supper.
Steve

 

[Ben1]

I also just rinse my hand with fresh water before taking the plunge. Although I do admit that gloves do help against some thing, as mentioned before attacking clowns for one. "Palythoa species are known to produce so-called palytoxins that are extemely toxic, particularly if there are any breaks in the skin...it is always wise the wear gloves when handling zooathids and wash your hands after words" TRA volume 2 Sprung, Delbeek If your fragging or have sensitive skin gloves may be helpful to some people. Who knows what other toxin corals could have. JMO

 

[DEADFISH1]

i try to keep my hands out of my tank as much as possible. when i do stick my hands in the tank, i wear disposable gynocologist gloves. the gloves are thin enough to allow the feel i need when workng with frags and cover all the way up to my shoulders.

"the gloves are thin enough to allow the feel i need"
gee, thanks, that's more than I really wanted to know about gyno. gloves. 8O

 

[clwnphish]

Rob2 i dont think that is oils or anything that is just your skimmer, i have had a seaclone and IMO they are garbage, from what i hear though with some mods they can be okay.

After hearing all this stuff I may start to wear gloves, my sohal tang loves to nip at the little airbubbles that get caught on the hairs of my arm. I usualy just rinse my hands and dry them with a paper towel, i think i will start to just use latex rubber gloves. I always wash my hands afterwards though. I used to be like monkeyboy and throw my hands in when ever, but now that my reef is starting to become a real reef im being more cautious.

Ben whats with the zoanthids, there slime?

 

[Anonymous]

Rob2 i dont think that is oils or anything that is just your skimmer, i have had a seaclone and IMO they are garbage, from what i hear though with some mods they can be okay.

After hearing all this stuff I may start to wear gloves, my sohal tang loves to nip at the little airbubbles that get caught on the hairs of my arm. I usualy just rinse my hands and dry them with a paper towel, i think i will start to just use latex rubber gloves. I always wash my hands afterwards though. I used to be like monkeyboy and throw my hands in when ever, but now that my reef is starting to become a real reef im being more cautious.

Ben whats with the zoanthids, there slime?

the oils on your skin temporarily alter the surface tension at the air/water interface(bubbles' skin)in the skimmer-hampering the ability of the bubbles to remain intact(works like the opposite of detergent/soap making lather)-this will happen to varying degrees with all skimmers

 

[clwnphish]

Then why is it when I stick my hand in my 30 or 125 my skimmers still foam like crazy afterwards. If it hasnt made foam in 3 weeks thats probably soething other than your oils.When I had a seaclone the first day or two it foamed, after that nothing

Clwn

 

[Anonymous]

Then why is it when I stick my hand in my 30 or 125 my skimmers still foam like crazy afterwards. If it hasnt made foam in 3 weeks thats probably soething other than your oils.When I had a seaclone the first day or two it foamed, after that nothing

Clwn

'this will happen to varying degrees with all skimmers '

the effect may not be as noticeable in better, more powerful skimmers. they also remove the oils more quickly,the cause is nonetheless, the oils /substances on your skin, and not the skimmer. you can prove this with a small experiment-remove the top of the skimmer(collection cup), and place your hand in the reaction tube directly-i'll bet you see a change in the bubble density, even if only briefly

 

[clwnphish]

I think Ill pass, dont feel like getting sludge and such on my arm.

I dont mean to get into a battle here, but if that is the case with the seaclone, I still would suggest getting a new skimmer.Stick your hand in the tank and have to wait more then 3weeks to pull something out.

clwn :wink:

 

[texman]

As far as catching anything from the tank, unless you are handling very sharp objects or things that will punture skin directly (will probalbly also puncture latex gloves - I have had sharp edges of bone puncture my double gloves many times during surgery) I would not worry about it. People that chronically handle fish with open wounds on their hands very occasionally develop infections from rare organisms such as vibrio. Generally, the stuff that lives in your tank will not like a human body as a host and will die immediately. The reverse is also true. 99.999999% of the bacteria that live on your skin (which will not generally die after washing with plain soap since they live inside your pores) will die upon immersion in salt water. Frequently, I tell people with minor infections of their hands or feet to soak them in salt water (epsom salts or the ocean) which cleans the wounds up faster than anything that I know of. The only bad things that may be introduced from hands or arms are toxic chemicals which some people may be handling. As far as reducing the foam on a skimmer for a few hours secondary to the oils on our hands, who cares? I do not think that lack of skimmer function for a few hours makes any difference whatsoever. Putting a little frozen food in the tank will do the same thing!

 

[wombat1]

Coralife sells em for about twice what you can get them for in a good hardware store. I got 36" aquatongs for 35 bucks and then saw them at ACE a week later for 19.99. For a skewer I just use a wooden dowel and rubber band a plastic drink stirrer to it . A toothpick would work too. A lot of this stuff you don't have to buy, just be inventive.
As far as hands in tank, I rinse em in the sink real well then rinse em in a bucket of old tank water. The only times I have to stick my hands in the tank I'm usually doing a water change anyway. I don't consider using gloves "nuts", just more cautious than most. Better safe than sorry. Now using a plenum, well that's just plain psychotic

 

[Ben1]

Clwnphish, I'd assume the palytoxins come from within or on the zooanthids, Im sure the slime they release when cut contains them. That was a qoute directly from TRA V.2. It didnt specify any further into this matter.

 

[rob2]

Thanks all. I may just have to give up on the Seaclone.

??

 

[esmithiii]

I rarely wash my hands before putting them into the tank. I don't work on car engines or anything so not much to get them that dirty.

I do scrub them when I'm done with the tank as dried salt makes my arms itch a bit.

I think some of you are a bit paranoid... but whatever makes you happy.

Ditto. I have cuts from handling rock in my tank as we speak.

A quick look at your skin and tank water under the microscope makes it obvious why exposing each other to alien microorganisms is not a great idea.

Aquariums are closed systems which differ from the natural environment, so this is not comparable to taking a dip in the sea.

Long tongs, scoopers, glass cleaners, basters and cups make putting hands in the tank completely unnecessary.

Hands are also psychologically stressful to inhabitants.

I think you are out there, man. I disagree completely.

Ernie

 

[Phillyboy]

I wash my hands, but gloves...please.

I got open cuts regularly...since i was a kid in fact.
you're nuts if you think I'm worried about getting infected by my reef. I know enough about science to know this is not a realistic possibility.

I think it's a good idea to run a little carbon all the time. After all , our closed systems are constantly subjected to alien particles and chemicals frome the home environment.
there's a million chemicals our tanks ar e subjected to....carbon can't hurt.

 

[Nelliereefster]

I think I've solved the problem.

Before I stick my hands in the tank, I rinse them with jet fuel, then rubbing alcohol, then witch hazel, then a mud bath, then I have my cat lick them clean.

After all that, I apply ten coats of quick-drying liquid rubber (the kind used to cover the handles on pliers and hammers and wrenches.

Then I close my eyes and hold my breath, then stick my hands into the tank, but I don't inhale.

Hope that helps all the sanitation neurotics

 

[JeremyR]

My hands are in tanks all day heh. Gloves? Too much trouble. The only times I wear gloves are when I'm putting away fresh live rock. For the home aquarist, gloves are purely personal preference IMO.

The few times I have wished I was wearing gloves were when I picked up a rock and felt something squishy and squirmy under it... followed by me turning it over and seeing a nice, fat, 12" bristleworm fully fuzzed up and my fingers covered in the fuzz. That's always pleasant

 

[esmithiii]

I think I've solved the problem.

Before I stick my hands in the tank, I rinse them with jet fuel, then rubbing alcohol, then witch hazel, then a mud bath, then I have my cat lick them clean.

After all that, I apply ten coats of quick-drying liquid rubber (the kind used to cover the handles on pliers and hammers and wrenches.

Then I close my eyes and hold my breath, then stick my hands into the tank, but I don't inhale.

Hope that helps all the sanitation neurotics

LMAOROTF!!!!!

Ernie