Has anyone ever been killed electrocuted by their aquarium?
- Thread starter EDzLebanon
- Start date
If we take "electrocuted" to simply mean zapped by loose current, yes. It's happened to me a few times with defective heaters.
Live in an apartment and don't want to switch out the outlet? There are plenty of GFI adapters out there, like this one for instance:
https://www.amazon.com/TRC-90033-Shockshield-Portable-Protection/dp/B000XVG72G
Do this and only minor zaps await you.
Live in an apartment and don't want to switch out the outlet? There are plenty of GFI adapters out there, like this one for instance:
https://www.amazon.com/TRC-90033-Shockshield-Portable-Protection/dp/B000XVG72G
It's possible to be killed by 110 - 120 volts any time provided the circumstances are correct. 90% of electrocution deaths are in the home.
All you need is right conditions:
http://www.electricianshangout.com/can-i-be-killed-by-110-volts/
https://www.cityelectricweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/NYCOSH-120-Volts-Can-Kill-Fact-Sheet.pdf
DO NOT DO THIS: As example I was given recently, if you are very wet, stand in a pool of water and touch a live outlet with one hand while the other is holding something that is grounded, the current might flow directly through your heart.
That condition is totally feasible should your tank have a severe leak while you are trying to disconnect electrical items before turning off the power, putting on rubber boots and avoiding something that is grounded.
Electricity is always dangerous and combined with water it's very dangerous.
https://www.nano-reef.com/forums/topic/92399-electrocution-by-aquarium-heater/
https://joejaworski.wordpress.com/2007/09/06/aquarist-found-dead/
All you need is right conditions:
http://www.electricianshangout.com/can-i-be-killed-by-110-volts/
https://www.cityelectricweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/NYCOSH-120-Volts-Can-Kill-Fact-Sheet.pdf
DO NOT DO THIS: As example I was given recently, if you are very wet, stand in a pool of water and touch a live outlet with one hand while the other is holding something that is grounded, the current might flow directly through your heart.
That condition is totally feasible should your tank have a severe leak while you are trying to disconnect electrical items before turning off the power, putting on rubber boots and avoiding something that is grounded.
Electricity is always dangerous and combined with water it's very dangerous.
https://www.nano-reef.com/forums/topic/92399-electrocution-by-aquarium-heater/
https://joejaworski.wordpress.com/2007/09/06/aquarist-found-dead/
Last edited:
Thanks guys for your responses. I am officially freaking out haha! I always wear my rubber flip flops as precaution and only have one arm at a time in the tank coz apparently that reduces your chances of getting electrocuted (forgot where I read it) but I guess I need to do something more.
Those portable GFCI plugs would be a simple solution, but not sure they would work in my house. Most houses in my country are not grounded and the electric sockets are two pins not three, so not sure how this would work. Need to find me a good electrician, which seems hard as most of them seem clueless.
For now I think I will just turn everything off and look for an external light so I can still see what I am doing
Those portable GFCI plugs would be a simple solution, but not sure they would work in my house. Most houses in my country are not grounded and the electric sockets are two pins not three, so not sure how this would work. Need to find me a good electrician, which seems hard as most of them seem clueless.
For now I think I will just turn everything off and look for an external light so I can still see what I am doing
When I was younger I was doing a water change on a 125 I had at the time and the center brace snapped for some reason. The glass lids along with the lights fell into the tank. Stupid me just reacted and grabbed for the lights in the water....yea...bad idea. I got electrocuted and it was not pleasant to say the least, I highly recommend against it 
If it can be done in this hobby, I expect your the guy who has done it!! Even coming back from the dead!! Lol you were probably in the middle of a deal on a rare fish...no time for dying!I have been killed/electrocuted but somehow I ended up alive again
