How do YOU ground your tank?

[CyanoMagnet]

Do you guys ground your tanks?

My tank has a short in it. Got a little shock when I touched the water today...

Im measuring the voltage with a multi meter and its deffinetly there.


Any advice?

[cdness]

well now that you know it is there... find out what piece of equipment is shorting and get rid of it. Then get the tank on a GFCI circuit to protect yourself

[rholguin]

a grounding probe will do but also check to see what is leaking current into your tank.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I have it grounded in two places (sump and tank) and every device is on a GFCI (using about 12 of them on a half dozen different circuits).

[CyanoMagnet]

Am I looking for AC or DC current with a multimeter?

[MeuserReef]

I have experienced low voltage AC in my tank (34V to be exact) that I have determined to be some sort of induced EMF from the equipment that I have in the tank. If I start unplugging equipment piece-by-piece, the voltage will decrease a few volts at a time until everything is unplugged.

I dont use a ground probe, but I do have GFCI protection on the tank.

[CyanoMagnet]

Huge noob question. What is GFIC stand for?

I use these big powerstrips made by belkin, they say protected with a light, is that GFIC?


I also think I have isolated the big problem, but still have some voltage in the tank. My solenoid valve has a short in it.

But I am still reading .05 on DC20 on the multimeter (before it was like .3).

Also, what kind of grounding probes would you reccomend? I am wary of putting some metals in my tank.).

Thank you all in advance.

[reefergeorge]

You will need to look at AC voltage.
Don't worry about the probes. As long as you don't leave them in for days you will be fine.

[Bri Guy]

Ground Fault Current Interrupter.

Like the outlets in the bathroom, they have a built in "breaker box"

NO tank should be with out one!

[CyanoMagnet]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13645189#post13645189 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefergeorge
You will need to look at AC voltage.
Don't worry about the probes. As long as you don't leave them in for days you will be fine.


I have found AC voltage as well , which one am I concerned about? AC or DC?

AC voltage seems to be originating from alot of the equipement I have in there. Right now Im measuring it at 200 and I get 3.9 or around that. When I start unplugging instruments one at a time it gets less and less.

Most of it is coming from the PH controller and a few pumps.
Well what do you guys think?

I rent so how do I tell if I have GFIC installed or not. THe place has breakers (is that gfic?) that have flipped off once or twice when the vacuum cleaner was running at the same time as a electric heater.


Do powerstrips have GFCI units included?

[cur10u5g30rg3]

If it is GFCI it will be indicated on the breaker or the outlet, you can have either. Ussually there will be a trip switch on the outlet/breaker. You can also purchase GFI power cords. I would not go this route just becaue you are creating more connection to have issue later down the road. Issue such as corrosion.

[LobsterOfJustice]

I dont know about you all, but after a while my power cords etc kind of get covered in a gross salty dust. I was measuring some current in my tank a few weeks back, I took all the electrical equipment out of the tank and rinsed it off, most importantly the plugs and cords, and wiped down all the power strips, the reading went away.

[CyanoMagnet]

So going back to my original question about grounding the tank water, what kind of metal should I use to ground the tank water?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

So going back to my original question about grounding the tank water, what kind of metal should I use to ground the tank water?

Titanium is pretty popular, and is what I use (IIRC, I bought them 13 years ago). Here's one:

http://www.esvco.com/prod4.html

[Michael]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13644369#post13644369 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randy Holmes-Farley
I have it grounded in two places (sump and tank) and every device is on a GFCI (using about 12 of them on a half dozen different circuits).


perfect reply, exactly what should be done, this is the perfect way, i use to just ground the tank, then bertoni mentioned the sump as well and suggested it was the way to go, i now do the same, the only thing i would suggest is to ground them together, as for multiple gfci s, theres no doubt its the best way to do it:) it stops nusience tripping and ensures the system still runs if 1 trips under fault conditions