Poll: Do you use gloves when working in your aquarium?

[GaryP]

Check with a large animal vet or feed store for the disposable gloves that come up to the elbow. I don't like the thicker tank gloves they sell at the LFS. They are not long enough and to thick to have any tactile sensitivty. I sometimes use nitrile gloves when gluing args. It keeps the glue off your fingers and the oils on your skin off the frags.

[cbianco]

GaryP

I saw these at www.drfostersmith.com . http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...2004&Nty=1

A bit overpriced for the quality IMO. I supposed if someone really wanted a pair they could go for them though. BTW they also have the heavy duty gloves there too.

Christopher

[GaryP]

Like I said, they are a lot cheaper from a vet. Also, everyone I have talked to didn't like the heavy duty ones because of the lack of sensitivity.

My best suggestion is to keep your hands out of the tank as much as possible. I have a pretty good selection of tank tongs and long forceps I try to use whenever possible. I also found some long, rigid 3/8" tubing that I am going to start use to siphon with when doing water changes. That's the one time I am in the tank the longest and now I have a solution for that. I heated the tubing with a cig lighter and put a very nice 45 degree bend in it so that I can get into caves and crannies to siphon. It will also hopefully prevent me from knocking off corals every time I get into the tank. I'll have better visibilty and dexterity with the tube when I am in front of the tank then when I am on a step ladder standing over the tank with my arm all the way to the bottom. The flexible tubing also has a tendency to move around in the tank and knock off recently mounted frags that have not yet encrusted. I hope this new system is better.

[CD]

Check with a large animal vet or feed store for the disposable gloves that come up to the elbow

Hmmm. I'll probably end up going with those if I can't find any *non-disposable*. Too bad there isn't something in between the bulky/thick rubber gloves and the thin disposable. The thickness of a regular pair of dishwashing gloves would be perfect...not so thick to where you can't even feel the frags your holding, but thick enough to keep from getting punctures the first time you pick up a piece of LR. This is SAD. There's got to be some decent full arm gloves out there somewhere!

Wendy

[GaryP]

I said elbow, but I meant the ones that come up to the shoulder.

[cbianco]

CD

Is there ever a happy medium... lol!

BTW if you find that happy medium be sure to let us know!

Christopher

[falcondob]

I use gloves. Too many stories of infections and toxins for me. The gloves are cheap insurance.