Serious dangers of salt water tanks and any tank

[reefermadness]

I was about to start correcting people but outtacontrol is doing a good job.

Just recently I had a MJ powerhead short.....the cord had cracked under the water (saltwater hardens the soft insulation of cords and the vibration of the powerhead can cause cracks). When I stuck my hand in the tank I got a nice zap but the gfi tripped......safety device indeed. The reason it did not trip till I stuck my hand in is I dont have a grounding probe so there was no good path to ground for the current to flow.

[molotov]

Originally Posted by outacontrol

Sorry man this is simply not true, one Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) can detect faults in several things. You do not require a GFCI for each device.

So if I have my powerbars plugged into a CGFI outlet, each device plugged into the powerbar is protected? I often wondered that. A lot of us use controllers with powerbars. If the powerbar wasn't protected by the GFCI then the GFCI would be useless. So I understand this is not the case. Thanks for the clarification.

[reefermadness]

Originally Posted by molotov

So if I have my powerbars plugged into a CGFI outlet, each device plugged into the powerbar is protected? I often wondered that. A lot of us use controllers with powerbars. Thanks for the clarification.

A powerbar plugged into a GFI will protect all the devices down stream.....so yes.

If the powerbar wasn't protected by the GFCI then the GFCI would be useless. So I understand this is not the case.

Not sure what you mean here..

[outacontrol]

Originally Posted by reefermadness

I was about to start correcting people but outtacontrol is doing a good job.
.

Thank you very much, its nice to hear that it is appreciated!

Originally Posted by molotov

If the powerbar wasn't protected by the GFCI then the GFCI would be useless. So I understand this is not the case. Thanks for the clarification.

I believe molotov is talking about an incorrect statement in an earlier post that you need a GFCI for each device.

[Dearth]

That was me with the incorrect statement about GFIs and thank you for correcting me on it because when I got into aquariums 18 yrs ago the GFIs I had would do nothing with power bars and ended up buying 9 GFIs for the 3 tanks I ran.

How things change over the years

[isaac1]

Voltage and current can leak threw the tank without you putting ur hand in as for fish well think of a bird on a line my hand was fully submerged and nothing until I put my hand on the tank witch then created a circuit as treated me as ground

[isaac1]

Oops my bad didn't read that last one you put there mr out of controll

[outacontrol]

Originally Posted by isaac1

Voltage and current can leak threw the tank without you putting ur hand in as for fish well think of a bird on a line my hand was fully submerged and nothing until I put my hand on the tank witch then created a circuit as treated me as ground

Lol I find your persistence almost as amusing as your lack of knowledge with respect to basic electricity! Poor old George Simon Ohm is rolling is rolling over in his grave as you are trying to prove him and his basic electrical law wrong.

[isaac1]

Sorry sir I did not realize myself and others, were in the presence of a master electrician and electrical engineer yes I do have a lack of understanding but instead of being a troll use ur super brain and write a post on what people can do to protect them selfs, equipment they can use ext this post was not intended to mock or become ****ing contest with any but rather just another tool any one look at for reference on proper equipment and installation ect.

[mike31154]

As long as we run our systems with the electrical gizmos required to keep them running, there will be a risk of shock. The best we can do is minimize that risk by using GFI devices, keeping electrical cords out of the water and generally being aware/cognizant of the danger when volts & amps are associated with salt water.

I've seen folks with power bars & non moisture proof lamps mounted way too close above their sumps. I also still see people totally submerging heaters in the water, cord & all. I know enough about the hazards of water/electricity not to take a manufacturer's word that a heater is fully submersible. These things are mass produced and all that stands between you & death is an epoxy or rubber seal that will deteriorate with age, as will the cord as already mentioned. Just because they are UL listed or CSA approved doesn't mean there's an official at every plant watching how these things run off the line. Even if there was, he/she is not going to get out a megger & measure the the resistance of each one between the insulated parts of the heater & the electrical contacts. Meat inspectors can't possibly check every carcass in every slaughter house either. If you value your safety & those venturing near your tank, keep the control head & electrical cord of your heater above the water level.

Common sense! If you value your safety, have drip loops in all your cords, keep power bars & open electrical receptacles away from salt water or humid environments! They will corrode/deteriorate over time. Don't be grabbing your light fixture at the same time you stick your hand in the water.

Some basics to minimize risk of electrocution:

The fewer cords anywhere near your tank, the better. One reason I like VorTech pumps is the cord is outside the tank & they run on low voltage direct current as opposed to household alternating current. I'm more than willing to put up with the extra sound the dry side makes in exchange for the added safety factor.

Use an external return pump as opposed to an internal one. One more cord & motor not exposed to water 24/7.

Use GFI devices, as if that hasn't been hammered into this thread already. Jury is out on ground probes. Personally I think they're more of a hazard than anything. If you do use a ground probe you really need to make sure every one of the devices associated with your tank is GFI protected.

Go LED if you can. Low voltage lighting is much safer around the water than the relatively high voltages associated with Halide & Fluorescent lighting.

Only items in my water with a cord attached anymore are heaters & I'm looking for a way to heat the water by other means, perhaps an under tank heating mat, like in floor heating or something. A little extreme maybe, but an idea nevertheless. Other item is a small Aquaclear powerhead feeding my skimmer, but I make sure the cord is above the water surface. In the end, it doesn't matter whether the powerhead or heater is small or large with respect to wattage, bottom line is, they are fed by a 120 volt AC 15 amp circuit breaker & if something goes wrong, that's the potential shock hazard.