Tank Problems

jcherepo

Well-Known Member
BRS Member
Hi - It has been a long time since I have logged in, my apologies. While I have been focused on starting a new hydroponics farm my tank was a bit neglected. Since this past summer, I noticed that a few of my colonies began to slowly die off. Recall, I am the guy who was attempting full on Triton Method. I posted briefly about this and my minimal water changes over the past couple of years. You all have provided great feedback/advice, so thank you. I have done several large water changes since August, but yet things continue to go downhill. With starting my business, I continued to grow frustrated as my time was limited and couldn't focus on the tank like it needed to be. I sent away an ICP and N-DOC test to Triton recently and all elements were almost perfectly in-line. I do recall Dong mentioning about coral warfare and the need for water changes, so I continued with water changes, with no positive results. Simultaneously I watched my ALK rise from the low 8's to 11 over the course of 2 months. I decided to stop dosing figuring all of my corals where now not consuming anything and what they were consuming, was being replenished by my water changes.

Here is the interesting part, as I was doing a water change yesterday, I hit one of the SPS and cut my finger. When I went to put my hand back in the tank, it felt like I was getting burned. I immediately thought it was the salt water doing its thing and cleaning out my scrape. But then it hit me, this was much more than a salt water sting. I believe I was getting shocked from something leaking electric in the tank. Somewhat doubtful, I put my other hand in the tank and did not feel anything. Nevertheless, I checked my pumps and heaters and all seamed fine. Then I remembered I put an old powerhead in my refugium to help with the cheato circulation and checked that. Sure enough, that pump was not functioning. I took it out and put it in a bucket off water and tested for electric with a meter and sure enough it was causing a problem! I somewhat find it hard to believe that I felt a shock only because of an open scrape... Maybe voltage was low enough that it could not penetrate layers of skin??? Not too sure.

Anyway, thought I would share this with everyone. Not sure if this is leading to my coral problems, but hopeful this is and things can now begin to recover....
 
I Hope that things starting getting better and that it was the root cause. This hobby is like a never ending labyrinth sometimes when chasing problems.
 
I have always used a grounding probe, not sure what other reefers thoughts are on this but cheap enough if it helps
 
I have always used a grounding probe, not sure what other reefers thoughts are on this but cheap enough if it helps
I feel like not enough people mention this or know about it, i had never even heard of them in all my research/learning. People will talk about the need for drip loops, its a very commonly discussed thing, but grounding rod i see very few people know about or discuss. This is just my experience though.

In regards to OP, glad you were able to find that as the culprit, some people may have never discovered what their issue was.
 
. I somewhat find it hard to believe that I felt a shock only because of an open scrape... Maybe voltage was low enough that it could not penetrate layers of skin??? Not too sure.

Decades ago (literally) I worked on medical equipment in hospitals and I can tell you the amount of leakage current permitted on equipment that only has access to your skin is a lot less stringent than the limits on equipment with access past your skin (BP cuff vs. IV pump, for example). I wonder if your pump was failing badly enough to trip a GFCI? That would be a simple test to use on older equipment in the future, hmmm.

Glad you found it and I hope they all start bouncing back, soon!
 
Decades ago (literally) I worked on medical equipment in hospitals and I can tell you the amount of leakage current permitted on equipment that only has access to your skin is a lot less stringent than the limits on equipment with access past your skin (BP cuff vs. IV pump, for example). I wonder if your pump was failing badly enough to trip a GFCI? That would be a simple test to use on older equipment in the future, hmmm.

Glad you found it and I hope they all start bouncing back, soon!
Interesting thought. My outlet is a dedicated GFCI and never tripped... it must have been fairly low voltage as I had my hand in the tank fairly often. Today, my fish were swimming more than I have ever seen. Very aggressively eating whereas before they were fairly timid.
 
Interesting thought. My outlet is a dedicated GFCI and never tripped... it must have been fairly low voltage as I had my hand in the tank fairly often. Today, my fish were swimming more than I have ever seen. Very aggressively eating whereas before they were fairly timid.
there was no good path between the neutral or ground. if you had a grounding probe more than likely it would have tripped the GFCI which will trip at .07 milli amps of current.
 
there was no good path between the neutral or ground. if you had a grounding probe more than likely it would have tripped the GFCI which will trip at .07 milli amps of current.
furthermore most of our equipment is ungrounded with 2 wire cords which I am sure leaking in aquarium products is more prevalent.
 
furthermore most of our equipment is ungrounded with 2 wire cords which I am sure leaking in aquarium products is more prevalent.
Ah yes, the leakage current we tested was to ground, not to neutral. I forgot the pumps we use are 2 prong (which is probably a sign I should clean the pumps in my tank ... it's the only time I look at the plug).
 
Ah yes, the leakage current we tested was to ground, not to neutral. I forgot the pumps we use are 2 prong (which is probably a sign I should clean the pumps in my tank ... it's the only time I look at the plug).
lol
 
A titanium heater like the Finnex, also functions as a ground probe when plugged into a GFCI outlet.

Fingers crossed that your tank bounces back quickly now!
 
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