I am getting shocked, but no one else feels anything. Help!

[Lindsay1126]

Hi, so tonight I went to move my powerhead and got a pretty harsh shock. I put my rubber gloves on and got it out. Called my husband to check and he felt it and said nothing. So I touched water again to be shocked pretty hard a second time. My husband told me it must be static shock, so I called my dad and he felt nothing. I still am feeling a VERY harsh shock. I don't get it. My kids thought it was so funny they tried and nothing. Am I going crazy. I have felt slight zaps before being stupid with my plugs, but this is to the point Im scared to touch it again and I have checked everything and everything looks fine. I think at this point everyone thinks I am crazy. What is going on????

 

[Crabs McJones]

Does it only happen with one hand or with both?

 

[Hemmdog]

Hi, so tonight I went to move my powerhead and got a pretty harsh shock. I put my rubber gloves on and got it out. Called my husband to check and he felt it and said nothing. So I touched water again to be shocked pretty hard a second time. My husband told me it must be static shock, so I called my dad and he felt nothing. I still am feeling a VERY harsh shock. I don't get it. My kids thought it was so funny they tried and nothing. Am I going crazy. I have felt slight zaps before being stupid with my plugs, but this is to the point Im scared to touch it again and I have checked everything and everything looks fine. I think at this point everyone thinks I am crazy. What is going on????

Is the shock feeling a split second and goes away or is it constant and causes muscle spasms?

 

[lolgranny]

Do you have a cut / scratch on your hand?

If it’s stray voltage start unplugging things one by one until you figure out what the culprit is.

 

[reefwiser]

Not crazy unplug power head and does it still shock you when you touch the water. Many times equipment can fail by cracking and allowing a short when your body becomes the conductor.

 

[norfolkgarden]

A cut or scratch on your hand will make you far more sensitive.

 

[seastar]

Do you have a multi-meter? That will let you know in a hurry if there's something going on. Just remember salt water carries a little current in the water naturally.

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Possibly you husband was wearing rubber soled shoes when he felt the tank.

You should definitely have a ground probe in there.
Please Be super careful as I am sure you know.

 

[Lindsay1126]

Is the shock feeling a split second and goes away or is it constant and causes muscle spasms?

Its constant but its so drastic I instinctively pull my hand out. It is the strongest current I have ever felt.

Does it only happen with one hand or with both?

I have only stuck my finger in there. I felt a slight shock just from the water on the power head cord (at top of tank) so I unplugged (and pulled it out of the water) the power head assuming it had shorted, thats when hubby told me he felt nothing so I checked and got shocked again.

Do you have a cut / scratch on your hand?

If it’s stray voltage start unplugging things one by one until you figure out what the culprit is.

I don't but I did mess up my cuticle the other day so it is a bit softer than normal.

I am trying to find the source.

Will this hurt my fish or corals? Also have a BTA. Everything seems fine, but this shock has just happened but I scooped out water earlier today to dethaw food and it was fine.

 

[Lindsay1126]

Do you have a multi-meter? That will let you know in a hurry if there's something going on. Just remember salt water carries a little current in the water naturally.

My husband does have one, but I wasn't sure if I could put it in the water. He thinks I am imaging it.

I had my dad take off his slippers bc thats what I thought and he still felt nothing. Everyone is telling me I am imaging it! Its very frustrating.

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Just thinking,

I would shut everything down, not just the Powerheads. This way you know 100% if it is tank or you. Buy unplugging just a Powerheads or pump that may not resolve the issue and the next time may be more than a shock. If it is not shocking you when all is shut down you are getting stray current in the tank. I would get a multi meter as suggest3d and unplug one by one.
And highly recommend a Ground probe

Please be safe

 

[Lindsay1126]

This is the first time since I started keeping fish many years ago, I am scared to put my hand in it.

 

[Lindsay1126]

Just thinking,

I would shut everything down, not just the Powerheads. This way you know 100% if it is tank or you. Buy unplugging just a Powerheads or pump that may not resolve the issue and the next time may be more than a shock. If it is not shocking you when all is shut down you are getting stray current in the tank. I would get a multi meter as suggest3d and unplug one by one.
And highly recommend a Ground probe

Please be safe

I will try to get my husband to help, I honestly have no clue how it works. I have seen him use it on our water heater, but that is it.

 

[lolgranny]

I had my skimmer Leak stray voltage into the tank. Corals seemed a little ***** but didn’t lose anything. Wasn’t sure what it was because it wasn’t happening all the time either. When you feel it just go through and start unplugging one by one one. You’ll find it

Or it’s your finger if no one else feels it. Lol

 

[Mastiffsrule]

I personally would not start by unplugging one by one Until you don’t feel anything. Humans are not a great multi meter. Safety first.

 

[OpenOcean33]

I would say turn off the powerbeads and pumps and try again. I thought i was getting shocked to with a very sharp jolt, asked some one else and nothing.... Turns out i bite my finger nails ( i know i know) that fresh skin underneath does not like salt water at ALL. Or know for just buy a meter from walmart https://www.walmart.com/c/kp/electric-meter-testers

 

[lolgranny]

I personally would not start by unplugging one by one Until you don’t feel anything. Humans are not a great multi meter. Safety first.

That’s definitely the safer route

 

[Lindsay1126]

Ok so apparently I am loosing my mind. My husband showed me how to use it and nothing, so I thought ok it must have been the power head and all the residual is gone now. Stuck my hand in the sump and it was the worst shock so far, to the the point that the tip of my finger felt burnt.

I would say turn off the powerbeads and pumps and try again. I thought i was getting shocked to with a very sharp jolt, asked some one else and nothing.... Turns out i bite my finger nails ( i know i know) that fresh skin underneath does not like salt water at ALL. Or know for just buy a meter from walmart https://www.walmart.com/c/kp/electric-meter-testers

So do you always feel the jolt? Like I said my cuticles and nails are very short and soft right now, like someone who bites them. I just had my hand in it this morning and was fine.

I feel like I am loosing my mind.

 

[HB AL]

I would get a voltmeter see what it reads, then unplug one thing at a time till you see a dramatic drop. Been there done that, it was a koralia power head and noticed a slight shock one day but biggest issue was my acros were suffering for a couple weeks and tested all params and all were normal, through it in the trash and within a couple days acros were coming back strong,

 

[norfolkgarden]

Please Pull every single plug connected to the tank.

Absolutely nothing electrical in the tank connected to an outlet.

Not just turned off, but physically removed from all of the outlets.

Then try your hand again.

If it still hurts, it's your fingertips.

If it doesn't hurt, you need to start plugging stuff back in One at a time.

It could be a combination of both.
Your fingertips are more sensitive than anyone else in the house and there is a really small stray voltage that only you can feel because of your fingertips.

Cold, chemicals, electrical, just about anything.
When my hands are cut up it is amazing how much more sensitive they are to that kind of stuff at the cuts.

Lol, wear gloves when clearing brush.