Careful bout them HANDS!

[nanoambiance]

Alright. Just curious, please add to my list of no nos and your "pre tank maintenance precautions". I know I'll learn something, and would like to hear how others prepare.
I make sure I have thoroughly washed my hands in hot running water, no soap, to get off any and all residues that have been on my hands/arms in the previous hours or so, before I'll put my hands in my tank. I forgot to add that I use non powdered latex gloves so nothign under my fingernails gets in either. If I ended up using any products, I'll avoid maitenance because to my knowledge:
Soaps
Cleaners
Chemicals
Hand Lotions
Cologne and body sprays
Can all kill your inhabitants, kill water quality.
OK. YOUR TURN GANG. ADD AWAY. What do you do before you stick your hands in, and anything else to add to list of water quality killers?

 

[fender]

How about putting on a pair of clean rubber gloves or use aquarium tongs instead. To protect you and the critters.

 

[rockies]

I use a pair of rubber gloves.

 

[tagg]

Another no-no.
Don't use arisol deoderent, cleaners, hair spray, etc. etc etc.
Any palce in the house.
Tagg

 

[broomer5]

Soap and warm water wash - warm water rinse - towel dry.
That's how I wash my hands :yes:

 

[krishj39]

If you are smoker be sure to wash those hands really well before you stick them in your tank. We don't have any concrete proof, but my friend and I think that his tank crashed twice because he didn't do that.

 

[dan-in-den]

I wash with Ivory bar soap because it is the easiest to rinse off and leaves no residue. My eye doctor told me that since (as all contace lens wearers know) it only takes a miniscule amount of soap on your hands to ruin your entire day when putting in contacts

I would guess that fish feel the same way.

 

[mouse03245]

I may be wrong but I dont dry my hands with a towel. It may have soap or fabric softner on it. I personally use paper towels, one roll for household and one just for the tank

 

[asbury030]

Originally posted by krishj39
If you are smoker be sure to wash those hands really well before you stick them in your tank. We don't have any concrete proof, but my friend and I think that his tank crashed twice because he didn't do that.
Yea my dad is a smoker and he put his hand in there and my tank crashed

 

[tagg]

Originally posted by mouse03245
I may be wrong but I dont dry my hands with a towel. It may have soap or fabric softner on it. I personally use paper towels, one roll for household and one just for the tank
I use paper also.
Tagg

 

[kelkoolaid]

I wash with soap up to elbows, rinse well, then I use rubbing alcohol, wipe it all over my arms. Rinse well again, dry with paper towels.
I read about the rubbing alcohol on a website or forum. Its worked well for me so far. Would like feedback if this is not a good way. Also when cleaning out milk jugs for RO water I rinse well and clean with 1/2 vinigar 1/2 water. LFS said it would kill anything that might be left in jug.
i have one left handed rubber marine glove, I use it for moving LR and corals.