Serious dangers of salt water tanks and any tank

[Dearth]

I spent 12 yrs as a fresh water guy and one thing I did every few weeks was to check any wire that went into the tank this stemmed from an incident I had a fully submersible heater and I had the protective covering over the wire crack after about 2 yrs into its use and when I stuck my hand into the water I had a communion with the big guy upstairs.

Ever since then I check all wires and equipment regularly. GFIs and power bars are good investments however a GFI will only help if it detects current coming from one item so plugging a GFI into a power bar does you no good you have to use a GFI for each piece of equipment you plug in however that being said I have seen GFI power bars but know little about them aside from that they are flipping expensive

[reefwars]

electricty and water dont mix...i always assumed that was common sense lol

[Zoaelite]

Originally Posted by reefwars

electricty and water dont mix...i always assumed that was common sense lol

So I should stop blow drying my hair in the shower?

[isaac1]

Not at all take an internal seal out of one of ur pumps or if u have t5ho have one off set so its not fully on the pronge and hang out with ur feet in two buckets of salt water

[1eyedjyde]

I have had my gfci outlet trip when a powerhead in my sump cracked its case. I have two power bars plugged into two different gfci outlets just in case this happens only half my equipment gets shut off. I do agree you should check all equipment on a regular basis. I only have my lights on non gfci outlets as the electronic ballast for the mh trips every time.

[quote=Dearth;763880Ever since then I check all wires and equipment regularly. GFIs and power bars are good investments however a GFI will only help if it detects current coming from one item so plugging a GFI into a power bar does you no good you have to use a GFI for each piece of equipment you plug in however that being said I have seen GFI power bars but know little about them aside from that they are flipping expensive[/QUOTE]

[burgerchow]

Ok, I'm no electronics guy, but if there was a short in the tank and the water is "live"' wouldn't the fish be dead first, before you get shocked?

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by burgerchow

Ok, I'm no electronics guy, but if there was a short in the tank and the water is "live"' wouldn't the fish be dead first, before you get shocked?

I don't know squat about it either, but I do know the fish just swam around laughing at me every time I've zapped myself

[outacontrol]

Originally Posted by burgerchow

Ok, I'm no electronics guy, but if there was a short in the tank and the water is "live"' wouldn't the fish be dead first, before you get shocked?

No it does not kill the fish unless they reach out and touch the ground.

[1eyedjyde]

I'm not 100% but I think it's because the fish are not grounded however they are irritated by excess current in the tank.

[outacontrol]

Originally Posted by 1eyedjyde

I'm not 100% but I think it's because the fish are not grounded however they are irritated by excess current in the tank.

There is no current in the tank until the human does something stupid, like putting his hand in the tank or any other "grounded" device such as a ground probe!