Electricity - It's Shocking!!

[Masedaddy]

Ok, So I had a malfunction with my ATO and the float switch was emitting an electrical current into my water. Saltwater + Electricity = Not so happy fish and Corals.... I was wondering why things were looking not so great and why my shrimp kept going to shrimp heaven.... Well I stuck my hand in to move a coral around and hmmmm I'm getting a little tingly feeling here... So after sometime exploring what could be causing this issue. I figured it out it was the ATO.

So now I am in the market for an ATO. I ultimately want a Tunze Osmolater set-up. I was using the ATO to dose the tank as well. So for now I guess its back to doing it the slow way.

Anyone have an ATO that they want to sell or know of someone looking to get rid of one, please let me know!!

:headwalls:

 

[Jamey1010]

LOL I had a similar experience, had one hand in the tank and touched the oven (lol I know but there's only some many places a 96" tank fits in an apt at the time) with my other hand and it was a lot more than a tingly feeling! The skimmers rio 2500 was shorting out.. again !

I'm sure you should be able to find a used auto top off fairly quickly there use to be a guy on eBay that sold ones he made and they were fantastic but haven't seen them around in a while

 

[Masedaddy]

Yeah the last one I picked up was from Autotopoff.com, which is suggested by Mr. Saltwatertank. But, I've had 2 fail so far.....

 

[scolley]

FWIW, I'm a BIG fan of Osmolators. But you might know that from your visit.

Glad you found the problem, without getting hurt. Don't have to worry about that with Osmolators...

 

[Masedaddy]

Ok so after doing some research I found something out.... I need to ground my tank: Stray voltage can not only lead to getting zapped like I did but also many other fish/coral problems. For instance Hole in the head, Fin rot and a myriad of other nasty things....

Ordering a grounding probe as I type thanks to my wonderful wife!!

It never ends.....

 

[scolley]

Yes! Get a grounding probe!

However - I'm given to understand... Do not hook it up at a surge suppressed power strip. I don't pretend to understand why, but it is what I've read.

 

[Masedaddy]

Oh thats good that you told me that. I would have plugged it into the power strip.... Thanks again Steve

 

[terahz]

No, you don't need to ground your tank. It will just turn the harmless voltage into harmful current.

 

[Masedaddy]

Tank is grounded, Crisis averted....

 

[scolley]

Well Georgi IS an expert, so please don't discount his advice. I'd love to hear more - from professionally informed people - on this point...

 

[Masedaddy]

It was good to here Georgi's advice on the grounding issue with the tank. I am definitely going to change out my outlet to a GFI for the tank. I'm hoping to move most of the equipment down into the basement for a basement sump soon. So it will be easier to handle any issue that come up; since the base of my tank is packed with wires and equipment and such. Great seeing everybody today!!

 

[scolley]

Georgi's always a good one for providing contrarian wisdom. He had great arguments for removing a grounding probe. But YES on the GFI socket! THAT is essential.

I had an experience as a youth, cleaning out an aquarium, and was not aware that I was standing in a small puddle of water. And put my hand in the tank only to discover that some piece of equipment (heater? pump?) had some stray current and it was... well... let's just call it "Inspirational".

From that moment on I have remained "Inspired" to NEVER have any electricity anywhere near a tank without a GFI (aka GFCI) socket providing ALL the electricity. Sh*t happens, and GFI's keep us alive when it happens to household AC electrical stuff.