Do I have stray Voltage?

[Ron99]

I have to disagree. I had a similar problem where my SPS lost PE and then started to bleach and die. I tried checking voltage with a volt meter and read about 1 volt. Tried checking everything else that was suggested or I could think of and nothing made a difference.

Then one day I put my hand in the tank with a recent cut on my finger and the cut was buzzing. It was definitely electrical in nature. So I started unplugging components and when I unplugged my heater, the buzzing went away. Plugged it back in and the buzzing came back. I bought a new heater and ground probe the next day and within 12 hours my SPS started to show PE again and are now recovering nicely.

So I suspect voltage leaks are more common, and a more common source of problems, then we all realize. Whenever you have electrical components submerged in salt water, even only one or two, there is a risk of one developng a leak and introducing voltage/current to the tank.

[PoonTang]

I never have any buzzing when i put my hand in the tank and have never had the GFI trip. I realize that I may be looking down the wrong avenue here in regards to my corals but I am running out of options and want to explore every possibility.
The more i read the more i think that my readings are not high and it is not a leak, just an imparted voltage from the electrical devices. My tank is not showing any of the classic symptoms of a voltage leak.

[mike31154]

Looking into any possibility or angle is always a good idea. As I mentioned, I try to keep the number of devices with electrical cords physically in the water to the absolute minimum. I don't have any SPS corals, so I do this for my own safety, not the livestock. I've seen a number of threads & posts regarding Koralia pumps going bad with regard to excessive voltage being introduced into the water. Heaters may also cause problems, particularly for those people who like to submerse the entire thing, control head, cord and all. I cringe every time I see this. Yes, many of them are supposedly fully submersible, but I prefer to keep the temperature control and cord above the surface, thank you. If you think about the mechanical linkage going from the knob down into the heater..... it's just another seal that could easily be compromised over time.

[mark]

don't believe dropping one meter lead into the tank and grounding the other will give much of a useful reading. I'd trust a GFI to be a more reliable indicator to show problems.