Circuit Breaker Tripped

[nereefpat]

so ground probe in tank would trip when the offending item leaks?
Easier to figure out

Yes. With a ground probe installed, the gfci will trip immediately.

Now, here is the part where I always warn people to never use a ground plug without a GFCI.

 

[Cbones1979]

Yes. With a ground probe installed, the gfci will trip immediately.

Now, here is the part where I always warn people to never use a ground plug without a GFCI.

I"m guessing it's probably best to do the following.

1. unplug all aquarium cords
2. install ground probe
3. start plugging back cords one at a time
4. when trip occurs pull cord that tripped it and try again without
5. replace the offending item

 

[OSU]

First just doing a quick calculation of what you have for your tank I got 11-1200 watts with everything on, which is 10 amps. You could have another 4-500 watts depending on what computer and monitor you are using. Just with those numbers you need a dedicated 20 amp circuit for that room alone. Or just a 15 amp for your tank.

You also could have saltwater spilled some where and the remnants are arcing and tripping the breaker. Or a bad connection or a bad cord.

 

[Brew12]

I do not

so ground probe in tank would trip when the offending item leaks?
Easier to figure out

Exactly. The aquarium glass is an insulator preventing fault current from going to ground. A ground probe allows current to flow to ground so will cause a GFCI to trip immediately.

 

[Brew12]

First just doing a quick calculation of what you have for your tank I got 11-1200 watts with everything on, which is 10 amps. You could have another 4-500 watts depending on what computer and monitor you are using. Just with those numbers you need a dedicated 20 amp circuit for that room alone. Or just a 15 amp for your tank.

You also could have saltwater spilled some where and the remnants are arcing and tripping the breaker. Or a bad connection or a bad cord.

Keep in mind that too much load will not trip a GFCI. It can trip a breaker on overload, but that doesn't seem to be what is happening here.

 

[nereefpat]

I"m guessing it's probably best to do the following.

1. unplug all aquarium cords
2. install ground probe
3. start plugging back cords one at a time
4. when trip occurs pull cord that tripped it and try again without
5. replace the offending item

Yes exactly, assuming by "trip" you mean the GFCI tripping.

 

[Cbones1979]

First just doing a quick calculation of what you have for your tank I got 11-1200 watts with everything on, which is 10 amps. You could have another 4-500 watts depending on what computer and monitor you are using. Just with those numbers you need a dedicated 20 amp circuit for that room alone. Or just a 15 amp for your tank.

You also could have saltwater spilled some where and the remnants are arcing and tripping the breaker. Or a bad connection or a bad cord.

Funny you should mention

I had a powerhead turn on while putting moving it in tank and it blew water from surface on the lights and wall above/behind. Didn’t trip the gfi until later tho. This could be it

 

[CanuckReefer]

I do not

so ground probe in tank would trip when the offending item leaks?
Easier to figure out

Keep in mind as well, if the GFCI is not tripping... you may have damage to both 'hot and neutral ' wires on a piece of equipment. Normally, if for instance a hot wire is damaged it would trip it from imbalance. If both are damaged wiring either exterior or interior workings of pump or heater etc, it may not trip. The circuit is still being completed. I have pulled a few pumps from lake or sump environments where the GFCI did not trip and there was damage to both wires. As others have mentioned, ground probe and each device one at a time, till you find it. Inspect wiring along cords and at entrance to equipment for any signs of damage. It can be a laborious process I know, but the fault is always found somewhere. Good luck.