When diving remember your fins. It is safe to say that more coral damage comes from inadvertent fin strikes than from any other cause. You forget that you are over two meters long when stretched out while wearing fins. Good divers stay horizontal. Divers who are not comfortable in the water tend to rise to a vertical position and their fins can strike the bottom.
Good divers are near neutrally buoyant.
When they stop finning they drift downward ever so slowly. Use clips or retainers to keep your gauges and your octopus from dragging on the bottom. Not only will you prevent damage to the environment but you'll prevent damage to your equipment. Never use your hands to become familiar with the marine environment. As a rule, responsible dive operators in tropical environments will not take out divers who are wearing gloves.