Stray voltage causing issues in tanks!

[Ulu]

That might be one half of a leash used to ground human beings during the assembly of electronics.

I have not installed a grounding probe or done anything to my outdoor tank yet but I am quite concerned about this because of the large steel stand.

It's it's on four plastic feet but they are small and could usually be over coated with salts from evaporation and that is a recipe for conduction as soon as it gets wet.

 

[islandguy11]

Personally I would just order the ones online. lol

You can plug into power bar, that circuit will be protected by the GFCI in the wall, as will everything else downstream on that circuit.

Thx for advice Neil, in fact it looks like I'll have to order some proper ones from overseas, nobody is selling them in Thailand.

When I brought these to the specialty electric store today, the guy had no clue how to mate these probes with a proper male plug, so maybe they can't I'm not sure. The shop that sold them to me asked me to send them back, they'll work them up and send them back to me, but I think the safer option is as you suggest.

 

[PYRU]

Gfi isn't going to help you much in this case. Grounding probes and gfi are different.

Vertex Titanium Grounding Pole

Use the Vertex Titanium Grounding Pole to protect your saltwater aquarium from stray voltage which may come from pumps, heaters, chillers, lighting and any other electrical components in your system.

www.marinedepot.com

 

[RD.]

Gfi isn't going to help you much in this case. Grounding probes and gfi are different.

Vertex Titanium Grounding Pole

Use the Vertex Titanium Grounding Pole to protect your saltwater aquarium from stray voltage which may come from pumps, heaters, chillers, lighting and any other electrical components in your system.

www.marinedepot.com

Probably best if you read the previous comments, the difference between what each appliance can do, by themselves, and combined, has all been explained in great detail.

 

[islandguy11]

Gfi isn't going to help you much in this case. Grounding probes and gfi are different.

Vertex Titanium Grounding Pole

Use the Vertex Titanium Grounding Pole to protect your saltwater aquarium from stray voltage which may come from pumps, heaters, chillers, lighting and any other electrical components in your system.

www.marinedepot.com

Yep I'm going to order similar to what you've linked to, then use in conjunction with GFCI. Our main circuit breaker has a bigger GFCI on it that (hopefully) protects the whole house. I had an electrician come and properly ground all the outlets in fish rooms but I'm not comfortable depending only on the main GFCI, so now also have to order some GFCI outlets from Bangkok (none locally), then have the electriican re-do all those new outlets lol.

I now only have 1.5vac-2vac in all 4 tanks, which I'm not sure how much is conductive (or is it inductive?) and perhaps unavoidable but will feel better when things are more properly set up.

 

[Ulu]

I wonder if you have to use any special grade of titanium?

I like how the ad says that this is a special grade of non-corrosive titanium as if there is such a thing as a non corrosive metal. If metal didn't corrode we wouldn't have metal ore.

Titanium is highly corrosion-resistant but I don't know about the different alloys.

 

[Ulu]

Probably best if you read the previous comments, the difference between what each appliance can do, by themselves, and combined, has all been explained in great detail.

It was quite comprehensible too, if perhaps not universally appreciated.

I have a flaw in the concrete construction joint right by my patio stand, that would be perfect for a copper ground stake.
I feel a pressing need to ground that stand. Also time to retire an old pump. That was my big "leak."

BTW, I also can rebuild the stand in wood, allowing me a larger sump (and reducing shock hazards.) This was actually my initial plan: a wooden stand. Plus I just priced a copper rod. OUCH! I hadn't bought one in 25 years.

 

[RD.]

Titanium is highly corrosion-resistant but I don't know about the different alloys.

In the aquarium trade most grounding probes were originally designed with marine systems in mind, which of course are much more corrosive than freshwater. Even today I suspect that most hobbyists using grounding probes are SW hobbyists. I believe that's why the vendor above was promoting their probes as being a special grade of non-corrosive titanium. It sounds impressive. lol

 

[Ulu]

Thanks again RD.

 

[islandguy11]

Talk about fish and electricity, here's a recent video of Kentucky Fish & Game doing some 'Electrofishing' for Asian Carp, pretty crazy how many fish start flying and how bad the problem has gotten in some areas.