ELECTRICAL,STRAY CURRENT please help

[chrismunn]

that was a very insightful article, and should answer most of your questions!

 

[chrismunn]

you know what, on my first tank, i used to get shocked when the lights were on. i did an experiment by standing on the plastic lid of a rubbermaid container when i had my hands in the tank. i didnt get shocked when standing on the lid.
i never did do anything about the voltage in the tank before i broke the tank down....

 

[Compguy]

Like John said, you are probably feeling the salt tingle, I get that alot when I have little cuts or what not, and I used to think it was electricity in the tank, but then I would feel with a different hand that is totally clear of anykind of abrasions and nothing, but it feels just like a small amount of electricity when you put your hand in with hang nails or cuts, that is probably what is going on. I would try that out first before you do anything drastic, have someone else put their hand in their and see what they think

 

[Roy G. Biv]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11974348#post11974348 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by psteeleb


about a month after I installed internal pumps in my tank for circulation my regal tang looks like its getting HLLE. After some research I find that stray voltage is one of the suspected causes. The HLLE continues to get worse until I installed a ground probe.

That is the primary reason that I installed on initially a couple of years ago. My angels and tangs were getting HLLE. After the ground probe, I never ever ever had that problem again. Others have told me that to a fish all of the stray current in the tank sounds like a jet engine 24/7. My sump is in the basement, I have the sump grounded to the nearest water pipe.

briangg57 Why is this a contravercial answer?

As the day goes on, there will be very strong opinions presented about the pros and cons.

 

[Roy G. Biv]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11974874#post11974874 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Compguy
Like John said, you are probably feeling the salt tingle, I get that alot when I have little cuts or what not, and I used to think it was electricity in the tank, but then I would feel with a different hand that is totally clear of anykind of abrasions and nothing, but it feels just like a small amount of electricity when you put your hand in with hang nails or cuts, that is probably what is going on. I would try that out first before you do anything drastic, have someone else put their hand in their and see what they think

Didn't he say that it went away after unplugging all the devices?

 

[briangg57]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11974874#post11974874 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Compguy
Like John said, you are probably feeling the salt tingle, I get that alot when I have little cuts or what not, and I used to think it was electricity in the tank, but then I would feel with a different hand that is totally clear of anykind of abrasions and nothing, but it feels just like a small amount of electricity when you put your hand in with hang nails or cuts, that is probably what is going on. I would try that out first before you do anything drastic, have someone else put their hand in their and see what they think

It's DEFINEATLY current, because as I said, as I'm placing my finger in the water I feel a noticeable tingle-not as bad as putting tounge on 9 volt but a simalar milder sensation-THEN as I unplug any of my devices while keeping my finger in place I can tell when I unplug and plug it back in. I can only tell at the cut site. using a good finger there is no sensation.

 

[HBtank]

GFCI is needed, period.

#1 it protects you the best, which is the number 1 goal. A ground probe does not guarantee this. If you happen to be the path of least resistance or it is other electrical near but not submerged in the tank..well, BAD SITUATION FOR YOU.

As for using a grounding probe, well let the debate continue. Is having a tank "charged" or a circiut completed better, I don't know. A GFCI really makes this all a non issue in the case of any real leakages/shorts though... It would have tripped and stopped the flow of elctricity.

So we are really discussing "stray voltage" from devices that are not really malfunctions. Wether this hurts a tank is the debate IMO. I don't knbow, I have never seen any problems and have not spent time on it.

Back to GFCI:

I personally have everything near my tank through my GFCI, except ONE piece of equipment, my main pump. That is my slight risk choice... A better choice would be to have many GFCI outlets, and have everything individually plugged into their own GFCI , or at least in groups. So then if something trips, it may only be 1 piece of equipment, or 1/4 of the equipment.. Etc..

This is to avoid a total equipment outage while you are away, if the GFCI were to trip and everything was in one outlet, well that is not so good either.... Need to plan for potentially tank crashing outages in this case...

 

[jimwat]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11975486#post11975486 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Pmolan
That is the primary reason that I installed on initially a couple of years ago. My angels and tangs were getting HLLE. After the ground probe, I never ever ever had that problem again.

Same here. HLLE showing on my Chromis...added GP...No more HLLE. This was around 3 years ago.

Just an observation, but the majority of the post I've seen against using a GP refer to potential problems rather than actual ones.