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Aquarium Safe Sunscreen?


yoshii

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Is there such a thing?

I've seen the biodegradable "reef safe" sunscreen, but I wouldn't put it in my tank.

 

It's summer and I need sunscreen but I stick my hands/arms in fish tanks almost everyday

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Verified Purchase

DO NOT BUY IF YOU ARE DIVING/SNORKELING/SWIMMING IN REEFS!!!
This product is NOT safe for corals (will cause coral bleaching)!

Being a soon-to-be marine ecologist, I wanted a sunscreen that would be SAFE FOR REEFS. Especially since I was going to be scuba diving in the already-degraded Caribbean reefs. Unfortunately, I ordered two bottles of this only to get them in the mail and realize that they ARE NOT reef safe.

This sunscreen contains 6.0% OXYBENZONE as an active ingredient. For those that do not know, oxybenzone is a chemical know to harm the fragile coral that composed reefs and it is suspected to have very negative health aspects.
It also contains 7.5% OCTINOXATE, another compound known to have harmful effects on corals and people.

The "reef-safe" test only is for fish NOT for corals (i.e. they tested this product on animals to determine whether or not it would kill the fish). While fish are important in a reef ecosystem, corals are much more sensitive to disturbances.

I will never buy this sunscreen again and I am quite appalled that they are trying to market it as something specifically for people that want to protect reefs and are looking for "earth-friendly" products! Stick with safer zinc-based sunscreen people! I, personally, will be going to go with Badger sunscreen from now on (http://www.badgerbalm.com/s-35-coral-reef-safe-sunscreen.aspx).
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Can't go wrong with the zinc based cream - it's what I try to get though admittedly not because of any perceived environmental benefit...

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jamescstein

Best you can do is get good about washing your hands good before you jam them in your tank... or get some long arm gloves.

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I would not risk it with any sunblock that says reef safe. You might have to adjust your schedule and do your tank work before venturing outside for the day. I try not to stick my hands in my tank every day, give the little guys a break! :D

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Best you can do is get good about washing your hands good before you jam them in your tank... or get some long arm gloves.

I would not risk it with any sunblock that says reef safe. You might have to adjust your schedule and do your tank work before venturing outside for the day. I try not to stick my hands in my tank every day, give the little guys a break! :D

 

 

I actually don't have my hands in my own tanks that often. The problem is I work at a LFS and I am always putting my hands and arms in the tanks there :/

 

Yomon, you are probably right, there is probably no such product :(

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Yomon, you are probably right, there is probably no such product :(

 

Long sleeve shirt when you go outside. :)

 

But seriously. You should be able to use any sunscreen and then wash with normal dawn dishsoap to remove it before placing your hands/arms inside the tank.

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Long sleeve shirt when you go outside. :)

 

But seriously. You should be able to use any sunscreen and then wash with normal dawn dishsoap to remove it before placing your hands/arms inside the tank.

I think I own 1 long sleeve shirt. That I never wear

 

Since most sunscreens are waterproof, you think that would get all of it off? I'm worried about residues

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My personally never wear sun screen, I always am wearing long sleeved jackets so I don't get the sun on me. Its kinda funny because if you look closely at my arms there is a tan line where my fingers begin on the top of my hand lol.

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Come on don't be a baby lol, your internal temperature is around 98.6° F, I make sure to carry water bottles at all times when its hot so I don't get heat stroke.

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Yeah I'd like to keep that as my internal temperature, not external temperature!

I guess I could just keep the sunscreen to my shoulders/neck. Luckily I don't burn, but my arms are now more tan than anywhere else haha

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long ass rubber gloves. I got some paly toxin in my eye's awhile back. Plus I work on cars and my hands are usually covered in car gunk. I also have to wear sunscreen from time to time. Its like when I was single no glove no love :D

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  • 9 months later...

Hijacking thread...

 

I just put my hand/arm in my tank, and I sprayed it with sunscreen about 10 hours ago while at work. I totally forgot to wash my hands since I was in a rush to get stuff done.

My tank is a fusion 20 gal, running, CPE, Purigen, FF, Skimmer, and fuge. My torch has closed up a little but thats it.

 

How bad is it really?

 

let me add, Ive washed my hands about 10 times since putting it on but I've never washed my arm.

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Hammerstone

long ass rubber gloves. I got some paly toxin in my eye's awhile back. Plus I work on cars and my hands are usually covered in car gunk. I also have to wear sunscreen from time to time. Its like when I was single no glove no love :D

you always crack me up lol! I needed the laugh!!!?
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Hijacking thread...

 

I just put my hand/arm in my tank, and I sprayed it with sunscreen about 10 hours ago while at work. I totally forgot to wash my hands since I was in a rush to get stuff done.

My tank is a fusion 20 gal, running, CPE, Purigen, FF, Skimmer, and fuge. My torch has closed up a little but thats it.

 

How bad is it really?

 

let me add, Ive washed my hands about 10 times since putting it on but I've never washed my arm.

I would run extra carbon and it doesnt hurt to do a water change

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