Bayer Advanced used as Coral Dip Awareness and Health implications'

[tdb320reef]

The purpose of the thread to bring awareness of something that is been going on with me and to make our fellow members aware of the dangers of using Bayer Advanced for dipping SPS Corals.

Over the last two years I have had several unknown rashes and other irritations especially with my eyes. My eyes would water and would regularly be inflamed. After starting allergy shots to no avail I thought it might be related to dealing with Corals. Originally I thought I was being poisoned by the toxicity of the corals themselves but it seems that I am having an extreme reaction to dealing with corals compared to my peers.

Over the last five months I started breaking down my tank and had 0 incoming corals and frags. During this time all of my issues with rashes and blurred vision, watery eyes, etc has went away. Over the last few weeks I started my rebuild process and started collecting frags and colonies. Also during this time all of the previously mentioned symptoms are back. Upon further research, I believe it is the coral dip that I am using. So I decided to research the active ingredient of what is in Bayer advanced and sure enough Carbonyl and Cyfluthrin which is known to attack parts of the human’s central nervous system and cause blurry vision and rashes. It can be inhaled and/or absorbed into your skin.

I am not a scientist or a doctor but do care about you my fellow reefers. Please share your similar experience if you have them and maybe describe your method to isolate the contamination. I am far too comfortable with this stuff and use containers etc. After my experiences, I am changing my practices and keeping this stuff away from my skin and respiratory system and suggest that you do so also!

MDS
https://www.menards.com/msds/106135_001.pdf

 

[justinky]

Are you sure it's not just reefing in general causing this? I too have noticed some of these symptoms since I have started reefing and didn't really think too much of it. Only until recently have I started dipping with Bayer and these problems were there before the dip. They only happen occasionally and it's usually so mild in my case I don't think anything of it.

Think of your reef like poison ivy, no one is immune to it but some people have a really high tolerance for it. Problem is, the more you're exposed the less tolerance you are going to have. Food for thought.

Also i'm not saying Bayer couldn't be the problem for you, I use arm length gloves and keep breathing around it to a bare minimum. All my stuff I use for bayer dip is specifically for bayer dip as I don't feel like neutralizing it everytime I use bayer.

 

[tdb320reef]

Yeah I am sure it is the Bayer in my case considering I have been reefing hardcore for 5 years now and did not have the symptoms until the last two years when I graduated to SPS and started using Bayer some time mid 2012. Yes I have the gloves but I am always in a rush and never use them. But for me that will change. I am going to develop a protocol when using it to mitigate exposure.

 

[kevin_e]

If you are using insecticide, you need to heed the warnings on the bottle. Wearing gloves, protective cloathing, eyewear and washing your hands are imperative for your own health. The label and warnings aren't there for just legal purposes.

 

[Tweaked]

If you are using insecticide, you need to heed the warnings on the bottle. Wearing gloves, protective cloathing, eyewear and washing your hands are imperative for your own health. The label and warnings aren't there for just legal purposes.

I agree to this. However dipped double strength for a couple months basically bathing in the crap as I had over 50 acro's to deal with. I never experienced any issues but am sorry to hear of your troubles.

 

[tdb320reef]

I agree to this. However dipped double strength for a couple months basically bathing in the crap as I had over 50 acro's to deal with. I never experienced any issues but am sorry to hear of your troubles.

Exactly, Many of the issues are transient, however, hopefully sharing the information will help others down the road.

 

[tdb320reef]

If you are using insecticide, you need to heed the warnings on the bottle. Wearing gloves, protective cloathing, eyewear and washing your hands are imperative for your own health. The label and warnings aren't there for just legal purposes.

If your a label reader then I am sure that you read the following environmental precautions:

Do not apply directly to water. This product is extremely toxic to fish and aquatic
invertebrates. Do not contaminate surface or ground water by cleaning
equipment or disposal of wastes, including equipment wash water. Apply this
product only as specified on the label.

The reality and real world use is that people are using it and becoming contaminated with this coming in contact with skin and inhalation on a regular basis. Furthermore, This stuff is waterproof so if it come in contact with your skin you need to use something like vinegar to neutralize. What about breathing it in and respiratory implications? what does the label say about that.

I am not starting this post to illustrate that I am inept and cannot read labels and don't know to wash hands but rather bringing awareness which will help our fellow reefers use these tools and mitigate short and long term unknown health effects.

 

[nashorn]

For me it's any salt mix. Same symptoms .
I live close to the ocean but don't get the same reaction with real salt water.
Now my thumbs would crack after a few days of playing with the tank.
But none of this will stop me from reefing.....lol
Long rubber gloves , sometime face shield.
My wife says I ready for a bio attack.....lol

 

[Dugless]

I agree with the salt mixes being the issue for skin ailments. There are a lot of different things going on in there, metals and otherwise. I would assume most people are pretty careful with the Bayer product as it is a poison/pesticide. I wouldn't envision anyone putting their arms in a tub of Bayer dip, whereas most hobbyists don't bat an eye when sticking their arm in their tank unprotected.

 

[buy_baff]

I always get big dry scaly patches on the arm I use in my tank.

 

[Volcano1]

I have had similar issues, never thought it could be from the Bayer, but some of the issues do coincide with using it.
Also, opened new bottle today for a dip. The stuff smelled and looked different to all the other bottles I used.This stuff had a stronger Petroleum based smell, the liquid was alot more clear, not the milk color of other stuff.Labels are the same bottle and cap slightly different.Does anyone know if they changed formula or did I get something other in the bottle.

 

[DEA Coral]

The purpose of the thread to bring awareness of something that is been going on with me and to make our fellow members aware of the dangers of using Bayer Advanced for dipping SPS Corals.

Over the last two years I have had several unknown rashes and other irritations especially with my eyes. My eyes would water and would regularly be inflamed. After starting allergy shots to no avail I thought it might be related to dealing with Corals. Originally I thought I was being poisoned by the toxicity of the corals themselves but it seems that I am having an extreme reaction to dealing with corals compared to my peers.

Over the last five months I started breaking down my tank and had 0 incoming corals and frags. During this time all of my issues with rashes and blurred vision, watery eyes, etc has went away. Over the last few weeks I started my rebuild process and started collecting frags and colonies. Also during this time all of the previously mentioned symptoms are back. Upon further research, I believe it is the coral dip that I am using. So I decided to research the active ingredient of what is in Bayer advanced and sure enough Carbonyl and Cyfluthrin which is known to attack parts of the human’s central nervous system and cause blurry vision and rashes. It can be inhaled and/or absorbed into your skin.

I am not a scientist or a doctor but do care about you my fellow reefers. Please share your similar experience if you have them and maybe describe your method to isolate the contamination. I am far too comfortable with this stuff and use containers etc. After my experiences, I am changing my practices and keeping this stuff away from my skin and respiratory system and suggest that you do so also!

MDS
https://www.menards.com/msds/106135_001.pdf

That caution should be on the product label, if not cha-ching$$$$$$$$$$! Ask for a refund.

 

[kevin_e]

If your a label reader then I am sure that you read the following environmental precautions:

Do not apply directly to water. This product is extremely toxic to fish and aquatic
invertebrates. Do not contaminate surface or ground water by cleaning
equipment or disposal of wastes, including equipment wash water. Apply this
product only as specified on the label.

The reality and real world use is that people are using it and becoming contaminated with this coming in contact with skin and inhalation on a regular basis. Furthermore, This stuff is waterproof so if it come in contact with your skin you need to use something like vinegar to neutralize. What about breathing it in and respiratory implications? what does the label say about that.

I am not starting this post to illustrate that I am inept and cannot read labels and don't know to wash hands but rather bringing awareness which will help our fellow reefers use these tools and mitigate short and long term unknown health effects.

A) I don't use it. As a liscenced pesticide applicator and environmental professional, I am speaking from my training.

B) I am also brining awarness-and that awarness is to the safety label provided on all pesticide bottles. My grandfather was a chemical engineer for Du Pont and he lost his life at an early age because of pesticide contamination.

C) There are reasons why certain chemicals are labled as unsafe for aquatic environments. There are growing protections to wetland ecotones and many of these chemicals end up in them when used. Special permitting and application rates are specified by state research and can be found online. These aren't suggestions or in place to make your life difficult, they are there to protect you and your environment.

Cognizance is imperative when dealing with chemicals. If you want to bring awareness, bring it to the labels, don't blame the product. No disrepsect, but in this case, had you read the label, you probably could have avoided the issues that you had; Hence why I brought it up. People should take heed of the warnings on the bottle.

 

[hatfielj]

This is something I worry about too. Insecticides are seriously dangerous chemicals. I'm as guilty as the next guy about not wearing gloves, though I am very careful with what I touch. I think from now on I'm going to start wearing gloves and disposing of this stuff appropriately. I'll get a separate container to pour the left overs in when I'm done dipping. Beyond that I'm not sure how to properly dispose of it?

 

[msderganc]

I have had similar issues, never thought it could be from the Bayer, but some of the issues do coincide with using it.
Also, opened new bottle today for a dip. The stuff smelled and looked different to all the other bottles I used.This stuff had a stronger Petroleum based smell, the liquid was alot more clear, not the milk color of other stuff.Labels are the same bottle and cap slightly different.Does anyone know if they changed formula or did I get something other in the bottle.

I wouldn't use it. There are some anecdotes out there about bad batches of Bayer with strong/odd smell that have killed corals.

 

[Volcano1]

I didn't use it.Picked up new bottle, got the real stuff. Don't know what was in the other bottle, but not the typical Bayer solution.