Who has a grounding probe in their tank?

[Doug]

As I posted, why not use both. I would never run with no GFI, but I do on occasion have something run to another plug for whatever reason. In my particular situation, no probe, arc to my forehead, probe in, no problems.

As for fixing the pump, thats all fine and dandy, once you know its screwed and leaking current.

[heyfredyourhat]

There is a decent size thread about ground probes being very dangerous on RC.

My 2 cents...I have one in my sump, i have a gfi as well. The other nite hands were in the tank and i got a good jolt and then gfi tripped. It was my light, and about a year ago i was shocked by the same light and didnt have a gfi installed. Talk about being electrocuted!! Especially when one arm is all the way to the bottom of a 24" tank!!!

Not sure what the ground probe does, or if its worthwhile, but i know i love my gfi now!!

[Canadian]

The general consensus is that if you run a ground probe you MUST also run a GFCI otherwise you are actually putting yourself at GREATER risk by having a ground probe without a GFCI because nothing will trip to shut down the offending electrical component should it actually be leaking current (to you for example).

Also, the fish don't get zapped. They aren't grounded. The idea that stray current somehow causes HLLE has generally been dismissed as nonsense over the last few years.

Do a search on RC - this has been debated ad nauseum and when people who actually know what they are talking about (I'm certainly not one of them) get involved in the conversation the take home message becomes the same - if you run a grounding probe you must also run a GFCI for your safety.

[digital-audiophile]

That is an intersting point that the fish are not grounded. I never thought about that, I always assumed that if I saw fish floating belly up I would know not to stick my hands in.

I really need to get a GFCI. I need to find someone in Calgary that can do it for me.

[Canadian]

To be fair, I don't know how realistic an inference it is to suggest that because the fish isn't grounded that it wouldn't some how be effected by stray voltage. I've seen it suggested that because the fish aren't grounded they aren't at much risk, but when I think about it intuitively I would assume that if I cut the cables on one of my powerheads and stuck the wires in the tank next to a fish it would presumably show some kind of distress (but as I mentioned above I'm not really qualified to comment on electricity because I'm completely ignorant about its effects beyond what we use therapeutically in physiotherapy).

Originally Posted by digital-audiophile

That is an intersting point that the fish are not grounded. I never thought about that, I always assumed that if I saw fish floating belly up I would know not to stick my hands in.

I really need to get a GFCI. I need to find someone in Calgary that can do it for me.

[Leah]

Originally Posted by digital-audiophile

That is an intersting point that the fish are not grounded. I never thought about that, I always assumed that if I saw fish floating belly up I would know not to stick my hands in.

I really need to get a GFCI. I need to find someone in Calgary that can do it for me.

They, are not that hard to install my dad installed all mine, four of them
just make sure you have turned off the power to it first. Was the first thing
I ever did when I switched to salt. I even have one on my daughter's fresh.
But when I was a kid growing up my dad had 30 freshwater tanks running in
our basement and I don't even thought about it. You will have to turn everthing off that may suck.

[karazy]

you can buy a GFCI outlet like the one in the link below at places like home depot so you dont have to completely change your outlet.

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_Aquari...et_inline.html

[digital-audiophile]

Originally Posted by karazy

you can buy a GFCI outlet like the one in the link below at places like home depot so you dont have to completely change your outlet.

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_Aquari...et_inline.html

I've looked for those at both home deopt and rona and the staff in the electrical dept. look at me like I have two heads and show me the ones I need to wire in.

I'm sure I can install the GFCI, it's not that hards, its just I am afraid of electricity. I electrocuted myself really bad as a teenager on an exposed wall socket and have been leary around wires and electricity ever since.