So I stuck my hand in my 120 last night and got shocked. It wasn't a weak little tingle either. It felt like i touched an outlet. It felt like my veins were getting pulled out of my finger tips... How can fish live through this? Do they not feel the current in the water because they are not grounded? My fish are colored up and eating and acting normal. Anyone else ever had this much electricity running through their tank before?
You need to figure out which piece of equipment is leaking current. Unplug everything one by one and do a quick touch in the water each time you unplug something. Start with the heater.
Hello; Yes I have been bitten by elec in the past. The frames of the old tanks were metal as were the light fixtures. It was not uncommon for condensation to collect around the light fixtures and create a path for stray current. Heaters are a good place to start looking. With the newer tanks, lights and filters being largely plastic they should be less likely to conduct the current. I have'nt been bitten in a long time.
Yes, my fish did not seem to be bothered when this happened.
I am considering installing GFI outlets where my tanks sit thinking this may make things safer. I am putting them in the kitchen and bathrooms currently.
Anything in your home that is plugged in near water and especially in water like our aquariums should be plugged into GFCI outlets or in the least plugged into a GFCI plug/cord. pretty foolish not to.
You get shocked because you "ground" the electrical current. It doesn't travel through the tank and the fish are unaffected as long as it's not grounded. Even when it is grounded the electricity is dispersed throughout the tank volume, so it doesn't affect the organisms much.
Just wanted to add, current has been linked with some long term health issues, but I haven't seen any conclusive studies. Some people put a grounding probe in every tank.
You get shocked because you "ground" the electrical current. It doesn't travel through the tank and the fish are unaffected as long as it's not grounded. Even when it is grounded the electricity is dispersed throughout the tank volume, so it doesn't affect the organisms much.
I had this happen when when I was a kid, I was bout 6 & had my arm in the tank only to nock tbe light in with me.. needless to say, I spent the night in the hospital and my shoes were melted.. I guess thats why im obsessed...haha
