Clean Hands

[Kristy]

Ok, I've been wanting to post this thread for ages.

I modified my usual routine years ago and stopped wearing perfume on my wrist, with the assumption that at some point in the day my hands will end up in the tank. I also suffer from dry, wintry hands because I will only put hand lotion / body lotion, etc. on at night before bed so that I can wash it off in the morning.

I'm a bit of an OCD hand washer anyway and then do extra rinsing to make sure there's nothing on my hands for the next time I go into the tank. I once heard / read a story about a woman killing her fish because she still had a bit of soap on her hands after washing them. I worry about all kinds of things harming my water, corals, fish. Like deodorant (since it is not too uncommon for me to reach way down in the tank and be in up to my armpit).

So... am I the only one making all these accomodations? Is it even necessary? What do we actually need to worry about being on our hands and getting into the tank? I'd love to hear others' input.

[corruption]

You're not the only one -- I did it for many years as well. The ones that I've ever heard ancedotal evidence as to being major issues, are perfumes and anti-persperant deodorants... The anti-persperant variants use aluminum oxide as well as a couple other choice metals, if I recall correctly, to prevent perspiration.. These metals are where the concern comes in, AFAIK..

As far as soap goes -- I used to worry that one a lot, but it became very unfeasable for me (since my hands are constantly in contact with my wheels -- which are in turn constantly in contact with the ground.) For 4+ years now, I wash my hands regularly with soap, and have done so on many occasions just before going elbow-deep into the tank. I've yet to have a deleterious effect from the soap.

I think that a perfumed soap would probably be one you want to avoid, depending on what the components of the scent are. I tend to use the basic scented SoftSoap for my hands, but have also used dishwashing detergent -- never a negative that I've witnessed.

-Justin

[Europhyllia]

I use my own (made it myself) soap on my hands figuring the worst it could do would be to influence pH - not likely in the small amounts the soap would be anyway (as a residue after rinsing). No additives in that soap.
I also use plastic grabber tools if I just need to prod something around a bit or pick up a frag, etc. rather than sticking my hand in there.
And I don't use lotion anymore (just in case I forget)

[RayAllen]

This is great Kristy. Im also a OCD hand washer my self. Im also addicted to hand sanitizer. My hand just cant be clean enough.

Yesterday I was working on my 62 VW and changed out the fuel filters. Needless to say I had fuel all over my hands. I washed the heck out of them with Gojo mechanic hand cleanser, but even doing that I didnt touch my tank at all after yesterday.

I really want to get some gloves that go up to my arm pits just for the tank...

[tebstan]

I'm an OCD hand washer too. But I'm skeptical of this hand sanitizer fad. Sure it's convenient, and it kills germs. But it leaves the dead germs on your hand. Eeew.

[corruption]

Me, I'm a firm believer in the George Carlin school of sanitation thought... We have an immune system, that only gets stronger with practice. Why would I want to kill off germs, when they're what make me strong?

-Justin

[justahobby]

I use as hot of water as I can stand to rinse before arms enter the tank. I can feel my hands slicken up from the oils being rinsed away. My skimmer prefers this method. I don't suffer from dry hands though but I can see your plight. I use liquid detergent and wish they made concentrated dry detergent since I inevitably get the liquid on my hands. If a coral falls it has to wait until I can't smell the perfume on my hands. Justin, I'm glad you mentioned the metals in antipersperants.... I had no clue.

[twychopen]

Me, I'm a firm believer in the George Carlin school of sanitation thought... We have an immune system, that only gets stronger with practice. Why would I want to kill off germs, when they're what make me strong?

-Justin

+1

I only wash my hands after using the restroom pretty much. I go out in a machine shop part of the day and forget to wash my hands before I put them in my tank. Maybe I should be more careful but so far no problems. I figure there is enough water volume to dilute whatever it is that I have on my hands before making it toxic. Although, I make sure to never get any cleaning agent, such as glass cleaner or desktop cleaner, anywhere near the tank. If for some reason I have washed my hands with soap, and I want to put them into the tank right after, I usually run fairly hot water over them for at least 30 seconds. (studies have shown that not much actually happens if you do for less than about that time.)

[corruption]

Studies have also shown that soap, while will get the grit and dirt off with its scrubbing/solvent action, actually does very little in terms of antibacterial/antimicrobial disinfection. The moving (preferably warm-to-hot) water coupled with the motion of rubbing the hands together is the main source of this action.

Justin -- yeah, thats actually the key difference in marketing a deodorant as either 'deodorant' or 'anti-perspirant', is that the metals in the anti-perspirant essentially clog your pores on a microscopic level, temporarily blocking the sweat glands from producing. Deodorants purely mask the end result

-Justin

[Europhyllia]

Me, I'm a firm believer in the George Carlin school of sanitation thought... We have an immune system, that only gets stronger with practice. Why would I want to kill off germs, when they're what make me strong?

-Justin

Not to mention bacteria evolves in response to our germ killers as well. I'd rather keep it guessing and surprise it when I need to rather than have the bacteria kick it up a notch too.