shock from aquarium

[TheKid]

ive notice a small shocking feeling when i stick my hand into the aquarium:shocked!: nothing is broken as far as i can see. should i add a grounding probe??

[dankent]

No triping breakers ? Are you plugged into a GFCI?

You could look at getting :

http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=14702

A grounding probe will take out all the stray current, but it would be good to issolate what is causing the problem ... turn everything off and try one device at a time.

However :)

Do you have cuts /cracks on your skin if so .. its stinging your feeling and not mild shocks.... But a ground probe is not allways going to be a good idea, adding a ground probe, which creates a path to ground actually creates current(flow) within your aquarium. So by adding a ground probe you could be subjecting your fish to electrical current.

[TheKid]

i did that and i think it is my skimmer, but im only testing from feeling no im not plugged in to a GFCI

[dankent]

Well its possible ... take the skimmer pump and put it in a 5 gal bucket of water with it running and see if you feel it shocking you in there. If it is ... you may need to call pinky at Red Sea and get another pump .. how old is your aquarium ? Or post on the boards see if someone that ditched the RSM skimmer kept the pump :)

[TheKid]

Well its possible ... take the skimmer pump and put it in a 5 gal bucket of water with it running and see if you feel it shocking you in there. If it is ... you may need to call pinky at Red Sea and get another pump .. how old is your aquarium ? Or post on the boards see if someone that ditched the RSM skimmer kept the pump :)

i will later thx for ur help!!:mrgreen: rght now i have to do hoem work!!!:mrgreen::mrgreen::cry:

[dankent]

Another way to test your tank to be sure ...

Purchase or borrow a voltage meter.
Select 120 AC voltage
insert the tip of the black probe into the grounding hole on an electrical outlet ... (its the circle beneath the two slots)
Insert the metal tip of the red probe into the tank water

Watch the meter for any movement. Any movement indicates a voltage leaking into your system.

remove the skimmer ... test again.

replace the faulty pump / heater and test again.

Now .. want some more bad news ...

Stray Current has also been pegged with causing HLLD Head and lateral line erosion disease. So dealing with this in a timely fashion and turning off the bad item asap would be a good idea.

Your tank can survive without a skimmer .... just increase your water changes if it turns out to be your problem.

Good luck

[mike31154]

http://angel-strike.com/aquarium/GroundingProbes.html

http://angel-strike.com/aquarium/GFI&TechnicalDetails.html

[DiverDude]

You have to determine what is leaking current. Unplug the skimmer and stick your hand back in the tank. Tingle gone ? Then replace the pump on the skimmer. If the tingle is still there, continue unplugging things until the tingle disappears and then replace the last thing you unplugged.