Just a couple things

[lillys Grandad]

Hello everyone...plankton and old knarled codfish alike.
As a newbie myself I have learned a great deal so far...some the hard way and others through this forum proactively.
When I first started, everything was about temp, salinity and chemistry, etc.
Whatever it takes to get things moving..proving sometimes "the hurry'er you go..the behind'er you get"
I just want to point out, after reading many post and books, articles and almost loosing some of my tank friends, that I notice a couple of things that are hardly ever brought up untill after the problem.
Not only on the forums, but also in many beginners books on reef keeping and aquariums.

Ground probe..a must have....ask if you dont know.
Gloves..preventing the dangers to you and your livestock when entering tank....obvious at first glance..but real dangers could be in your tank.

I realize this is really most likely minimal, compared to all the other things we must learn to insure the survival of the creatures we are intrusted to keep healthy, but it is just afew things that can make the journey more pleasant...and safe.
So I, myself, am going to make the effort to advise, the newbie, of these two items whenever possible...because so far thats all I feel qualified to advise !
So thanx for listening and I hope this misive will help many newbies.
Have fun and go slow....It is so cool to be a "reefer".... a "3reefer" at that.!!
Lillys Grandad

[lunatik_69]

Very well put LG, I my self have never used gloves before.

[omard]

Originally Posted by lunatik_69

Very well put LG, I my self have never used gloves before.

Better safe then sorry.

Not for just self. You may have something on hands that could be detrimental to tank...are you a smoker? --- nicotine is deadly. Used any cleaning products recently? --- another potential tank killer.

Have had prividge of hearing Anthony Calfo (The "reef guru" - ) speak couple of times.

He always relates stories of near misses with palytoxin poisoning while working with corals. Both resulting in hospital stays. Ummm, was some BC member, as I recall, that nearly went blind by just wiping eye after handling corals.


Gloves really a must for safty of yourself and reef inhabitants.

LG - you are right about ground probe. Can eliminate so many potential problems. New reefers are usually so overwhelmed by other more likely issues, this one is usually overlooked.

[baugherb]

Thanks for the advice.....