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Unread 08/20/2015, 05:52 PM   #45
Sk8r
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Spokane WA
Posts: 34,628
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Ideally, yes. It also depends on type of coral, and your tendency to put your hands into the tank for every minor thing (don't!) and on a variety of circumstances including possibly your own body---although there is a profound difference between a sensitivity (which some reefers do get in repeated exposure!) and a toxin (an outright poison which will affect every person thus exposed). Many corals exude chemicals to which we can become sensitized. TWO or at least a few species of palythoas (palys) which closely resemble zoanthids (zoas) ---aka buttons---are highly TOXIC, ie, poisonous. If you work with palys, you should avoid palythoa heliodiscus and palythoa toxica---the two species this thread has uncovered (read the whole thread!!!! including the pix) that are the prime problems. There may be others. Look at the pix. See if you have one of these two types. If you do, I would, frankly, get rid of them, by some same means of disposal that does not involve exposing your eyes, nose, hands, or breathing fumes or getting splashed with the liquid.

As to the advisability of goggles---while fragging anything, especially with a dremel, yes! living coral in the eyes is not good. Wear glasses or goggles. If handling corals, even gentle hammer---yes, wear gloves. If you are going to be (as lfs owners are) dipping your hands into your tank multiple times a day---exposure even to the water in that frequency is not good: wear gloves.

The best gloves for sensitive operations are nitrile exam gloves, your local pharmacy, even grocery. If you have a wound or hangnail, rubberband the wrist of that hand so it stays dry while you work.

When pipetting or starting a siphon, use methods other than mouth for suction, especially if you have zoa-types in the tank.

These are basic precautions that can keep you happy and healthy in the hobby, and your corals will also be happier --- they have tiny stinging cells that get ripped from their tissue by our finger-ridges and pores, and they're much happier not having to 'heal up' after a human has fingered them bare-handed.


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Sk8r

Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low.

Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.
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