Electricity leaking into the tank

[Berdel]

Hello guys

Ive had problems with my fish in a certain tank for several months and i can't figure out what is wrong. They have all acted very shy and skettish since i put them in the tank. Sometimes out of nowhere they just do panic and swim to their hiding spot. These comes like a "spike" and effects all the discus at once.

Yesterday during a waterchange i felt a very faint electricity shock when i tuched the aluminum cover but it was so low that i was not quite sure if i imagined it. Today i read this post:

Freaked Out Behavior - Skittish, Shy
kmuda
http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?t=60074

which was very close to what i have experienced.

So my question is. Have any of you ever experienced an electricity leak into the water and do you know of a way how i can confirm that this is actually happening. Also if it is the problem, how do i solve it?

I have a tank exactly like in this picture

http://www.123hjemmeside.dk/picture.aspx?id=6932086

Thanks in advance

[B-O-F]

I would have thought what you felt was more likely to have been a static shock rather than electricity in the water itself.

Is there anything else that could be causing the erratic group behavior in the tank, Extra light suddenly falling on it from the moving sun, passing traffic at night, etc. Or perhaps sudden vibrations from elsewhere in the haouse, kids running upstairs, stuff like that ?

[Berdel]

Is there anything else that could be causing the erratic group behavior in the tank, Extra light suddenly falling on it from the moving sun, passing traffic at night, etc. Or perhaps sudden vibrations from elsewhere in the haouse, kids running upstairs, stuff like that ?

That is what ive been thinking aswell, that perhaps someone have driven by outside on a skateboard causing vibrations which the fish could act on ect. I have even moved the tank to a new location because at some times of the day small rays of light was entering the tank. It did help a bit but not as much as i had hoped for.

So, after reading the above mentioned post i came to think that maybe electricity is the problem but im not sure at all. The small zap i felt yesterday might be static but with a closed tank top with lighting inside in constant dampness... I don't know but ill have to find a way to test it so i can know for sure

[B-O-F]

The static was something I used to suffer from a lot, touch a metal frame tank, touch a brass surround light switch, I could light up the UK all by myself :)

It may have to be a process of elimination, take the hood off ( cover glass ? ) for a day, shield the tank from the window for a day, put polystyrene sheet under tank, put an earth lead on the hood ( or tank if it is metal framed ) .

Just a thought..... do you have emmersed heaters ? could they be reacting to it turning on and off ?

[Berdel]

I think ill try will try grounding the hood and see if that works.

I use this heater:

http://www.akvarieudstyr.dk/images/Produkter/J3100.JPG

but its fully submersed all the time

[guille2007]

It can be the heater, test it by removing it and if so you may take it out for ever because it is no longer sealed, temperature changing from hot to cold during WC causes that when heater is still hot, if your tank is isolated fish may not feel any electrical current through them, it is the same as byrds seated on a high voltage line withough feeling anything.

[bavaria36]

I have had exactly the same problem last week. As I have 4 tanks next to each other it was easy for me to confirm that I was not imagining it. I just moved my hand from one tank to another several times and confirmed that the feeling of the electric shock really did repeat itself at the same tank over and over again.

I think that the reason I felt it so clearly was that I bite my nails pretty badly and this tends to make your fingertips more sensitive.

To confirm 100% that the problem is at the heater just get someone to unplug the heater while your hand is in the tank. The tingly feeling should go away. If it stays there try the same thing with the light.

The fix is easy. Chuck the faulty heater and replace it with a new one.

Aaron

[2sybs]

To confirm 100% that the problem is at the heater just get someone to unplug the heater while your hand is in the tank. The tingly feeling should go away. If it stays there try the same thing with the light.

I would NOT recommend putting your hand in the water no matter how mild the shock is NOW.
We are talking 230 volts here and if it is leaking voltage it is only a matter of time before you get that whole 230 volts.
Is there moisture inside the heater? if so then that is the problem.
Grounding the light is the first thing to try if no moisture in heater.
Also a voltage meter would be a much safer way to test for stray voltage.
Ray

[Kindredspirit]

I would NOT recommend putting your hand in the water no matter how mild the shock is NOW.
Ray

Ya think? Geez........I know nothing of this thread/topic, but please don't put any part of you in this tank to test anything! Common sense prevails here.:o

[2sybs]

If that heater is bad, throw it out.
you can use a cheap volt meter like this one to tell you what you need to know without risk.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103534&cp=2032058.2032235.2032305&pg=1&searchSort=TRUE&retainProdsInSession=1&y=9&x=4&s=A-StorePrice-RSK&parentPage=family


Ya think? Geez........I know nothing of this thread/topic, but please don't put any part of you in this tank to test anything! Common sense prevails here.:o

Ok I don't think I want to know what other parts they would be putting in there besides a hand, Marie. :o ;)

[Kindredspirit]

Ok I don't think I want to know what other parts they would be putting in there besides a hand, Marie. :o ;)

True.:o

[Don Trinko]

I am a retired electrician/electronic technician:
DO NOT PUT ANT PART OR YOUR BODY IN THAT TANK UNTILL YOU ARE SURE THE PROBLEM IS SOLVED!!
Don T.

[bavaria36]

Sorry guys... should not have recommended that. I didn't mean to imply that one should mess around for ever checking the tank in that way.

When I did it I just happened to notice a slight tingly feeling in one tank and just quickly checked the adjacent tanks to make sure I was not just imagining it.

Apologies

Aaron

[Kindredspirit]

http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_29_108.gif

[Iovino Gennaro]

I think you've to controll the pomp and termostat............

[kmuda]

I've reached into a tank with a broken heater, not knowing the heater was broken at the time. Believe me, you know it. It will knock you on your kiester.

I agree with the voltmeter. If there is any question, I would replace the heater.