# Is your tank grounded?



## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Over the years I've had quite a few tanks that for one reason or another have had static electicity accumulate in them. If you put a TDS meter (meant to read the concentrations of salts in the water) close to the tank the meter goes crazy - immediately hits its maximum reading. The meter does not need to be in the water. It goes crazy if you put it close to the glass, the filter hoses, or the filter. That can't be good.

On one tank the problem were the lights. They were grounded but whenever I turned them on EVERYTHING connected with the tank showed very elevated electric potential.

A more common way to find out that something is causing electicity build up in your tank is to stick your hand in it. No, it's not going to shock you. But if you have any minor cuts on your hand or fingers you can feel a little tingling in them.

I write this not because it's a safety issue only. It is possible that static electricity is harming the well being of your tank. ADA makes a point that their canister filters are designed in such a way that the water is away from the magnetic parts of the filter. Many hobyists consider the "hollistic" approach of ADA (products designed to work with the "energy fields" in the tank) laughable. But there is probably more to it than we, slightly educated aquatic plant hobyists, know.

So! For safety's sake AND because it may possibly increase the wellbeing of your tank - check if you have any static electricity build up in your tank.

On my 180 gal. tank I noticed that a powerhead was causing the problem. Its power cord was not grounded - the electric plug had only 2 pins, not 3. When I added another, grounded, powerhead the problem disappeared. Apparently the grounding of the 2-nd powerhead took care of the static.

There is a probe that some stores sell that one simply puts in the tank and I guess somehow grounds on the other end:
http://www.marinedepot.com/miscellaneous_titanium_grounding_probe-ap.html

Good article here:
http://www.reefs.org/library/aquarium_net/996/996_5.html

If someone knows more about electricity and aquarium grounding - please post your opininon.

My secret hope is that the only reason for the BBA and Cladophora algae to appear is static electricity. Take care of it and your tank will be pristinely clean. And maybe aquascape itself in a Japanese way too...

--Nikolay


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## neilshieh (Jun 24, 2010)

interesting... for algae that no one really understood the cause of. most of my plugs are grounded save the lights because the store i bought the cord from for my DIY only had two pins.


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## TAB (Feb 7, 2009)

Just a FYI, having a ground prob in your tank that is not hooked up to a GFCI is bad mojo.


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## freydo (Jan 7, 2006)

i don't have my tank itself grounded but i have all the electrical stuff grounded. no issues here and it gets really dry during winter.


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## Andy Ritter (Nov 26, 2008)

niko said:


> My secret hope is that the only reason for the BBA and Cladophora algae to appear is static electricity. Take care of it and your tank will be pristinely clean.


Well, I've had one of those titanium ground probes (plugged into a GFCI) installed on my tank for years. I don't remember the specifics, but I bought it after reading something about how it would help protect the fish. Unfortunately, I don't think that you can use the static electricity theory for the prevention of BBA because my tank had a really bad case of it for quite awhile. Thank goodness it is now pretty much under control (knock on wood). I haven't had the other algae (I don't dare even type the name for fear of hexing myself), so I can't say whether the ground probe helps for it or not.

Andy


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## JG06 (Nov 5, 2006)

Algae or not, its a good idea to ground your aquarium period. I've spent too much time working with electricity to believe otherwise. If you have one minor issue that causes a current leakage and your aquarium isn't grounded, its liable to go to ground through you the next time you walk over and touch the water. It only takes 10mA across your heart to kill you - but since electricity takes the path of least resistance to ground, a ground probe could potentially save you from injury.


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## JERP (Feb 4, 2003)

A GFCI is what protects you from stray current, not ground probes. A ground probe will eliminate static electricity build up. Static electricity will not hurt you, but may interfere with pH probes and such. I don't think static electricity build up will affect fish. The fish are in the water and thus are at the same voltage potential as the water in the tank. No current will flow through the fish.

The purpose of the third ground probe on components is for the metal parts of the device that are not part of the circuitry. Florescent lights with a metal reflector will have a ground prong, an aquarium pump with all plastic parts except for the impeller motor will not. Take a walk down the tools aisle at the hw store and note what parts have two prong, and what has three prong plugs. Power drills with a plastic case will not, a table saw with a metal table surface will.

A ground probe can provide a conduction path for faulty equipment, but still wont protect you without a GFCI.

Saltwater tanks are a bit different due to the dissolved salts. SW builds and conducts charge much easier because dissolved salts can act as ions, charge carriers.

A florescent light interferes with probes because it's a giant electric field. They can be esp bad if the ballast is a long distance from the bulb.

I know about grounding, and GFCI, but never been to sure of what use the ground plugs are in aquariums.


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## ObiQuiet (Oct 9, 2009)

JERP said:


> A GFCI is what protects you from stray current, not ground probes.
> I know about grounding, and GFCI, but never been to sure of what use the ground plugs are in aquariums.


Given: 
a. I have a ground probe in the tank, and 
b. I have a two-wire pump in the tank, and
c. They are both plugged into the same GFCI

When: 
* The pump leaks and shorts either live or neutral to the water

Then:
* Will the current go to the ground probe, and
* Won't the GFCI trip?


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## JERP (Feb 4, 2003)

ObiQuiet said:


> Then:
> * Will the current go to the ground probe, and
> * Won't the GFCI trip?


The GFCI will trip if the current entering the hot (black wire) does not match the current exiting the neutral line (white wire).

A ground probe will not likely trip the GFCI if the stray voltage is caused by a short (within detectable levels), because very little current will go through the probe. These prongs are not very conductive (titanium is not a good conductor), it's more of an ESD wrist strap than a true earth ground.

The purpose of an aquarium ground probe is to drain off charge induced by a poorly placed ballast, or ions charged by water passing through the magnetic field of a motor. It doesn't serve the same purpose as the 3rd prong of an appliance.


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

I use a grounding probe. They help prevent lateral line disease in the fish by gathering stray electrical current. It is hooked to a GFIC. Even if you dont use a grounding probe you SHOULD use GFIC outlets for your tank equipment. Even if you have a 15amp line get a GFIC for a 20amp. They are that much better built.

FYI>>> pH probes will not work properly in a grounded tank.


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Jerp,

After posting this I checked my 60" T5Ho bulbs over my 180 gal. tank. The ballast is remote - about 5 ft. away from the bulbs. When I put my TDS meter about 8" away from the bulbs it immediately hits it's maximum reading.

My ballast is grounded. It's a Workhorse 7 and the Fulham website shows how to ground these ballasts. But you say that the magnetic field is especially bad when the ballast if far from the bulbs. 

Is that a bad thing? And especially - how can I fix it? Should I maybe run a wire from the fixture's metal reflector down to the ballast's housing? Help me out.

--Nikolay


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

Niko,
If your metal reflector isnt grounded then it does not meet NEC. Most fixtures have the ballast bonded(attached/grounded) to the reflector and the ballast is grounded. If your fixture housing is metal that needs to be grounded as well if it is not bonded to the fixture.

EM fields can be generated by a lot of the aquariums systems. this is why the grounding probe is a good thing. Fish have a lateral line that is sensitive to electric fields and this picks up stray fields/currents and can cause poor health in your fish.


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

So I need to connect a wire between the metal reflector and the ballast?

One end of the wire attached to the reflector? The other end attached to the ballast housing?

Is it that simple?

--Nikolay


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

That simple. Not saying it will solve the EM issue but it will make it compliant with the national electric code. I'm assuming the ballast case already has a wire to the ground of a 3-prong plug.


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Yes, the ballast is grounded. All Workhorse ballasts have a hole in the side of the ballast's housing specifically to attach the grounding 3-rd wire. I thought that was enough, but I never considered that the diagrams assume your ballast will be living on top of the light fixture, attached to it.

I will run a wire from the reflectors to my ballast today and see if my TDS meter acts differently. Yes, a TDS meter is not meant to measure an electromagnetic field but it does react crazy when placed close to my light. If that changes then I've done something good - not just complying with some code. 

Thank you so much for your help! I will post results later today.

--Nikolay


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

I use Fulham ballasts too.


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Well, I just ran a wire touching the metal reflector and the ballast.

My TDS meter hesitated if it liked the new setup. It did not immediately hit its max. value as it usualy does when in proximity to the bulbs. But it did not go down to 0 either. It lingers half way now. As if "I see your efforts, but they ain't not enough."

Should I expect the electromagnetic field around the bulbs to disappear completely?

--Nikolay


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

I wouldnt think it will totally dissappear. The bulbs are passing current, thus an EM field. This field does have a deleterious effect on fish if strong enough to reach them.


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## JERP (Feb 4, 2003)

You wont be able to eliminate the electric field, the electric field is what makes florescent lights work. It may help to run the wires together up to the light, then split them to each end of the fixture. You're probably already doing that, but some people run the wires separately.


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