| Cautions and Warnings cautions that may or may not fit in various segments |
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03-01-2004, 02:43 PM
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#1
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 93
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how much of an electric shock can fish handle?
No, not trying to be mean to my tank..... while doing a water change and maintence on Friday i notice that every time i put my hands in the water in the sump i would get a slight shock (felt like pourin salt on an open cut) Admitting my hands are rather nicked and cut lately. however this is different. i think i have narrowed it down to my Mag 9.5 (only 2-3 months old) but i am still very confused. My friend put her hands in the tank and felt nothing at all. none of my fish seem affected and all my marco and coral seem to be doing great. actually growing and thriving.
i systematically unplugged everything in my sump and main tank to narrow down the cause. when i unplugged the Mag 9.5 it stopped so i figured that was it. i removed the mag 9.5 form teh sump and placed it in a big plastic tub. filled it with fresh water turned on the pump and nothing happened.. no shock... nothing....
i am at a loss.. i thought salt water was a better conductor of electricity but .......
maybe the amount is so low that it cant be felt in fresh water... and the further away form the mag 9.5 the less i feel it.... any thoughts.... should i send it back to the company? (probably, i know) but very confused..... hehe
thanks,
Steve
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__________________
75 gallon Plexi
20 gallon sump/refuge with 35+ lbs. of rubble
FOWLR slowly evolving into Reef, Protein Skimmer, 3 powerheads
65+lbs of LR
20ish pounds of base rock
** Signature truncated to 5 lines **
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03-01-2004, 02:50 PM
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#2
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: san francisco, CA
Posts: 192
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1 2 3 CLEAR!!
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03-01-2004, 02:52 PM
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#3
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: san francisco, CA
Posts: 192
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You can always put a grounding probe in.. It will make you/your fish not feel the current, but that doesnt mean a continuos current going through your body isnt bad.
I would assume that a small current will eventually lead to the decline of health in inhabitants...
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03-01-2004, 02:54 PM
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#4
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 93
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hehe not funny Paradox, okie it is... i have trouble puttin my hands in the sump cus of the shock.... it is not too strong jus surprising..... and i have many cuts on my hands so i feel it in about 6 places....
__________________
75 gallon Plexi
20 gallon sump/refuge with 35+ lbs. of rubble
FOWLR slowly evolving into Reef, Protein Skimmer, 3 powerheads
65+lbs of LR
20ish pounds of base rock
** Signature truncated to 5 lines **
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03-01-2004, 04:04 PM
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#5
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 240
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Well if you really want to test this....take a plugged in extension cord and .....
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03-01-2004, 04:12 PM
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#6
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 93
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hehe cookie,
i emailed Danner (makers of Mag drives) to see what they thought. so we shall see... th emajor problem is that i need the sump up and running and i dont know how long my tank can go without it........
__________________
75 gallon Plexi
20 gallon sump/refuge with 35+ lbs. of rubble
FOWLR slowly evolving into Reef, Protein Skimmer, 3 powerheads
65+lbs of LR
20ish pounds of base rock
** Signature truncated to 5 lines **
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03-01-2004, 04:53 PM
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#7
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BRW member
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: austin texas
Posts: 2,154
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if i were you i would ask the company to replace it. if you feel like you cant go without it, buy another and then when you get the replacement, it will be your trusty backup. always good to have a backup plan. 
__________________
Had marine tanks from 2003-2007, starting up a 30g fowlr, and other hobby is horses!
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03-01-2004, 05:17 PM
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#8
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 93
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yea maybe.. thanks salt creepette. if it had happend on thurs. night i could have ordered another from Marine depot... i placed an order on friday and it will be here tomorrow... so now i will have to make another order..... weeeee but Mrine depot is super quick to get items from them to me.
__________________
75 gallon Plexi
20 gallon sump/refuge with 35+ lbs. of rubble
FOWLR slowly evolving into Reef, Protein Skimmer, 3 powerheads
65+lbs of LR
20ish pounds of base rock
** Signature truncated to 5 lines **
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03-01-2004, 11:17 PM
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#9
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Reefless Reefer
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Durham, NC
Posts: 20,559
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it could be salt creep from the power cord. dried salt is still capable of carrying current. Mags are pretty good, i have not had a problem with a Mag pump. i have had many problems with a lot of other manufacturers though.
where are our electrical guys? there is a way to test without using yourself as the voltmeter.  hopefully someone will chime in with the correct method.
G~
__________________
Think Tanker
Friends Don't Let Friends Use Refugiums!
Reef Knowledge Impaired
"J" crowd member.
My Build Thread
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03-01-2004, 11:48 PM
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#10
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TRT Staff The Mominator
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Just South Of Seattle
Posts: 10,496
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I was thinking the same thing about the salt creep Geoff...and the techies 
X, you might also try putting the cord in the same position as you have it in the tank, see if you have wires touching. Also, do you have a glass tank and if so, what kind of trim is on the tank?
Putting a grounding probe in the tank is good for the inhabitants but might be dangerous for you; best to do what you are doing and track down the electrical leak.
Alice
__________________
 "A BRW Original"
Only Dead Fish Go With The Flow... 
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03-02-2004, 12:03 AM
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#11
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Plankton
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: virginia
Posts: 17
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grounding probe is the answer for sure . (zzzzzaaappped no more)
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03-02-2004, 01:54 PM
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#12
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 93
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thanks everyone. i did email Danner and they said to send it back to them and they would look at it..... but still doesnt help if i dont have a pump.
My brother who knows electricity well walked me through testing with my voltmeter. i put the black probe in the ground of the power strip and the red into the sump. i did get readings, but i also got readings when the probes were not in the tank. the readings in the tank were definatly higher, but i don't know how much higher makes a difference. i was using the Vac? setting. the Sump is glass with a plastic rim.
maybe i will buy a new one then if Danner sends me a replacement i can sell it. because who knows who long they will take.
thanks,
Steve
__________________
75 gallon Plexi
20 gallon sump/refuge with 35+ lbs. of rubble
FOWLR slowly evolving into Reef, Protein Skimmer, 3 powerheads
65+lbs of LR
20ish pounds of base rock
** Signature truncated to 5 lines **
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03-02-2004, 02:55 PM
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#13
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 93
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ooops forgot to add... i did clean the power cord from end to end. i even tried different outlets. it could be that there is a kink in the cord and when it is in a certain position that is when it shorts......
__________________
75 gallon Plexi
20 gallon sump/refuge with 35+ lbs. of rubble
FOWLR slowly evolving into Reef, Protein Skimmer, 3 powerheads
65+lbs of LR
20ish pounds of base rock
** Signature truncated to 5 lines **
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03-02-2004, 07:19 PM
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#14
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The Mechanic
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 375
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If you did the test with a digital volt meter, some of them will show varying voltage when the probes are not connected to anything. What was the reading with the one probe in the water and the other to ground?
Eric...
__________________
120 gal sps dominated reef, 40 gal sump, 30 gal fuge,2 Streams on a multicontroller, MRC MR2, 2X250 DE MH, T5 actinics.MRC CR2 calcium reactor.
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03-02-2004, 07:52 PM
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#15
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 93
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34.something. i will try some more tests today after work. i just ordered a new Mag 9.5 and when i get it i will sen dhte other one back to Danner. hopefully they will send me a new one that i can sell or use for salt mixing and tank filling.
for Mag drives do they have to be completely submerged at all times?
__________________
75 gallon Plexi
20 gallon sump/refuge with 35+ lbs. of rubble
FOWLR slowly evolving into Reef, Protein Skimmer, 3 powerheads
65+lbs of LR
20ish pounds of base rock
** Signature truncated to 5 lines **
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