Felt a shock after touching water

[brookem]

every once once in a while i feel a little shock after touching the surface of my tank water. now i’ve heard issues like this before where this may mean that you have faulty equipment that could be causing this which could be dangerous. but in my case this has only happened very few times. does this just mean that i’ve created some “electric charge” through the ground and it just so happened to shock me when i touched the water? or should i be more concerned. mind you i know nothing about charges and stuff like that

 

[StarGirl]

Is it just like a static poke, or more than that?

 

[SouthAmericanCichlids]

I have only had this once, I was using an old spare filter and I thought it may have been broken already. But I figured it wasn't much, but with time it got more frequent and stronger. I would say most likely, your filter is broken.

 

[brookem]

Is it just like a static poke, or more than that?

just a small static poke

I have only had this once, I was using an old spare filter and I thought it may have been broken already. But I figured it wasn't much, but with time it got more frequent and stronger. I would say most likely, your filter is broken.

i really hope not. i just got a new tidal 35 filter in january.

 

[Flyfisha]

If it’s static electricity from your synthetic carpet etc you should get a similar ” poke “ / shock from touching other things in the same room , the kitchen sink etc. If you only feel something when touching the water something is definitely wrong in my opinion.

I have plastic outdoor decking and get a shock most times I walk across it and touch the door handle.

I am not familiar with US 110 volts? but suggest it’s no joke.

 

[jaysurf7]

Sometimes i get that static zap in supermarkets when getting a shopping cart or moving around in a carpet area etc but not from tank water i would check everything,heater filter etc there could be an electrical issue with something with the tank.
Are the fish acting fine in the tank?

 

[SouthAmericanCichlids]

just a small static poke

i really hope not. i just got a new tidal 35 filter in january.

I apologize, I meant your heater being broken.

I wouldn't know how to check for this. But I've never been shocked by a glass of water or tank if it didn't have a broken heater. Maybe put the heater alone in a tub of water and see if it shocks you occasionally, and if not, try the filter, etc. I'd thinking being a little colder for a bit, which happens in the wild for most species, would be better than being shocked.

 

[bgarthe]

Do me a favor and both take this seriously and take the time to find out the cause. If it’s static, fine. You know. If it turns out to be a device leaking current, it could become serious. If you have leaking current and happen to be standing on a wet surface or touching metal atm you get shocked, your body will become the conduit for the current to find ground and you’ll be in danger. I’m not trying to be an alarmist, but with electricity, it’s better to error on the side of caution. Your aquarium glass is like an insulator, so water shocking you is of concern imo.

I can pet my dog one moment and get shocked statically and go right into the fish room (also w carpet in winter) and I never get a static shock from touching water. Do investigate this. Let us know what you find out.

 

[Flyfisha]

Thats a very good point .
I mentioned walking on my plastic decking and getting a static shock on the door handle. When walking on the deck I can touch the pond water and never once get a static shock.

The more I think about this the more important i feel it is to stress the importance of finding what is the problem.

 

[FishDin]

I agree that you should not take this lightly. It might be benign as described below, but you shouldn't assume that it is.

From I feel a slight electric shock in my aquarium but cant find where it is coming from? | D-D The Aquarium Solution

Aquariums typically have no route to ground meaning static and induced electrical currents can build up over time. This can be from the motor windings of pumps being energised. Generally live stock in the tank is unaffected for two reasons. The induced voltage will be quite weak with little to no amps and they have no ground to earth.


Induced voltage is the most common type of voltage that flags when hobbyists test their aquariums, its often noticed by hobbyists putting their hands in the water then touching a metal object such as a metal stand or a light chassis/mount wires that have a route to earth. This allows the small induced voltage to discharge to earth straight away and they feel a small zap, at this point they feel that they have been electrocuted by faulty equipment but this isn't the case.



https://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/electromagnetism/electromagnetic-induction.html



To prevent induced currents or static charges a titanium ground probe or even a Titanium Schego heater, as the titanium jackets of these heaters are grounded through the plug providing a rather nice earth probe as well as a heater, can be used. This will allow any induced voltage to automatically go to ground and not build up in the tank. If there is a real voltage leak caused by the insulation break down of an electrical item the ground probe will generally cause a modern circit breaker to trip due to the short to ground being detected.

 

[RayClem]

Water and electricity are NOT a good combination, but it is a necessity for most fish keepers. The outlet into which associated electric equipment is plugged should ALWAYS be protected by a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter). Such devices compare the current flowing in the positive wire to that flowing through the neutral wire. It the current flow is not equal due to leakage of current through a grounded conductor, such as through your body, the GFCI will shut off power within a fraction of a second. Youi might feel a tiny shock, but no harm will be done.

There are three ways of providing GFCI protection. One is to install a GFCI protected breaker in the main electrical panel to protect the entire circuit. However, since this involves accessing the main power bus, it should only be done by someone with adequate training.

The second method is to replace the outlet near the aquarium with a GFCI protected outlet. While this is simpler than replacing a breaker, it still needs to be done properly to insure the wiring is done correctly. The power to the circuit needs to be turned off before working on the outlet wiring.

The third method is the simplest, but also the least reliable. That is using a plug-in GFCI adapter. You plug the adapter into the outlet and then plug everything else into the adapter, usually through a power strip. For those who live in an apartment where replacing breakers and outlets are not permitted, this is the most suitable alternative.

Because of the high conductivity of salt water, not only should salt water aquariums be GFCI protected, but they should also have a ground probe in the water that will drain off any stray current. I do not normally use the ground probe on freshwater aquariums.

have used a voltmeter to measure AC voltages between water and ground as high as 60 volts for a 120V circuit. That is definitely high enough to give you and your aquarium inhabitants a strong shock.

 

[StarGirl]

Wouldnt it shock you every time you touched it if it was actual electric? Or would it only do it like say when a heater is on vs off.

 

[RayClem]

There can be lots of things that will affect whether you feel a shock. For example, if you are wearing athletic shoes with rubber soles, you are effectively insulated from the floor. If you are barefoot, you might get shocked.

Pumps such as the magnetic rotor pumps in filters generate an electromagnetic field as the rotor turns. That can generate a slight current. When I had saltwater aquariums, I had some rather large 1800 gph pumps that produced a significant current.

I have also had the glass tubes of electric heaters crack exposing the wiring directly to the water. I have also had light fixtures fall into the water. Those types of situations can be quite dangerous. That is why you need GFCI protection.

 

[KingOscar]

Wouldnt it shock you every time you touched it if it was actual electric? Or would it only do it like say when a heater is on vs off.

Right. On the flip side, if it were only static wouldn't you only get the one initial shock? If you stood in place, pulled your hand out and touched the water again there should be no more static to zap you. Leaking AC current would zap you again.

have used a voltmeter to measure AC voltages between water and ground as high as 60 volts for a 120V circuit. That is definitely high enough to give you and your aquarium inhabitants a strong shock.

So setting multimeter to AC volts, then putting one probe in the water and one to ground at the wall outlet will give a confirmation if there is voltage leak or not?

 

[FishDin]

Water and electricity are NOT a good combination, but it is a necessity for most fish keepers. The outlet into which associated electric equipment is plugged should ALWAYS be protected by a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter).

Just wanted to agree and state this again.

Any tank should be GFCI protected.

 

[KribensisLover1]

I love y’all. This is not a dig; I truly love how brave you all are and what you’ll do to yourself for your fish.
‘stick it in a bucket and you as a human test it and see if it shocks you. But take it AWAY from the fish.’
I love this group so much. Buy a new heater.

 

[drat]

Depower your tank briefly and see if you still have current, either a meter or a shock, lol. If you do not have current, it is something you unplugged. REenergize ech piece of equipment 1 at a 1 at a time and see if you can isolate it. I would start with the heater

​

 

[KingOscar]

Right. On the flip side, if it were only static wouldn't you only get the one initial shock? If you stood in place, pulled your hand out and touched the water again there should be no more static to zap you. Leaking AC current would zap you again.


So setting multimeter to AC volts, then putting one probe in the water and one to ground at the wall outlet will give a confirmation if there is voltage leak or not?

Ok, I used my multimeter and tested 3 of my tanks. Zero voltage shown when test performed as above. But none of my tanks ever shocked me. So I'm curious as to what a shocker tank would read at, or if this is not a proper way to test for leakage.

drat is correct to power up one piece of equipment at a time and check. Most likely culprit would be heater, I believe.

 

[drat]

Ok, I used my multimeter and tested 3 of my tanks. Zero voltage shown when test performed as above. But none of my tanks ever shocked me. So I'm curious as to what a shocker tank would read at, or if this is not a proper way to test for leakage.

drat is correct to power up one piece of equipment at a time and check. Most likely culprit would be heater, I believe.

According to Identifying, Locating and Curing Stray Voltage in a Saltwater Aquarium you would see a voltage reading other than 0. Any movement of the needle, or a reading other than 0 means there is stray current in the tank. Even though this is for salt, I am sure it would be the same in fresh.

 

[SparkyJones]

110v feels like a vibration sort of a shock or buzz but doesn't really "hurt" let's say, it's more surprising than painful. However it's not the volts with electricity it's the amps, or I should say Millliamps that can kill you not the volts. A very small amount of amps can kill you. The warning signs say like "waning 10,000 volts" or higher because it sounds like a lot to people, if they put "warning half an amp" people wouldn't take it seriously and wind up dead.

That all said if you feel electricity in your aquarium, theres a problem and a piece of your electric equipment is leaking current to the tank. Could be a filter or a heater but it's something that's plugged into the wall.
Most plugs now have a ground pin, if there's a problem the extra current is supposed to go to the ground. If a piece of equipment malfunctions, in some cases the power doesn't go to the ground pin on the cord and grounds to the socket, sometimes it just bleeds to the surroundings. The malfunction misses the safety measure.
If you have rubber soled shoes on and don't touch anything else you should be fine and not feel it. If barefoot of you touch achair or another piece of furniture or something then the current will use you like a wire to go to ground and you will feel it.
In the aquarium the electrical component is isolated to the tank, if it leaks current it kind of just bounces around in the water and glass as a poor conductor looking for a ground to go to. This affects the fish, not shock them but will stress them since their lateral line and receptors all pick up electrical signals.

So if you feel a buzz, it's a sure thing an electrical component has malfunctioned and it leaking current, intermittently or constantly, and its bad for you given the right situation, but its bad for the fish long term to live with it, causing unnecessary stress to disorientation.it won't kill them immediately bit it will run them down over time.

There was a story of an electrician at work that was at a house to replace an electical socket. He shut off the breaker, opened the socket and got hit with 220V thinking the power was off. He started searching around each of the electrical items, microwave, toaster, oven, stove, and got the a small electric water heater under the sink that was backfeeding 220v to the circuit. Someone direct wired but didn't remove the cord and plug and someone plugged it in to the wall so even with the breaker off, the unit was feeding that circuit off of another circuit in the house. For all purposes the end of that cord, the plug was basically a cattle prod that could potentially kill someone just by touching the two pins on the cord plug.

Can't trust everything with electrical. Have to be careful.

 

[emeraldking]

I used to work at electrical installations and I had my fair share of electric shocks. It doesn't feel comfortable when it happens. But it has never scared me.

 

[RayClem]

Electricity always takes the path of least resistance to ground. Hopefully, that is through the proper wiring. If there is any current leakage from the wiring, it will seek another path to ground. If that path happens to go through your brain or through your heart, it can mess up the electrical system of the body. If you tough the electrical source with your right hand and your right foot is grounded, you will receive a shock as the electricity will pass through the right side of your body. The effect might be much worse if you touch the electrical source with your left hand and your right foot is grounded as the electrical path could pass through the heart. Since you never can be sure what the path of least resistance will be to ground, be safe and use GFCI protectors so you will not be at risk.

 

[KingOscar]

I've been shocked with 120 volts but my worst was while working on 3 phase 230 volt printing equipment. It made me yell and my hands/arms tingled for several minutes afterwards. Learned much on that episode! I never felt any shocks from an aquarium, and frankly it doesn't worry me much. While it may be possible, electrocution by aquarium appears to be extremely rare.

 

[RayClem]

I've been shocked with 120 volts but my worst was while working on 3 phase 230 volt printing equipment. It made me yell and my hands/arms tingled for several minutes afterwards. Learned much on that episode! I never felt any shocks from an aquarium, and frankly it doesn't worry me much. While it may be possible, electrocution by aquarium appears to be extremely rare.

Remember that in many parts of the world, electrical devices are 220-240 V rather than the 110-120V in the USA. Twice the voltage means twice the risk as you found out on three phase wiring.

The risk of electrocution depends on many specific circumstances. For example, if you are wearing rubber soled shoes on a dry wooden floor, the risk of electrocution is rather low unless you are touching water pipes such as a sink faucet. If your aquariums are in a basement with a concrete or tile floor that is wet from a spill and you are barefoot, the risk of electrocution is far higher.

Having been in the hobby for over six decades, I have been exposed to aquarium-related electrical shocks on more than one occasions. Admittedly, I am still alive to report those occasions. Death by electrocution involving a 110-120V appliance is extremely rare, but that does not mean you should risk the possibility if you can avoid it.

If you live in the States, the National Electrtical Code requires GFCI protection for outdoor outlets, bathrooms, kitchens, swimming pools, hot tubs and spas. Although aquariums are not specifically included in this list, they share enough similarities to spas that it make sense to protect them as well. If you pay an electrician to install a GFCI, it will be costly, but if you have the skill to DIY, you can purchase a replacement outlet for $15 for a 15 amp outlet and $20 for a 20 amp outlet. (BTW- never install a 20 amp outlet on a circuit wired with 15 amp/14 ga wiring as someone might assume the circuit is 20 amp). You can purchase a plug-in GFCI adapter for a similar price. That is a small price to pay to avoid the risk of electrical shock.

 

[brookem]

Sometimes i get that static zap in supermarkets when getting a shopping cart or moving around in a carpet area etc but not from tank water i would check everything,heater filter etc there could be an electrical issue with something with the tank.
Are the fish acting fine in the tank?

Yes, the fish have shown no signs of illness.

Right. On the flip side, if it were only static wouldn't you only get the one initial shock? If you stood in place, pulled your hand out and touched the water again there should be no more static to zap you. Leaking AC current would zap you again.

It's only maybe once every two weeks that I get zapped when putting my hand in the tank. So would that mean that there is no leaking ac current?

Depower your tank briefly and see if you still have current, either a meter or a shock, lol. If you do not have current, it is something you unplugged. REenergize ech piece of equipment 1 at a 1 at a time and see if you can isolate it. I would start with the heater

​

I'm thinking it's not an equipment issue because if it was, would it not zap me EVERY time i touch the surface of the water? This has only happened about 4 or 5 times in the past 2 months.

 

[bgarthe]

“It's only maybe once every two weeks that I get zapped when putting my hand in the tank. So would that mean that there is no leaking ac current?”

No it does not mean there’s no leaking current. Imo, there is.
You should not get a shock when putting your hand in the water ever. Factors that may appear to make your zaps sporadic are 1. the defective device may not be on at the moment you touch water or 2. You’re not wearing shoes that allow a completion of the current to ground thus you feel no zap. Should you ever, by chance, touch metal or stand on a damp floor/carpet while getting zapped while touching water, things could very well get serious. Aside from some means I’m not aware of, getting zapped does, in fact, mean there is leaking current…..sometimes more than others. What else could cause you to get zapped by putting your hand in an insulated glass tank of water???

1. Please get a multi tester and check your water.



2. Get a GFCI outlet installed or use an inline unit. Put a titanium grounding probe into your tank properly plugged in. Both the inline GFCI and the ground probe are cheap and available at Amazon among other places.




Such a small price to pay for safety when we spend lots of bucks on fish, heaters, lights etc. I’m not trying to be condescending or know-it-allish, but am concerned. I’m just a fellow fish keeper who would never forgive myself if I didn’t speak up and something bad did happen.

 

[SparkyJones]

Yes, the fish have shown no signs of illness.

It's only maybe once every two weeks that I get zapped when putting my hand in the tank. So would that mean that there is no leaking ac current?

I'm thinking it's not an equipment issue because if it was, would it not zap me EVERY time i touch the surface of the water? This has only happened about 4 or 5 times in the past 2 months.

100% it's an equipment issue. It could happen every time but many times it's a heater or a light or something like that that's not on all the time, or you're isolated so the current doesn't use you as a path. 100% if it's happened once it will happen again and given the right set of circumstances it can be quite dangerous.

I'd like to encourage you to troubleshoot the problem and locate what piece of equipment is causing it, and put safeties in place so if it happens again down the road you dont get zapped. I've been fishkeeping for a few decades, it's happened to me a handful of times over the years, its ALWAYS been a heater doing it to me, it's why I avoid heaters like the plague and honestly where I live it's not a necessity due to the climate. So for me 1 less risk and a mostly unneeded use of electricity.

 

[coralbandit]

Tank is made of glass?
That should be a insulator to prevent grounding[ needed for static].
I would unplug each piece of equipment 1 at a time till you find what is shocking you.
The most common culprit is the heater in most cases.

 

[TClare]

I came in late to this thread, but agree that the cause should be found. I remember very clearly getting a shock once when I was in my teens and worked weekends at a local garden centre, mainly in their tropical fish house. Once I put my hand in a tank and got a shock that sent me flying backwards. This was in the UK, 240V. A damaged heater was to blame. Quite a few of the installations there were a bit dodgy. I also got a shock (not quite as strong) from an electric kettle!

 

[drat]

My guess, is it is your heater, and perhaps it only happens when the heater is activated or on. Unplug everything else and make sure your heater light is on, and see what happens. If it is not the heater, then check everything else the same way. Maybe you re right, and you will not find anything, but I would be surprised.

 

[RayClem]

If the shocks are being caused by static electricity (something that is possible in the wintertime if you do not have a humidifier), you should be experiencing shock frequently when touching anything grounded. That includes the faceplate screws on light switches, sink faucets, and appliances. This is especially prevalent if the floors are carpeted as you can build a static charge on your body by walking across the carpet.

If the only time you are experiencing shocks is when you dip your hand into the aquarium water, then it is NOT a static issue. In that case, something in your aquarium is leaking current.

Unplug your aquarium heater and remove it from the aquarium. Inspect it carefully for condensation inside the glass tube. If water can get inside the tube, electricity can escape into the water.

If you have any submersible pumps such as powerheads or filters whose pumps reside inside the aquarium, these could also be sources of electrical leakage.

 

[KribensisLover1]

“It's only maybe once every two weeks that I get zapped when putting my hand in the tank. So would that mean that there is no leaking ac current?”

No it does not mean there’s no leaking current. Imo, there is.
You should not get a shock when putting your hand in the water ever. Factors that may appear to make your zaps sporadic are 1. the defective device may not be on at the moment

If the shocks are being caused by static electricity (something that is possible in the wintertime if you do not have a humidifier), you should be experiencing shock frequently when touching anything grounded. That includes the faceplate screws on light switches, sink faucets, and appliances. This is especially prevalent if the floors are carpeted as you can build a static charge on your body by walking across the carpet.

If the only time you are experiencing shocks is when you dip your hand into the aquarium water, then it is NOT a static issue. In that case, something in your aquarium is leaking current.

Unplug your aquarium heater and remove it from the aquarium. Inspect it carefully for condensation inside the glass tube. If water can get inside the tube, electricity can escape into the water.

If you have any submersible pumps such as powerheads or filters whose pumps reside inside the aquarium, these could also be sources of electrical leakage.

this is off topic so I’m sorry but how come it happens when I touch my dog after walking on a rug? No collar and sitting on a couch that’s on the same rug?

 

[bgarthe]

When you walk in a rug, you become statically negatively charged as you pick up electrons and then release that static build up whenever you touch the dog which has a higher positivity. He can bring a static charge to you as well if he comes to you and you two touch.

 

[RayClem]

When you walk in a rug, you become statically negatively charged as you pick up electrons and then release that static build up whenever you touch the dog which has a higher positivity. He can bring a static charge to you as well if he comes to you and you two touch.

The early experiments with static electricity were done using a hard rubber comb or rod rubbed with woolen cloth. The rubber pulls electrons from the wool resulting in a negatively charged comb or rod and the wool becomes positively charged. Your dog's hair is a lot like wool, so it tends to become positively charged. Your skin will tend to become negatively charged by picking up electrons from the carpet. When you touch your dog, the charges will transfer and you will both get zapped.

If the humidity in the air is low as it often is one the coldest days of winter, it is common to develop static charges. If this is happening frequently, you might need to consider adding a humidifier. However, that does not mean you also do not have an issue with the electrtical equipment in your aquarium.

 

[bgarthe]

Ok…..I’m going to put my money where my mouth is and show pics of several of my particular safety oriented/protected systems.

Here is my inline GFCI unit w my basement koi pond. The yellow unit has all the in water electrical devices running through it. It’s hard to see the plug to the Titanium Grounding Probe (TGP) which is right above the yellow unit red switch.

This is my TGP probe tip attached to a rock set inside the pond water.

This is the GFCI unit for the electrical in water devices for my 60g tank.

This is the probe tip inside the 60g tank water.


This GFCI unit below is for the electrical devices in the water for my three smaller tanks (20, 10, and 5g). The system for my 75g tank is not included here, but is also in operation separately. Since all my tanks have covers upon which the lights rest, the lights are not connected to any of my GFCIs. The lights above the pond are GFCI protected. In a nutshell, if a device is able to leak current into the tank/pond water, it is GFCI protected. All of my tanks/ponds having water are TGP protected.

Oh, btw……if you should order any GFCI units, be sure to get ones that are Auto Reset should there be a power outage. They come as Manual GFCIs which will stay off if there is a power outage until you manually turn them back on and Auto Reset GFCIs that automatically go back on when power is interrupted/outage so you don’t have to be present to power things back up.


Lastly……I use permanently installed outlet GFCIs for my outdoor pond. Why I chose inline GFCIs for the fishroom and basement pond is because the permanently installed outlet regular GFCIs also stay off after being tripped and they tend to trip easily. If the power goes out, I have to go outside to the pond to reset……no problem for the koi out there. With tropical fish, however, I might not be home and they’d potentially go for hours before I got home to reset, during which time they’d be wo heat.

I know that I’m probably guilty of overkill and all, but I’m not willing to die for my fish. Whenever I go boating to fish, I also wear a life jacket…..and I’m quite the swimmer/avid snorkeler and even taught swimming lessons years ago. One just never knows when things will go awry. Years ago, my father drowned in a canoe accident….partially bc he did not have a life jacket on. Enough said.
The items pictured today are easy to install and not too expensive, especially compared to the alternative.

 

[Debbie1986]

I bought a small filter for 5 gallon ( a good brand) , 1st time I ever touched water in the tank, shock! stopped using that thing immediately, no more shocks.

Always be very careful. Unplug everything, discharge charge by touching a surface before inside the tank.

 

[brookem]

Ok…..I’m going to put my money where my mouth is and show pics of several of my particular safety oriented/protected systems.

Here is my inline GFCI unit w my basement koi pond. The yellow unit has all the in water electrical devices running through it. It’s hard to see the plug to the Titanium Grounding Probe (TGP) which is right above the yellow unit red switch.
View attachment 874553
This is my TGP probe tip attached to a rock set inside the pond water.
View attachment 874554
This is the GFCI unit for the electrical in water devices for my 60g tank.
View attachment 874556
This is the probe tip inside the 60g tank water.
View attachment 874557

This GFCI unit below is for the electrical devices in the water for my three smaller tanks (20, 10, and 5g). The system for my 75g tank is not included here, but is also in operation separately. Since all my tanks have covers upon which the lights rest, the lights are not connected to any of my GFCIs. The lights above the pond are GFCI protected. In a nutshell, if a device is able to leak current into the tank/pond water, it is GFCI protected. All of my tanks/ponds having water are TGP protected.

Oh, btw……if you should order any GFCI units, be sure to get ones that are Auto Reset should there be a power outage. They come as Manual GFCIs which will stay off if there is a power outage until you manually turn them back on and Auto Reset GFCIs that automatically go back on when power is interrupted/outage so you don’t have to be present to power things back up.
View attachment 874558

Lastly……I use permanently installed outlet GFCIs for my outdoor pond. Why I chose inline GFCIs for the fishroom and basement pond is because the permanently installed outlet regular GFCIs also stay off after being tripped and they tend to trip easily. If the power goes out, I have to go outside to the pond to reset……no problem for the koi out there. With tropical fish, however, I might not be home and they’d potentially go for hours before I got home to reset, during which time they’d be wo heat.

I know that I’m probably guilty of overkill and all, but I’m not willing to die for my fish. Whenever I go boating to fish, I also wear a life jacket…..and I’m quite the swimmer/avid snorkeler and even taught swimming lessons years ago. One just never knows when things will go awry. Years ago, my father drowned in a canoe accident….partially bc he did not have a life jacket on. Enough said.
The items pictured today are easy to install and not too expensive, especially compared to the alternative.

Wow!! Thanks so much for all that info!! I didn't realize how common this issue this was. I only have one more question before I go about purchasing anything. So what I still don't understand is, how come when every piece of equipment in my tank is on (including the heater when the red light is on) and I put my finger in the tank, I still don't feel a shock. I figured that if every single piece of equipment (filter, wavemaker, light, heater, filter, air pump) is ON then why is it that I still don't feel a shock? Since I have even started this thread I have not felt another shock. I understand everyone's concern and I'm glad everyone is cautious about this situation but I really want to convince myself that it is most definitely not a static issue rather than an equipment one.
Also some things to keep in mind. It's winter where I am so the air is probably at it's all time driest. I also do use carpet flooring inside the the room of my fish tank.

 

[bgarthe]

It’s my understanding, although I’ve not tested it, that leaking current can build up over time. what kind of shock did you get…..a snap spark like zap or a tingling inner zap?

Picking up electrons for a static shock to be noticed can be done quickly or not so quickly depending on multiple factors. Your degree of negativity, the carpet degree of negativity, moisture in the air/air temperature, and/or the positivity of your tank area or tank itself will determine the level of static charge release.

Think of it like this……you’re getting shocked is like a warning. Heed it or not. It could be that one of your devices is ……just…..starting to occasionally release current or does so at particular times thus giving anyone a false sense of security bc they don’t get zapped every time. My fish room, living here in northern IL, is fully carpeted and I’ve never ever felt a shock from aquarium water. If my dog walks into the same room and I pet him, I will sometimes get a static shock.

btw…..I’m glad you’re involved and investigating your options. When one burns himself, cuts himself, bruises himself, they’ll get a second chance. If a full blown electric current travels through one’s body, they may well not get a second chance. Personally I don’t get it…….why would anyone even consider putting electrical devices in water and not take precautions???

 

[drat]

Static is possible, just less likely. If you have eliminated everything electric in your tank, it may very well be static. It is just that it is more likely to be something else, so check carefully. Isolate each electric device and see what happens. That said, I would not go replacing things unless I knew for sure they were broken either. Here is some more information for you.

I feel a slight electric shock in my aquarium but cant find where it is coming from? | D-D The Aquarium Solution.