The dangers of Reefkeeping

[graveyardworm]

There's been mention of the need for a thread with examples of some of the nasty things that can happen while reefkeeping which newbies should be aware of. So I thought I would start a thread which might become stickied that could be added to as things happen that deserve attention.

The danger of Metal Halide lights and your eyes (http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=712482)

Beware the dangers of zoanthids/palythoa and palytoxin (http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=158663&highlight=Palytoxin)

More about palytoxin (http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=158730&highlight=Palytoxin)

Mycobacterium marinum, an article everyone who puts bare hands in their tank should read. (http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-07/sp/feature/index.php)

I'm sure there's alot more out there feel free to add. Let's try to keep this more of an information thread rather than a discussion thread. Thank You :D

[crustin]

sometimes i get whelps on my arms and fingers that itch like hech after i been in the tank, usually takes about 3 to 7 days to go away, any ideas what this is ? dont have any right now or id post pic






/

[crustin]

bertoni, you ever seen this, it always go away

[Sk8r]

Crustin, you're getting stung by something. Brushing up against the rocks, it could be bristleworms, or an anemone. It could even be the relatively mild 'tacky' stings of euphyllia and other lps: once you get sensitized to them, the reaction can get worse. You might want to wear gloves for a while and see if you can get that cleared up. Worse, it creates sores that the saltwater bacteria can worsen rather than help.

[Sk8r]

Don't forget lionfish and rabbitfish: a painful necrotizing sting from the top fin, at least re the rabbits. A lot like a fiddleback spider bite.

[crustin]

thanks sk8r , but i got the gloves and i hate using them the deaper you work the more pressure on your arms, but yes everyone should use them

[Amphiprion]

Rabbitfish can sting you from any of their spinous rays--top and bottom.

[crustin]

my stings or whatever are not coming from fish, nor do i suspect corals, sometimes i dont touch anything

[weaselslucks]

i have a newbie story.when i was inhigh school i came home one night really late and tired so in the dark i grab my saline solution took my contacts out and went to sleep. The next day i put my contacts back in and drove my mother to the store. suddenly my eyes started buring out of my head. the pain was horrible.i couln't see or think straight. we went to the er and come to find out that bottle of saline solution i soaked my contacts in was actual the amonia indicator solution for my fish tank. it had a ph of like 14. burned the top layers of my eyes off. note to self keep eye stuff away from my tank

[Sk8r]

Ow, weasel!

And, Crustin, they do make super-thin disposable over the elbow gloves for---well, veterinary duties. Those wouldn't float as badly, and they'd give you some finger-sensitivity.

[crustin]

[profanity], now thats a story

[speeds5]

Good info for us noobs

[BMcCoy]

It really is good info and I agree that everyone should take precautions when working with this stuff. I do have a question on the palytoxin, Although I hope it won't get the thread off topic. A lot of times when I am working in my tank, I get drips on the hardwood floor. I usually just dry this up with a towel. I have a little girl that likes to run around barefooted as do I. Do you guys think that there would be any danger of these drips containing palytoxin even after being dry? I mean is there any danger of my little girl getting sick. Now I am pretty sure that she is not going to lick the floor:p but what about a cut on her foot or something?

Ben

[Fmellish]

And lets not forget this thread.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=873361

[bertoni]

I have gotten some red bumps once or so. Now I wear gloves. Annoying, but worth it.

[bill9999992]

Any stories about fires starting because of faulty wiring?


Bill

[mitlik1]

Do VHO's or T5's also cause eye damage?

[JekasaRabbit]

Oh yea, dont foget to keep your hair away from MH. Because as luck would have it, your hair does catch on fire if it touches MH:rolleyes: Note to self, dont wear my hair in a bun while working in the tank, cuz I will catch it on fire, burn chunk off, then have to shut the MH down to clean my burnt hair from the bulb.

[Tradewinds]

After reading about the possible dangers of toxic zoa's, I did a search and found this information, which bears repeating for all new hobbyists.

[dmarkham]

Also watch out for the tail of a Tang. I have seen someone get cut by one.

[Korrine]

If you drop something in the water that isn't supposed to be there and is plugged in, don't reach and grab it w/out shutting all electricity off on the tank. Otherwise, it could just be the last thing you do.

[bertoni]

There's pictures of fires from various forms of faulty equipment, including submerged heaters.

I haven't heard that VHO or T5 bulbs cause eye damage. I'm not sure I believe it.

[Cj923]

Good reading I just got scared straight on my way to buy gloves

[Stuart60611]

I personally had a wire get pulled out of a powerhead and catch fire under water. I was siting in my living room and saw smoke comming from the tank. I looked over at the tank and saw a flame literally burning under water next to a powerhead. I then noticed my saragassum swim close to investigate and then swim sideways into the rocks. A few seconds later my saragassum came out of the rocks, jerked a couple of times, and collapsed dead. I froze for a few seconds b/c I was so shocked (literally and figuratively) at what I was seeing. I had the good sense to then power down the system and then remove the powerhead after the electricity has been cut off. No physical injury to me, property damage or livestock loss except for my saragassum. I immediately invested in a proper GFI after this incident.

[Hoyden]

I think that the primary danger of reefkeeping is ... poverty:rollface:

[bertoni]

Electrical problems like that do occur. That's one of the reasons I use GFIs and ground probes.

[Dwerbs]

super helpful