Almost killed myself, wife and dogs. Novices, Please read!
- Thread starter superrmario
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ganjero
saiperchémibatteilcorazon
Did you guys get the metal taste in your mouth? That's one of the most common symptoms from Palytoxin poisoning.
I believe there is a good amount of people that actually boil rocks and IMO this is a mistake resulting from people hearing about the "œcook the rock" procedure where you don't literally cook the rock but rather place the rock in a dark container and do frequent water changes. The bacteria will consume all of the excess waste and purge the rock in the form of detritus.
I'm glad you are ok and wish you and all your family a fast and full recovery.
I believe there is a good amount of people that actually boil rocks and IMO this is a mistake resulting from people hearing about the "œcook the rock" procedure where you don't literally cook the rock but rather place the rock in a dark container and do frequent water changes. The bacteria will consume all of the excess waste and purge the rock in the form of detritus.
I'm glad you are ok and wish you and all your family a fast and full recovery.
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Palytoxin
Palytoxin
A member in our reef club (NJRC) had taken a bunch of rock with the green palys on it and left it in a bucket outside for a year. When he went to get the rock there was a little water in the bucket which he dumped out and splashed on his arm giving him a chemical burn that scarred him. Nasty stuff!
Bob
Palytoxin
A member in our reef club (NJRC) had taken a bunch of rock with the green palys on it and left it in a bucket outside for a year. When he went to get the rock there was a little water in the bucket which he dumped out and splashed on his arm giving him a chemical burn that scarred him. Nasty stuff!
Bob
rrasco
Active member
I'm happy to hear that everyone is doing better! I've read similar stories here and always wear gloves and safety glasses when working with anything in my tank. My wife walked in one day when I was dipping some zoas fighting a nudibranch problem.
She started giving me a hard time about my safety gear. I then explained to her that some Zoanthids can contain Palytoxin, one of the most toxic organic substances on the planet. She proceeded to back away from what I was doing and asked if I should be wearing a mask of full face shield.
Reminds me of the first time I was fragging palys. They were on a large piece of LR and I didn't want the rock in the new tank, just the palys, so they needed to be fragged. I got out a chisel and a hammer, set the rock on my table and right before I started fragging, I thought to myself "I know they always say to wear glasses, but I'm only going to break this real quick, no biggie." Well, I took a swing and BAM. LR and Paly juice shoot right into my eye. It couldn't have been more perfect the sequence of events. I ran to the sink and flushed my eye out. Never got poisoned and the LR didn't do any damage, thankfully. My point is, wear some freaking goggles.
superrmario
New member
Thanks guys. It is much appreciated.
An update. Wife and I are doing well as are our dogs. We are both are around 95% recovered and the Muscle Pain from the violent coughing is subsiding. My lungs as well as Stefanies Lungs are a bit clogged like Broncitis. I am still suffering from headaches and sleepiness. I really should have taken the day off today, but I went into work anyhow.
Someone asked if we tasted metal in our mouths. I dont recall in my case and Stefanie never mentioned it.
An update. Wife and I are doing well as are our dogs. We are both are around 95% recovered and the Muscle Pain from the violent coughing is subsiding. My lungs as well as Stefanies Lungs are a bit clogged like Broncitis. I am still suffering from headaches and sleepiness. I really should have taken the day off today, but I went into work anyhow.
Someone asked if we tasted metal in our mouths. I dont recall in my case and Stefanie never mentioned it.
ganjero
saiperchémibatteilcorazon
It has happened before from cleaning rock/equipment with hot water, as well as boiling rocks.
IIRC there is no antidote for palytoxin;all the hospital can do is to give you supportive care.
blackthunda77
New member
*Disclaimer* Im not trying to be a smart a$$. Sincerely asking.
Why would someone boil live rock? I know when i was a newb and i heard people say "cooking live rock" i thought the same thing (actually baking it or boiling it) but then obviously learned later it was a totally different process of just letting live rock sit in a tub with saltwater and complete darkness and possibly a skimmer to let everything die off over the course of a month or two. Did you mistake the phrase "cooking" or did you intentionally decide to go the boiling route instead of the traditional "cooking" route?
Why would someone boil live rock? I know when i was a newb and i heard people say "cooking live rock" i thought the same thing (actually baking it or boiling it) but then obviously learned later it was a totally different process of just letting live rock sit in a tub with saltwater and complete darkness and possibly a skimmer to let everything die off over the course of a month or two. Did you mistake the phrase "cooking" or did you intentionally decide to go the boiling route instead of the traditional "cooking" route?
gig
New member
Khemul
New member
To add to that, simple respiratory protection doesn't hurt either while working with the stuff.
At the very least, try to stand up wind of it while pouring. It is not fun to breath in the fumes.
That stuff is probably the reason I still hate doing pool maintenance to this day... :spin2:
superrmario
New member
No offence taken..
I didnt mistake cooking with boiling.
I boiled the rocks to kill off everything completely and totaly. I dont have a place to dry them out fresh out of the display tank since I live in a Apartment. I wanted to kill of the bacteria and such so I could allow them to dry on my counter without the rotting smell of live rock dying off.
Your welcome. It was button polyps that got us. I found a previous picture of my tank with the rocks still in it. I zoomed in and I saw the largest rock had a few polyps on it that I must have missed.
LOL.
superrmario
New member
Could you provide me with the link to the discussion?
