cleaning live rock
- Thread starter rskenny
- Start date
Smitty
Reef pro
The next time you do a water change, keep the old water and take an old toothbrush and scrub the rock inside of the old water.
Hiker4twenty
Reef enthusiast
+1 Smitty. If the algae is longer you can pull off as much as you can by hand before scrubbing to make it easier.
mng777777
Shark Wrangler Wannabe
I'm betting you have several more than 1. Don't sweat it. They are naturally part of your CUC and harmless just don't touch it with your hands cause they'll get you.
Smitty
Reef pro
It depends on how thick the gloves are, the thicker yellow ones may do, but the thinner medical rubber gloves may not...it's not their bite that will get you, it's all those bristles/pointy fibers along their body that stick into your finger...sorta like a small cactus.
Bifferwine
I am a girl
I think the bristles would go through latex pretty easily. If you want some good gloves for working in your tank, try these out:
Oil-Resistant PVC Long Cuff Gloves
Oil-Resistant PVC Long Cuff Gloves
mng777777
Shark Wrangler Wannabe
you really don't have to worry about the worm bothering you unless you bother it. If it's in the LR and you pick it up, its response will not be to "attack" you, rather it will burrow into the rock and hide without bothering you. The only way you would get stuck is if you should try to pick him up bare handed. That said, the others are correct. Latex isn't the best idea, the gloves that Biff recommended are a much better idea. and electric tooth brush would be fine to scrub rock though not necessary. A normal toothbrush would do just fine as would a dish brush or even a toilet scrubber depending on how much area you need to cover.
lilyicu
FOWLR
The latex gloves also have powder on the inside that can get in your water. I use regular non-latex gloves and have never had a problem with my bristle worms getting me. I have also done a lot of aqua-scaping in my tank and upgraded my tank recently so I have been constantly moving my rocks and the gloves have never given me a problem. I also use a soft tipped toothbrush to clean the red algae from my rocks.
