*** Stray Current In A Tank? ***

[Bcollins111900]

Due to some of my trachaphyllias and zoanthids closing up I have done some investigative work. However I need a comparison to see if my tank has a heater or a pump releasing stray current into the water. I bought an eletrical multi tester so check my water for stray current. With everything plugged in and running my tank is around 0.350 AC Volt. If I unplug my heater and maxi-jet that is feeding my calcium reactor is drops to .150 AC Volt At worse the tank is pulling 1/3 of a volt of electriciy if I understand it correctly. Is this enough current to be worried about? Or is this about normal for a 220 gallon tank with all the fixings (heater, return pump, dual re-circ skimmer, wavebox, dual metal halide lights, calcium reactor, ect.)???

 

[mcoomer]

That sounds like a negligible amount of voltage. I think if you do a search on here you find stories of folks with 20-30V difference of potential in their tanks. Do you use a ground probe to eliminate stray charges? They're cheap and they work.

Mike

 

[redfishblewfish]

That amount of stray voltage is of no concern. When you start to get into the 2-3+ volts, then start looking for the culprit.

Grounding probes only protect you. If used, they complete the circuit in your tank and end up masking a voltage problem while juicing your fish and corals. By not using them, you get that tingle in your hands and know you need to fix something. JMTC

 

[Bcollins111900]

Hum... wonder what else it could be...

 

[kharmaguru]

OK, so I just discovered I have about 2V in my water - multitester +probe in water, -probe on concrete floor. SO I added a ground probe and it now measures zero. So did I just in fact electrify my corals/fish whereas they weren't before the probe because I completed the circuit?

 

[julie180]

If its not stray current check your water.

 

[Kamel]

Magnetic pumps can give stray voltage. Wattage is volts*amps, so if it's a low voltage with a high wattage I'd be concerned. Honestly, I'm very surprised it's that low. Mine is 40VAC, but 0.00 amps.

You can actually take your powerhead out of the tank and unplug it, then put your + and - on the electrical outlet prongs and spin it, you'll see how voltage can be generated by them. How this applies with them operating properly though, isn't quite the same.