Heater broke open, will my fish live?

dingo0722

dingo0722

Member
This morning my whole tank shut down. It seemed I popped a breaker. I rest the breaker and the tank fired back up. After about an hour I noticed a strange smell and my fish swimming funny. I looked in the sump and found my visitherm heater arcing electricity. I unplugged it and pulled it out. The glass was shattered and water was in it. None of my fish are visible now except for 1 clown who is on his side still breathing. Will my fish make it or all they all doomed? Does the stray power hurt them or does it just affect their sensory system.
 
perfectdark

perfectdark

Active Member
Ohhh I would think that as far as fish go, they can definatly get zapped. Keep an eye on them they are for sure stressed. Inverts not sure, and corals no, they should be okay. Good Luck.
 
dingo0722

dingo0722

Member
well all my fish appear to be dead now. All the inverts and coral are ok
This sucks. I have had many of them for years
 
bessycerka

bessycerka

Member
Sorry to hear this. A queen trigger bit through my glass heater some 5 years ago. I noticed this very quickly as it happened just before I was leaving for work. He was acting jittery ( much like a human would if electrocuted ) He was the size of your hand, and quite hearty so he survived. I'd imagine that if I hadn't noticed it so soon, he'd have died though, and there was no funny smell cause I caught it quick. The toxins from the frying electronic components and the small bakalite circuit board would

[hr]
up the water so you may want to change out some water for the inverts.
 
dingo0722

dingo0722

Member
I should do a water change. My tank is like a ghost town now and I dont even want to look at it. Its going to be so much work to get the bodies out. They are wedged in their sleeping positions, and many of them I cannot get to unless I pull apart the reef. They are small and I am thinking that the cleanup crew might take care of them.
 
ameno

ameno

Active Member
sorry to hear about this, I agree you need to do a water change to try and keep the system more stablized from an ammonia spike. I had a heater break in my fuge once and didn't know it until I reached in to take it out, only reason I can figure it didn't shock me or the fish is maybe it hadden't turned on. I can see this being a common problem with glass heaters, hopfulyy you will be able to recover the tank soon and be back in business, good luck
 
mikesin

mikesin

Member
OMG that is terrible, I'm sorry for your loss ! I take it there was not a GFCI and a grounding probe?
 
nycbob

nycbob

Active Member
i had a glass heater that broke on me a while back in my fowlr tank. luckily nothing happened. i ran carbon immediately since some brown stuff leaked out.
 
dingo0722

dingo0722

Member
No grounding probe. I had one in my old tank that I sold. It like $25 and you never realize you need it until you have a disaster like this. I will be buying a probe, GFI and a new heater. Can anyone recommend one.
Why did this not hurt my corals and inverts?
Here is the head count
1 yellow tang
1 flame angel
1 royal dotty back
3 yellow tail damsels
1 PJ
1 Watchman goby
2 false peculiar clowns
I have lost fish before in the past, but when you have had them for over 5 years it really sucks.
I guess a lesson to take away from this is spend the $25 and get a grounding probe
 
dingo0722

dingo0722

Member
as of 945pm 1 Clown has survived. I have not removed anyone due to the complexity of the reef, hoping more will rise. I did see my royal dottyback moving a bit, but my other clown was already being eaten by the crabs
tomorrow I will decide to breakdown the tank to remove bodies or not
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
The electrical current does not effect inverts. It effects the nervous system of the fish. I hope the dotty makes it! You may have other survivors, let us hope!
 
mikesin

mikesin

Member
I just saw your head count - wow that just stinks!!

I went to home depot and purchased a "plug-in" GFCI, it plugs into an existing 3 prong outlet, has an 8' or 10' cord with 4 outlets on the other end. Its yellow and heavy duty. Had to go this route since I'm an apartment dweller. I think it was around $30 bucks. Picked up the grounding cable on line for $20.00. I read alot on this subject - some say a grounding cable isn't a good idea - in your case it would of been.
Sorry about your loss
 
stdreb27

stdreb27

Active Member
Originally Posted by Mikesin
I just saw your head count - wow that just stinks!!

I went to home depot and purchased a "plug-in" GFCI, it plugs into an existing 3 prong outlet, has an 8' or 10' cord with 4 outlets on the other end. Its yellow and heavy duty. Had to go this route since I'm an apartment dweller. I think it was around $30 bucks. Picked up the grounding cable on line for $20.00. I read alot on this subject - some say a grounding cable isn't a good idea - in your case it would of been.
Sorry about your loss
I asked my apt manager, he put in four GFI plugs for me that he had in the shop. No charge.
 
mjessu

mjessu

New Member
Ouch...I decided a few months ago to put my heater in my fuge. Since I only have a few snails and a crab or two in the fuge...hopefully I can avoid your disaster if my heater ever breaks.
Sorry for you...that really sucks.
 
dingo0722

dingo0722

Member
Originally Posted by mjessu
Ouch...I decided a few months ago to put my heater in my fuge. Since I only have a few snails and a crab or two in the fuge...hopefully I can avoid your disaster if my heater ever breaks.
Sorry for you...that really sucks.

That’s where mind was. Unfortunately there is enough electrical connectivity that didn't matter.
I would really like it if someone could recommend a ceramic heater
And my Goby made it. 2 fish surviving
 
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