Electric current in water - Aquarium Advice

AndyH5512 · 09-20-2006, 01:34 AM

I thought I had read on here that there is something you can use to detect electric current in water. Can anyone say what it is? TIA

loyalrogue · 09-20-2006, 01:42 AM

I don't know of an electrical meter for detecting voltage in your tank but most everyone I know uses a titanium ground rod in their tanks to eliminate any stray voltage that might be there.

Here's a sample one from Drs. Foster and Smith's website:
Linky - Titanium Ground Probe

**roka64** · 09-20-2006, 10:44 AM

I agree, go with the probe.

AndyH5512 · 09-20-2006, 11:01 AM

Where are you placing these grounding rods, in the tank itself or the sump?

SeeDemTails · 09-20-2006, 11:01 AM

You must have gotten an electric eel in your LR!

AndyH5512 · 09-20-2006, 11:03 AM

I was working on a tank yesterday, and the power strip went real bad. I never got any water on, though. Im not sure what happened. At any rate, when I went to start it up, I felt a small shock before I touched it. I immediately yanked it out of the wall at the plug. It had burned up upon closer inspection. All the fish, etc were fine. This is where my concern/interest comes from.

austinsdad · 09-20-2006, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Where are you placing these grounding rods, in the tank itself or the sump?

I believe either will do since all the water is still "connected".

I've got mine in my overflow blox.

afilter · 09-20-2006, 01:12 PM

Hello,

I have heard the debate go on about that value of grounding probes and have thought about getting one myself. I stumbled on the below post on a local thread on found it very educational. The post is kind of long, but worth the read. After all with water and electricity we are talking life and death. Take time and read:

http://www.madisonreef.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1416

Your call on adding a probe or finding out what the real problem may be. A probe only diverts a problem that may exist and if we are overconfident it may be our undoing. IMO, nothing beats routine maintenance on our equipment and safety. Not to mentio the health of our aquariums with stray voltage running around. Even with a probe there is still electricity running through the water (and fish) if a problem does exist.

HTH,

**melosu58** · 09-20-2006, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by afilter

IMO, nothing beats routine maintenance on our equipment and safety. Not to mentio the health of our aquariums with stray voltage running around. Even with a probe there is still electricity running through the water (and fish) if a problem does exist.

Could not have said it better.

AndyH5512 · 09-21-2006, 02:53 PM

Thanks for the post on the ground probes, etc. I will tell you guys, after reading it that- it is an eye opening experience. I felt that "tingle" as I got closer to the reset button on the power strip. At that point, I immediately yanked the power strip out of the wall at the plug. Scary stuff. I will get the GFCI checker ASAP, and I still will probably get a grounding probe as well. If it is out of sight in the sump, it cant really hurt.

09-20-2006, 01:34 AM	#1
AndyH5512 Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Debary, Florida Posts: 512	Electric current in water I thought I had read on here that there is something you can use to detect electric current in water. Can anyone say what it is? TIA

09-20-2006, 01:12 PM	#8
afilter Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,290 Images: 19	Hello, I have heard the debate go on about that value of grounding probes and have thought about getting one myself. I stumbled on the below post on a local thread on found it very educational. The post is kind of long, but worth the read. After all with water and electricity we are talking life and death. Take time and read: http://www.madisonreef.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1416 Your call on adding a probe or finding out what the real problem may be. A probe only diverts a problem that may exist and if we are overconfident it may be our undoing. IMO, nothing beats routine maintenance on our equipment and safety. Not to mentio the health of our aquariums with stray voltage running around. Even with a probe there is still electricity running through the water (and fish) if a problem does exist. HTH, __________________ Aaron Tank: 90 Gal SW Reef in the making See my info for setup and inhabitant details:

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09-20-2006, 01:42 AM	#2
loyalrogue Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: May 2006 Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA Posts: 231 Images: 3	I don't know of an electrical meter for detecting voltage in your tank but most everyone I know uses a titanium ground rod in their tanks to eliminate any stray voltage that might be there. Here's a sample one from Drs. Foster and Smith's website: Linky - Titanium Ground Probe

09-20-2006, 11:01 AM	#4
AndyH5512 Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Debary, Florida Posts: 512	Where are you placing these grounding rods, in the tank itself or the sump?

09-20-2006, 11:01 AM	#5
SeeDemTails Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Daytona Beach FL Posts: 436 Images: 4	You must have gotten an electric eel in your LR!

09-20-2006, 11:03 AM	#6
AndyH5512 Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Debary, Florida Posts: 512	I was working on a tank yesterday, and the power strip went real bad. I never got any water on, though. Im not sure what happened. At any rate, when I went to start it up, I felt a small shock before I touched it. I immediately yanked it out of the wall at the plug. It had burned up upon closer inspection. All the fish, etc were fine. This is where my concern/interest comes from.

09-21-2006, 02:53 PM	#10
AndyH5512 Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Debary, Florida Posts: 512	Thanks for the post on the ground probes, etc. I will tell you guys, after reading it that- it is an eye opening experience. I felt that "tingle" as I got closer to the reset button on the power strip. At that point, I immediately yanked the power strip out of the wall at the plug. Scary stuff. I will get the GFCI checker ASAP, and I still will probably get a grounding probe as well. If it is out of sight in the sump, it cant really hurt.