Gloves vs. bare hands for maintenance

[billyocean]

Long gloves aren't a bad idea...I never use any. Plus...if you need to randomly deliver a calf you're good to go already

 

[mousehunter]

New to a reef system, have always used bare hands in my planted tank. That said, infections are a real issue. A man I used to fish with spent a month in the hospital (a good part of that in ICU) due to an infection he got while baiting a hook - almost lost his arm (the "flesh eating bacteria"). I lucked out with my anaerobic infection. Got to the Dr and my BP was 70/50, but the drugs he gave me worked well and fairly quickly - was fine in 2 days. Best friend from grade school spent a week or two in the hospital with his anaerobic infection. While I can only guess what cause our 2 infections - pretty sure it was working around livestock.

For me I was working in a chicken coop, then later that day took a fall and bruised my shin. Next day my boots rubbed on the bruise. Was barely conscious day 3. I always suspected it was a combination of the dirty pants and the hard strike on my shin - but it is possible the rub of the boots is what broke the skin barrier.

 

[soreefed]

I wear gloves when handling and moving rocks/corals. It keeps my clowns from biting me and keeps whatever is on my hands out of the tank. I see too many things I don't want to touch when I check out my tank at night.

I’ll put on gloves to change filter floss cuz bristles sometimes end up in there.

 

[Reef Puncher]

if i were to be grabbing and moving rocks all around sure wear gloves but to just simply dip your hand in why in the world would someone put gloves on. such a waste of time. unless you have open cuts, no need. to glue a frag down, or move some sand, or grab a coral, no reason for gloves. only needed if grabbing rocks which could have something on there that may cut ya.

 

[Joe Sifuentes]

I use calving gloves with a rubber band up around my bicep/armpit. I also use powder free examine glove over the top of the calving glove and I also put a rubber band around it at my wrist..
This is the best combo for gloves that I found to work for me.
I do marine maintenance so my arm is in water quite a bit. If I don't use them I break out with a rash..