Stray voltage in QUARANTINE TANK?

[M46]

20 gal quarantine tank - my new fishes from store keep dying within 24 hours. All parameters of water are good. Than I checked straight voltage : could that be a reason/ harmful for fish to die? I purchased new heater last night, and the filter too and it’s still showing same thing, straight voltage 15 - 20 V .

 

[vetteguy53081]

20 gal quarantine tank - my new fishes from store keep dying within 24 hours. All parameters of water are good. Than I checked straight voltage : could that be a reason/ harmful for fish to die? I purchased new heater last night, and the filter too and it’s still showing same thing, straight voltage 15 - 20 V .

Looks like a little. Likely heater or power heads
Although not a solution, a grounding probe will protect you and the livestock

 

[Lyss]

I had an issue with my return pump a while ago. My understanding is that stray voltage is not an issue but a fault to ground is. I even have my stuff plugged into a gfci outlet, but it never tripped. The way I figured out for sure that it was the pump was by putting a grounding probe in -- a few hours later the gfci did trip, and I was then able to isolate it to the pump.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

What's in your qt tank? Process of elimination, unplug devices until the stray voltage goes away... My bet is your heater, or as said above possibly a pump. I've had mainly cheap heaters or AC pumps do me in on stray voltage.

 

[mdb_talon]

I had an issue with my return pump a while ago. My understanding is that stray voltage is not an issue but a fault to ground is. I even have my stuff plugged into a gfci outlet, but it never tripped. The way I figured out for sure that it was the pump was by putting a grounding probe in -- a few hours later the gfci did trip, and I was then able to isolate it to the pump.

If you have actual stray current a working gfci will trip immediately IF you have a working ground probe(or equipment like titanium heater that acts as a ground probe). Without a path to ground it wont usually trip until a path to ground is created(ie sticking hand in tank, salt creep, etc). If you have induced voltage it likely will not trip.

 

[mdb_talon]

I dont disagree with other suggestions, but my bet is the 14 volts you are seeing is induced voltage rather than stray voltage. In any case your best solution is gfci combined with a ground probe.

I also personally doubt the 14v is what is killing fish within 24 hours. It is not uncommon at all in aquariums and while it may or may not be responsible for longterm fish health issues I have never seen any real evidence it causes death in such a quick timeframe.

 

[Lyss]

I dont disagree with other suggestions, but my bet is the 14 volts you are seeing is induced voltage rather than stray voltage. In any case your best solution is gfci combined with a ground probe.

I also personally doubt the 14v is what is killing fish within 24 hours. It is not uncommon at all in aquariums and while it may or may not be responsible for longterm fish health issues I have never seen any real evidence it causes death in such a quick timeframe.

I agree with this. In my case there was no fish loss -- I was alerted and began searching for the cause when my fish began acting erratically. I had a hunch it was the pump b/c they would stop acting erratically when I turned it off, and act erratically again soon after I would turn it back on.

I learned while seeking help for that issue that since it was only the fish acting erratically, I should first look to fish disease, and 2nd the fault to ground. OP, I would consider fish disease, too, if you have not already.

 

[M46]

If you have actual stray current a working gfci will trip immediately IF you have a working ground probe(or equipment like titanium heater that acts as a ground probe). Without a path to ground it wont usually trip until a path to ground is created(ie sticking hand in tank, salt creep, etc). If you have induced voltage it likely will not trip.

I plugged to GFCI and didn’t trip at all

 

[FurrierTransform]

I would think that all the water in the tank is at an equipotential (salt water being pretty conductive), so I don't think the fish are seeing that voltage; you might if you're grounded and then stick your hand into the tank.

 

[M46]

What's in your qt tank? Process of elimination, unplug devices until the stray voltage goes away... My bet is your heater, or as said above possibly a pump. I've had mainly cheap heaters or AC pumps do me in on stray voltage.

it’s coming from heater and filter. I replaced with new and still same

 

[M46]

I know it’s brand new filter and heater

 

[M46]

I agree with this. In my case there was no fish loss -- I was alerted and began searching for the cause when my fish began acting erratically. I had a hunch it was the pump b/c they would stop acting erratically when I turned it off, and act erratically again soon after I would turn it back on.

I learned while seeking help for that issue that since it was only the fish acting erratically, I should first look to fish disease, and 2nd the fault to ground. OP, I would consider fish disease, too, if you have not already.

It’s not fish disease and has nothing to do with water parameters .

 

[Lyss]

It’s not fish disease and has nothing to do with water parameters .

Okay. I never suggested water params as an issue, but also you never listed them, just that they're good -- that's fine I trust you on that. But you shoot every other offer of a potential reason down and haven't listed any other info about your fish that keep dying -- just that you're sure it is stray voltage. As per Jay, stray voltage is a red herring. But fault to ground is very real and dangerous for us, too.

 

[M46]

Looks like a little. Likely heater or power heads
Although not a solution, a grounding probe will protect you and the livestock

I know it’s from a heater and power filter. I replaced with 3 different heaters and still showing voltage. Could be some electrical polarity once in the water. I’m not electrician and I know this topic has been said here already . But I don’t know if that could kill fish.

 

[M46]

Okay. I never suggested water params as an issue, but also you never listed them, just that they're good -- that's fine I trust you on that. But you shoot every other offer of a potential reason down and haven't listed any other info about your fish that keep dying -- just that you're sure it is stray voltage. As per Jay, stray voltage is a red herring. But fault to ground is very real and dangerous for us, too.

What's in your qt tank? Process of elimination, unplug devices until the stray voltage goes away... My bet is your heater, or as said above possibly a pump. I've had mainly cheap heaters or AC pumps do me in on stray voltage.

Once unplugged no voltage but I checked with 3 others heaters and same thing . It’s QT so I need to use some source of heating.

 

[M46]

I dont disagree with other suggestions, but my bet is the 14 volts you are seeing is induced voltage rather than stray voltage. In any case your best solution is gfci combined with a ground probe.

I also personally doubt the 14v is what is killing fish within 24 hours. It is not uncommon at all in aquariums and while it may or may not be responsible for longterm fish health issues I have never seen any real evidence it causes death in such a quick timeframe.

So induced voltage is harmful ? And stray can kill? Trying to understand. Since I’m running out of options what is killing my fishes? Ammonia nitrite 0 , QT Temperatures 78, salinity 1.022 . And acclimation is not an issue as I did as instructed for 2 hours .

 

[Freenow54]

If you have actual stray current a working gfci will trip immediately IF you have a working ground probe(or equipment like titanium heater that acts as a ground probe). Without a path to ground it wont usually trip until a path to ground is created(ie sticking hand in tank, salt creep, etc). If you have induced voltage it likely will not trip.

No it will not trip on GFI They only measure amps in, amps out of your load

 

[Freenow54]

I had 47 V in mine ended up being the power head but did not kill the fish just almost me I was grounded

 

[Freenow54]

Trying to come up with something for you. What, and how many fish? Not voltage causing issue which I assume you have fixed by now. Maybe a stupid question but are the heaters submersible? I got tricked bought a fluval. I thought all heaters were submersible not this one. That's just plain stupid of them. Try changing food this is weird

 

[mdb_talon]

So induced voltage is harmful ? And stray can kill? Trying to understand. Since I’m running out of options what is killing my fishes? Ammonia nitrite 0 , QT Temperatures 78, salinity 1.022 . And acclimation is not an issue as I did as instructed for 2 hours .

I personally never seen that minor amounts of either quickly kill livestock. I have seen a lot of speculation (that may very well be valid) that they can cause longer terms health issues and death. The only reason i mentioned both is because you can have induced voltage even without an equipment malfunction and you can have it without tripping GFCI. It is a harder thing to eliminate. However if it is stray voltage from faulty equipment it should be easy to find if you have GFCI and a grounding probe just by unplugging everything and then plugging things in one at a time.