Electrocution, will my corals make it?

[chevegan]

While my canopy was down for mods I placed the 150w metal halide on the glass on the tank. Well last night it split (assuming it was very hot and when a fish splashed in the center,well you get the idea). It literally broke down the middle. The breaker did go off on the ballast so it did it's job. However, as it stands right now,the cup coral is 50% bleached, my monti spongodes has zero polyp extension. And the monti cap, well he looks pretty bad. The galaxia is also not its usual self, looks whithered. My corcea is doing great. In fact all the soft corals are doing fine. Only one LPS is good and thats my open brain.

Any experiences or help? Will they recover or am I down $160 in corals.

 

[wlagarde]

So it sounds like the bulb and socket fell into the water? Was the ballast running on a GFCI or standard breaker? Did the bulb shatter and if so did the inner arc tube shatter open (which would release mercury into the water among other things)?

 

[chevegan]

It's a retro unit so it all fell in. The circuit breaker is just one that comes on the ballast box. So I really couldn't say. You push it to restart it.

 

[wlagarde]

Probably not GFCI. And the bulb?

 

[chevegan]

HQI 150w. It actually didn't even burn out. I dried it off and placed it in another unit to light the tank

 

[syrinx]

If the bulb didn`t rupture then what we are likely dealing with are physical burns. As far as electrocution goes- unlikely. The animals themselves are not grounded- there can be a high level of voltage leaking into the water and it wont even effect fish much. I have had light fixtures fall into tanks and stay lit! all the while the fish are swimming around like normal(not salt water in this case). Your main issue now is dealing with whatever secondary infections that manifest themselves.

 

[chevegan]

makes a lot of sense. My monti cap I think is done for. I'll keep you posted,maybe tomorrow I'll see a change

 

[supertech3]

are you sure that your corals are not dieing off because of your lighting and not the electrocuting?

 

[chevegan]

My corals were literally flourishing. And the fact that the cup coral bleached in a few seconds kinda tells you something. I don't know if the light would lose intensity now though so I think I'm going to buy a new one.

 

[dga]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9302743#post9302743 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by syrinx
If the bulb didn`t rupture then what we are likely dealing with are physical burns. As far as electrocution goes- unlikely. The animals themselves are not grounded- there can be a high level of voltage leaking into the water and it wont even effect fish much. .

although if there were a grounding probe installed, it would be a different issue. or is this just a user safety device?