Desperate!! Need help fast.

mmync

mmync

Member
Well, I had a funny feeling that I had some voltage in my tank, so I went out and bought a volt meter and checked the voltage in my tank. And sure enough there is 25volts of AC power in my tank. I am running 7 powerheads and 2 pumps. No heaters. All of my equipment is brand new. I checked each and every piece of equipment in the tank seperatley and found out that each piece of equipment is putting between 1 1/2 to 2 volts of power in my tank. And its not just a couple power heads or 1 pump, it is every powerhead and each of the 2 pumps that is putting voltage in my tank. So 2volts per item times 9 items = 18volts. (I am getting 25v some how). I did all my testing without a powerstrip so I know it isnt the power strip. And I also tested the grounds on my outles, and they arent producing any votage either. I tried all the testing on a couple of different outlets with the same results. My cleaning crew keeps dying, so i Kinda hope it is because of yhis voltage so when I figure it out they will hopefully be able to live. I am lost and am desperate for help, I have no other ideas on how this voltage is getting in there. And also, I just hooked everything up to a gfci outlet and that still didnt fix the problem
 
T

thomas712

Guest
Ground Probes are easy to make. Just get a Titanium bike spoke, some number 12 or 14 wire, a heat shrink tube, and some crimping supplies. You can attatch it to the screw of your outlet or a cold water return pipe.
Thomas
 
barracuda

barracuda

Active Member
I was shocked several times by stray voltage from my powerheads until i bought grounding probe. Since then never had a problem. The investment is 13-15 bucks. U don't even need to DIY. I found it online it's called RID VOLT titanium Grounding Probe.
 
mmync

mmync

Member
It is a GE volt meter. It is not didital, it is the swing arm type. I know it probablt isnt as good as a digital, but it seams to be really accurate.
 
hartkarl

hartkarl

Member
how did you test the voltage? one end in the water and the other to the ground of you recptacle? the ground probe sounds like it will work. it should give the whole tank the same potential.
 
mmync

mmync

Member
Well thanks everyone that has helped. I just hooked up my new grounding probe and it worked like a charm. I now have 0 volts in my tank, and my fish seemed to be alot happier the second I plugged it in. They are all swimming and playing together. I hope this was the cause of why my cleaning crew kept dying. And to everyone that says that grounding probes are a scam, you are wrong. It was the best $15.00 I have ever spent.
 
mmync

mmync

Member
Hey jarvis or anyone else, just thought I would mention that I have never lost a fish yet. So, I would strongly advise everyone to test there water for voltage every once in a while, even if your fish seem to be doing good. Just becuase they stay alive, like mine have been, doesnt mean that they are as happy and as comfortable as they would like to be.
 
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thomas712

Guest
mmync - As you will find with the link that I provide it is not the voltage that kills in your aquarium, it is the current. You can have voltage but not nessesarily current. They say that by adding a ground probe is sometimes not the best thing, as this will supply a path to ground and thereby the current is going through your fish to get to the ground probe. Here you read it.
http://avdil.gtri.gatech.edu/RCM/RCM...ingProbes.html
Thomas
Personally I use a ground probe & GFCI
 
mmync

mmync

Member
Hey radioactive, I didnt get my probe online, I just bought it from my lfs. It was only like $15.00 You can probably get them on line for 10.00 or 11.00 but why go thru the hastle and wait and put your fish thru hell for a couple of days. Just goto a lfs that has them and pay the $15.00. If you have some voltage in your tank it will be the best 15.00 you have ever spent. My fish came alive instantly. I had new fish that I havent seen in a month, and a bunch of clening crew that I thought where dead. And now everything came out and they are swimming and playing and dancing with eachother. Keep me updated when you get it. Here is a link that I found just to show u the one I got. I dont really think that there is one better then another. http://www.***************.com/thest...BE-GROUND.html
 
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