Managing real reef risks: Do you pay attention to the dangers in your tank?

[Peace River]

Managing real reef risks: Do you pay attention to the dangers in your tank?

Palytoxins, fish that sting, electricity and water, and many other dangers lurk in our reef tanks. Sometimes reef keepers pay careful attention to these risks and other times reef keepers hardly seem to take any precautions at all. What about you – do you pay attention to the dangers in your tank? Please tell us about your aquarium risk-based habits and feel free to share any best-practices with the R2R community!

Photo by @kruley


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[BiggestE22]

Try to be cognizant of the fact that we reallly don’t know 99% of the types or organisms and bacteria that are in most reef tanks. Would never put my hands in a tank with any open scratches or cuts on my hand and arms. Also wire management is extremely important. There are other concerns as well.

 

[Dburr1014]

100%
Should have seen me removing cinnamon pallys with my PPE on.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Me and my wife said we will never have pallys due to the toxins they can produce

 

[Dburr1014]

Me and my wife said we will never have pallys due to the toxins they can produce

I think every pally has a different toxin level. For instance the green ones are the ones everybody hates because I think they are very toxic, but the cinnamon brown ones don't have a whole lot. At least that's my theory.

Edit;
In hindsight, I do have a respiratory virus right now. It started a few days after I switched everything over to my new tank.

 

[exnisstech]

My precautions are to wash my hands before and after. I pluck palys with my finger nails. Bright green, brown, grandis I pluck them all. I don't eat them and I wash my hands when I'm done being sure not to touch any part of my face. I have never been able work with gloves on so I never wear them. If I was as scared of my tanks as some folks seem to be I just wouldn't have them. That said I have a high tolerance for risk and am not overly cautious when it comes to my own safety. Just the way I've always been. My actions are not a recommendation

EDIT: I do try to use normal precautions around electricity but am not always succesful

 

[billyocean]

The only thing I even really consider a danger is a tanks worth of SW all over the floor

 

[JustAnotherNanoTank]

The electricity part of it cannot be overly stated how careful you should be every time you go to reach into your system. Always do the “touch touch” test. Don’t just go arm length right away!!!

 

[JustAnotherNanoTank]

Oh and also, I’ll never do palys or zoas anymore. I’m good.

 

[clownaround4giggles]

I think every pally has a different toxin level. For instance the green ones are the ones everybody hates because I think they are very toxic, but the cinnamon brown ones don't have a whole lot. At least that's my theory.

Edit;
In hindsight, I do have a respiratory virus right now. It started a few days after I switched everything over to my new tank.

Wait so should I be concerned if I have one large neon green paly amongst my zoas?

 

[Dragen Fiend]

I'm guilty and still guilty that I wear no protection. I also have scratches constantly due to owning a cat lol.

With that being said I've had times where I felt a bit sick for several hours after working on a tank. But this could also be me having some form of reaction to the saltwater itself. I do wear gloves at least now after seeing what paly's can do.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

Common Sense and the Understanding of the animals we keep is good practice. I think it fosters good husbandry.

 

[DED65]

My only precaution is making sure that my dogs don’t have any access to the area until I have cleaned and disinfected.

 

[Dburr1014]

Wait so should I be concerned if I have one large neon green paly amongst my zoas?

Just be aware.

 

[Amber.]

I will never own Palys or Zoas. My LFS’s owner has gotten sick multiple times cleaning and servicing his clients tanks. He refuses to work on any more tanks that contain them. He also has ONE section in his store where he sells them but keeps a note on the glass warning of these dangers. (With a face mask and PPE hanging on the side of the sale tank).

For electricity, I hold a longtime standing of if my hands are in the water, nothing is to be plugged in. I do not even trust the KASA smart plugs to turn off my equipment when I’m servicing anymore. (It turned my surge protector back on when my hands were in the tank and I got zapped pretty bad.)

I have all of the equipment for one tank on one surge protector and the lights plugged into a separate protector. I just unplug the equipment surge protector out of the wall when I’m going to be servicing and I know I’ll be O.K.

 

[shakacuz]

i take into account dangers, but don't over exert myself thinking too much about them

 

[ReeferZ1227]

I pulled a rock of pallys and a goniastrea out two days ago. I promptly dawned my PPE which was a pair of flip flops, went to the garage, chizzled the goniastrea off and then put the fractured remnants on frag plugs. Im just cautious to not rub my eyes. Minimal risk i suppose.

 

[Waters]

Only thing I really pay attention to in my tanks are the venomous fish.

 

[ylreefer]

Well, tonight I was helping a club member rescape his 4ft water box, quite a bit of work that went on for hours. We both wore a thick set of rubber gloves and that’s about it. (Sps/Lps) only. I know there will be reefers who are like “Come in”. But trust me, There are a lot of things in our rocks that you do not want in your hands.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

I pulled a rock of pallys and a goniastrea out two days ago. I promptly dawned my PPE which was a pair of flip flops, went to the garage, chizzled the goniastrea off and then put the fractured remnants on frag plugs. Im just cautious to not rub my eyes. Minimal risk i suppose.

As in dish soap, for them PPE ya got there? Think Godfather, Don, just sayin. Atleast u were safe.