It's not a problem. The current travels through the water, not the tank. Glass does not conduct electricity which is why the tank isn't grounded all of the time. Also, it's a matter of making a bridge from the water to outside structures. Sometimes just wearing certain shoes will prevent you from being electrically connected to the floor!
Current in tank (actually hurts to touch the water)
- Thread starter beantickler
- Start date
It's not a problem. The current travels through the water, not the tank. Glass does not conduct electricity which is why the tank isn't grounded all of the time. Also, it's a matter of making a bridge from the water to outside structures. Sometimes just wearing certain shoes will prevent you from being electrically connected to the floor!
^^^^this, I found that my powerhead would give me juice when the floor is wet and my hand is in the tank. If I were wearing shoes, doesn't happen...unless it is really wet. Then I get shocked again. So you complete the current. I make sure the floor is dry or the power head is unplugged before doing major landscaping.
Yeah had this problem because of a powerhead too, actually had one cause enough of a short to trip a breaker when it was bumped. Tossed that one for sure.
The electricity stays around the surface. BTW you should fix this problem ASAP an aqua jet I had did the same thing. After the electricity builds the first shock allways hurts the most and the second time you put your hand in it will just feel a bit tingaly.
As someone who does professional maintenance I can say, without a doubt, that this is my LEAST favorite part of my job. What happens is I go to a client's tank, stick my hand in to move a coral, scrub algae, fix something, etc...and BAM. The worst was when I reached into a sump to replant a fallen mangrove and got shocked so bad I was paralyzed and couldn't pull my arm out until I fell backwards. The quartz housing on the UV sterilizer had cracked and the bulb was just sitting in saltwater.
BTW saltwater is much more dangerous since it's a better conductor. But either way you should fix the problem ASAP.
BTW saltwater is much more dangerous since it's a better conductor. But either way you should fix the problem ASAP.
I would have at least suggested coaxing someone else into touch the water, lol.
Years ago I got a purple tang dirt cheap that had HLLE pretty bad... Vits kept it from getting worse.. but it actually recovered only after I grounded the tank with a probe. Like you said no conclusive studies but I've seen enough " improvement" once carbon and nutrition where addressed and nothing helped... once the tank the fish was in was grounded the majority of HLLE was recoverable. personally I think it's a combination.. but alas..
stray current long-term can't be any better for your fish then it is for you in the long run.... not to mention a malfunctioning peice of equipment being dangerous.
PS- and What Milpool said... silly how people will spend $$$ on tanks and stock ect... but don't invest in a fairly inexpensive grounded power strip. I usually buy the ones from the hardware store rated for computers ect. can usually find them on-sale few times a year.
I had 2 cracked open visi therm stealth heaters in my sump... They are out now... lol... I'm going to return them right now...
