Reminder: Electricity & corals = BAD!!

[reedman]

So I went to bed last night and everything in the tank was great. Wake up this morning (7 hours later) and everything is very light colored and washed out. Look in the canopy and my seaswirl had tilted into the water allowing voltage to bleed in.

It doesn't take much or long for electricity to take a heavy toll on a tank. Make sure all your electrical is tie up and secured so this doesn't happen to you. You'd think after 4 years in saltwater and many many more in fresh I would have known this, but one miss step and I have a very stressed tank.

It looks like most corals will be OK and the fish aren't phased at all. So far I may have been very lucky.

 

[CarlaW]

Wow Reed, hope everything's OK. Remember, if you always have a place to get some replacements if things do go TU. I'd be glad to help out.

 

[reedman]

Thanks Charlie! I'm hoping I caught it in time....we'll have to wait and see

 

[Tangee]

Hey Reed,
I'd watch your fish pretty carefully. I had a similar incident last fall, when I caught the voltage problem all the fish seemed ok, but shortly after they got all sorts of sick! Just keep an eye out... I hope it doesn't go that way for you!

Susie

 

[CarlaW]

What caused the seaswirl to slip?

 

[reedman]

Hey Reed,
I'd watch your fish pretty carefully. I had a similar incident last fall, when I caught the voltage problem all the fish seemed ok, but shortly after they got all sorts of sick! Just keep an eye out... I hope it doesn't go that way for you!

Susie

Thanks Susie. I'll keep an eye on them.

What caused the seaswirl to slip?

Mainly stupidity on my part. It was hooked to a short piece of vinyl tubing from my CL. I didn't think it was going anywhere (it was pretty secure just sitting there). It must have hooked a branch of coral during the night and pulled the swirl into the tank. I should know better.

 

[CarlaW]

Ya see what happens when things start to grow???????
Keep an eye on things, if you need something, let me know man.

 

[The Apprentice]

It doesn't take much or long for electricity to take a heavy toll on a tank.

Boy hard one to Hear about Reed do you have your sea swirls on a GFCI ?
Would a ground probe have helped?
I am truely sorry to hear about this I hope all bounce back. Good luck...

So I went to bed last night and everything in the tank was great. Wake up this morning (7 hours later) and everything is very light colored and washed out. Look in the canopy and my seaswirl had tilted into the water allowing voltage to bleed in.

It doesn't take much or long for electricity to take a heavy toll on a tank. Make sure all your electrical is tie up and secured so this doesn't happen to you. You'd think after 4 years in saltwater and many many more in fresh I would have known this, but one miss step and I have a very stressed tank.

It looks like most corals will be OK and the fish aren't phased at all. So far I may have been very lucky.

 

[jetaero]

Man, that's too bad reed, but very good you caught it in time that the corals are still alive. Watch the corals in the next 12 hours, it's possible for rtn. :|

-Josh-

 

[reedman]

I doubt a GFCI would have done much good on this one...though I don't know. I have never had much luck with them despite knowing they are a very good idea to have. I've never tried a ground probe...never had a reason....much easier to keep electricity out of the water.

Now I just wait....the worst part of the hobby.

 

[The Apprentice]

safety first

Well the main thing is I am glad Reed you didn't get shocked. From a guy who makes it I definatly respect it

I doubt a GFCI would have done much good on this one...though I don't know. I have never had much luck with them despite knowing they are a very good idea to have. I've never tried a ground probe...never had a reason....much easier to keep electricity out of the water.

Now I just wait....the worst part of the hobby.

 

[jsmkmavity]

anytime you have voltage leak into a tank you need to test for copper. many products use copper wire and this can dose the tank to toxic levels very quickly.

 

[reedman]

I'll be doing water changes most of the day. If there is copper in the tank there is very little I can do about it now. I don't have the means to go buy a new tank so if it's there...it's there. Time will tell.

My cleaner shrimp seems unphased so I don't think there is any dangerous level of copper in there.

 

[fishermann]

If it ain't one thing it's another :doubt:. Hope things work out Reed

 

[jlehigh]

Crap Reed.. You had too much power in the tank and mine lost power (darn neighborhood construction)

It's sounds like the tank will pull through. Hang in there and let me know if you need any salt or other misc stuff..

 

[reedman]

Thanks all. I'm hanging in just watching at this point and changing water. Nasty crap coming out of the skimmer...I'll tell you that.

Most corals still showing a little polyp extension, pissed off anemone, fish are oblivious. Good news is my tort and gomezi are looking fine. My biggest table is looking rough at this point, but the acro crab is still in there so it's not lost yet.

 

[DisturbedReefer]

Wow Reed that blows, I feel your pain since I just went through the same with the heated shorting out and zapping everything. I never thought about the copper thing though, guess I should test for copper. I continue to have problems with SPS since the zap, everything else looks great and the fish are thriving. Hope all turns out good for you!

 

[Elmo18]

I'll be watching this thread closely..

Sorry about the troubles Reed Holler, if I can in any way be of help.

Best,
Ilham

 

[daytonaconnecti]

wow sorry to here that reedman,good luck,btw what can be done or added to a tank, to keep the stray voltage from doing any harm,like grounding prob, or something like that, i dont know.....

 

[reedman]

wow sorry to here that reedman,good luck,btw what can be done or added to a tank, to keep the stray voltage from doing any harm,like grounding prob, or something like that, i dont know.....

Yeah, I'm not sure about grounding probes. I really don't understand them enough to speak about them, but I thought they were for shorts, not just electricity in the water.

In my case, 5 minutes and a couple of zip ties would have prevented this. I got complacent and thought the setup would hold...it didn't and now I have very light colored (basically polyps) to look at until they recover. It's a tough lesson, but hopefully others will learn from my mistake and not have to deal with this.