Is This Safe?

[dgwebster]

*just so happens i have a marine tank with an 8ft man-eating shark in it i want to stick my arm in...

the other half keeps telling me that the *salt swimming pool is NOT an aquarium though... pah.

*if only

 

[Nallen]

Seems like some of you don't stick your hands into the tank at all... How is this possible?

I do it all the time When redecorating, cleaning the filter, etc...

 

[Qays]

I fail to understand too!

The tank dirt doesnt affect me at all
but bloodworms make me cringe!

 

[Taridan]

putting your hands in the water is totally nasty. theres all kinds of disgusting things inside the tank, like poop, decomposed food, decomposed plant matter, little tiny bacteria, algae(which smells), etc. i never do it without a watertight glove.

Ever been swimming in any of the local ponds or lakes or streams or creeks or rivers? I'd much rather stick my hand in a tank that i -know- what is in it than go swimming in the local river which has goddess knows what in it.

 

[lisa_perry75]

I think the main thing with washing your hands after putting them in the tank is cos of the bacteria in the tank. It can get into you mouth if you then ate. I know your stomach acid rids you of some, but not all and really nasty bugs can still get through...

 

[newfishaddict]

just dont wash your hand before you go sticking it in the fish tank(soap + fishies = )

I do not agree at all, I use soap all the time, you just need to rinse VERY thoroughly to ensure no soap is left on your hands...Soap is harder to rinse of than most people would think, I rinse with agitation for about 20 seconds with warm water to ensure no soap is left.

I think the main thing with washing your hands after putting them in the tank is cos of the bacteria in the tank. It can get into you mouth if you then ate. I know your stomach acid rids you of some, but not all and really nasty bugs can still get through...

It is not that some bacteria can survive Ph 2.0 stomach acid (except Helicobacter pylori) but that the bacteria can get through your stomach in food that is pushed through to the small intestine...

All this washing of hands...I stick my hands straight in and afterwards will often just dry them on my jeans with no ill effects, and I have super sensitive skin and suffer from Eczma. I doubt the average skin has anything really to worry about in FW.

Obviously the reef tanks seem to contain any multitdue of critters carrying venom so you have to be more careful about what you are doing...

YOu can introduce endospores if you dont wash and this can have a negative effect on the substrate and its flora, this is very rare though. Washing your hands before and after with a thorough rinse is a good idea. If you have had no problems that means nothing...N=1 statistically...

Wash your hands with soap, wash off the soap thoroughly. dry your hands, then stick them in.

I do it all the time because im never happy with my layouts !

AGREED!

putting your hands in the water is totally nasty. theres all kinds of disgusting things inside the tank, like poop, decomposed food, decomposed plant matter, little tiny bacteria, algae(which smells), etc. i never do it without a watertight glove.

there IS "poop, decomposed food, decomposed plant matter, little tiny bacteria" on the food you eat regularly. This might be "icky" to you, but the risk to human health is negligible.

 

[Spader]

thanks for the tips!

 

[newfishaddict]

thanks for the tips!

No problem..
Are you getting an algae eater to eat algae? or just cause you like the fish? If it is to eat algae dont bother, I would control your algae using other means....

 

[andywg]

YOu can introduce endospores if you dont wash and this can have a negative effect on the substrate and its flora, this is very rare though. Washing your hands before and after with a thorough rinse is a good idea. If you have had no problems that means nothing...N=1 statistically...

N=1 + every lfs employee I have ever encountered. I'm also fairly sure that every member of TFF I have met in real life is not worried about washing their hands everytime before they put their hands in the tank.

Endospores are primarily found in the soil. I am fairly sure I would not put my hands straight into the tank after I have been digging holes with my bare hand and as a result the main risk of this is diminished somewhat