Ever Electrocute Your Tank?

Mr. Right · 08/22/2009, 01:37 AM

Couple of hours ago I was out-and-about for my B-day and I get a txt, “a smell is coming from your tank.” Not a second later I get home to a BURNT OUT pump on my Octo 110. A black film was covering my sump, and the pump was HOT!!!!! It reeked of burnt electronics…Just today I “upgraded” my needle wheel to the new pinwheel. Needless to say I didn’t see if skimming was improved. I have a grounding probe but I think this was far more than it was capable of grounding…

Anyhu, all my corals where closed/really stressed and my clowns (the only fish visible) look near death….has anyone been as lucky as me?

Mr. Right · 08/22/2009, 09:59 AM

Update:
Most SPS corals are bleaching, can anyone PLEASE,PLEASE help me out here...!

mcoomer · 08/22/2009, 10:12 AM

Only thing I can recommend is to get a big water change going to remove as much of the crud that was dumped into your tank as you can. If you have a Q-tank get you stuff into that or maybe call an LFS and see if they'll house your corals for a bit.

Good luck,
Mike

Mr. Right · 08/22/2009, 03:08 PM

Thanks! I did a 5 gallon WC yesterday night; I'm doing another 5 tomorrow. I don't want to stress corals too much. My fish and all other corals are fine, just SPS look pretty bad. I did 2 drops of Lugols just for whatever it's worth...

reefergeorge · 08/22/2009, 04:56 PM

Run carbon, and was the pump on a gfci? If you run a ground probe, imo it has to be in conjunction with a gfci, or even better a couple.

coral_lagoon · 08/22/2009, 09:30 PM

Do another 10% water change..

Macimage · 08/22/2009, 09:34 PM

More water changes, run carbon and definitely add a polyfilter.

Good luck!
Joyce

bdblkta · 08/22/2009, 10:03 PM

my brother took out his almost 2 year old zoa tank that had some really nice colonies of some rare stuff. he had a piece of glass holding his light that broke light went in the water and for some reason the gfc didnt trip and everything fried. it was a sad day.

prickles · 08/22/2009, 10:50 PM

Don't wait until tomorrow to do a water change. a 50% water change, while not recommended, is better than poisonous water. I did 30% water changes daily for a couple of weeks after a mysterious fish kill. It could have been an electrocution, but all my fish died but one and I was trying to keep my corals alive. Nothing else died after the event, and the corals seemed to like the big frequent water changes.

jayk198030 · 08/22/2009, 11:02 PM

bdblkta........ the gfi should have tripped.. but in any case thats why you test your gfis monthly or when you clean your tank.

Mr. Right..... sorry to hear about your problem but do as everyone has said to do. And the grounding probe should work but it should be grounded to a gfi. you don't want any stray voltage in your tank so best bet use gfis and test.

also use two separate gfis if you can and here's why.

i had two tanks plugged in to the same gfi. it tripped because i got power strip wet. i was not home for about36 hours. well with no lights, heater, or water movement fish died and some coral. lesson learned. no i use two gfis with one set of lights plugged into each same with power heads. so now if one trips i still have half of the system running.

wetWolger · 08/22/2009, 11:17 PM

that two GFI comment is a great idea...I assume it would only work that way if your only grounding to one of the GFI's (assuming it was tripped due to voltage in the water)

maroun.c · 08/23/2009, 12:17 AM

I would immediately do a 40-50 % water change followed by another one soon. Run large amount of Carbon and change it in 4-5 days. You have to deal with the fumes that went out of the pump when it shorted. also increase aeratin by skimming at full wet...
Reason for doing big water changes is to get red your tank water from the contaminants that could have leached in it not only from the fumes but from the exposed wiring of the pump as for it to short the two lines (made of copper) have to get uncovered to cause the short which means they could leach some copper or other in your water. Also I'm not sure if the short in itself will accelerate leaching nasty stuff in your tank!!!
if anyone can house your corals and fish for some time that would be preferrable as then you would be able to doao couple oflarge water changes or maybe a complete wter change.

08/22/2009, 01:37 AM	#1
Mr. Right Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Here Posts: 521	Ever Electrocute Your Tank? Couple of hours ago I was out-and-about for my B-day and I get a txt, “a smell is coming from your tank.” Not a second later I get home to a BURNT OUT pump on my Octo 110. A black film was covering my sump, and the pump was HOT!!!!! It reeked of burnt electronics…Just today I “upgraded” my needle wheel to the new pinwheel. Needless to say I didn’t see if skimming was improved. I have a grounding probe but I think this was far more than it was capable of grounding… Anyhu, all my corals where closed/really stressed and my clowns (the only fish visible) look near death….has anyone been as lucky as me? __________________ He who knows does not speak, He who speaks does not know Current Tank Info: Old tanks: 37gal mixed, 57 gal mixed, 120 sps. Current tank 18”x18”x18” rimless in the works.

08/22/2009, 09:59 AM	#2
Mr. Right Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Here Posts: 521	Update: Most SPS corals are bleaching, can anyone PLEASE,PLEASE help me out here...! __________________ He who knows does not speak, He who speaks does not know Current Tank Info: Old tanks: 37gal mixed, 57 gal mixed, 120 sps. Current tank 18”x18”x18” rimless in the works.

08/22/2009, 10:12 AM	#3
mcoomer Rat Bastard! Join Date: May 2007 Location: Sammamish, WA Posts: 1,487	Only thing I can recommend is to get a big water change going to remove as much of the crud that was dumped into your tank as you can. If you have a Q-tank get you stuff into that or maybe call an LFS and see if they'll house your corals for a bit. Good luck, Mike __________________ Spending exorbitant amounts of money on this hobby since 1998! My wife thought the tank would be cheaper and easier to keep than a dog...no seriously! Current Tank Info: 180 gallon mixed reef; Reeflo Barracuda, Tunze 6105 (X3), 250W Radiums with dual HQI Blue Wave 7, Reefkeeper Elite controller, custom sump with ASM G4, carbon and GFO reactors

08/22/2009, 03:08 PM	#4
Mr. Right Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Here Posts: 521	Thanks! I did a 5 gallon WC yesterday night; I'm doing another 5 tomorrow. I don't want to stress corals too much. My fish and all other corals are fine, just SPS look pretty bad. I did 2 drops of Lugols just for whatever it's worth... __________________ He who knows does not speak, He who speaks does not know Current Tank Info: Old tanks: 37gal mixed, 57 gal mixed, 120 sps. Current tank 18”x18”x18” rimless in the works.

08/22/2009, 04:56 PM	#5
reefergeorge Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: St Louis MO Posts: 4,222	Run carbon, and was the pump on a gfci? If you run a ground probe, imo it has to be in conjunction with a gfci, or even better a couple. __________________ $35-50 for a <1" frag of some stupid named thing that came from a colony you bought for $40-60 wholesale and chopped into 20-40 pieces? No thanks. "JasonH" Current Tank Info: 125 aggressive reef, DIY led lighting, swc cone skimmer, 33 gallon sump, posiden Ps3 return.

08/22/2009, 09:30 PM	#6
coral_lagoon Pushrod Powered Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Down The Corkscrew , CA Posts: 1,263	Do another 10% water change..

08/22/2009, 09:34 PM	#7
Macimage Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Quartz Hill Posts: 4,078	More water changes, run carbon and definitely add a polyfilter. Good luck! Joyce

08/22/2009, 10:03 PM	#8
bdblkta Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: college station Posts: 138	my brother took out his almost 2 year old zoa tank that had some really nice colonies of some rare stuff. he had a piece of glass holding his light that broke light went in the water and for some reason the gfc didnt trip and everything fried. it was a sad day. __________________ Thank you, Josh Bryant

08/22/2009, 10:50 PM	#9
prickles Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: AZ Posts: 1,138	Don't wait until tomorrow to do a water change. a 50% water change, while not recommended, is better than poisonous water. I did 30% water changes daily for a couple of weeks after a mysterious fish kill. It could have been an electrocution, but all my fish died but one and I was trying to keep my corals alive. Nothing else died after the event, and the corals seemed to like the big frequent water changes. __________________ My tank is finally big enough. I could swim in it. Current Tank Info: large

08/22/2009, 11:02 PM	#10
jayk198030 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Tag, your it! Posts: 783	bdblkta........ the gfi should have tripped.. but in any case thats why you test your gfis monthly or when you clean your tank. Mr. Right..... sorry to hear about your problem but do as everyone has said to do. And the grounding probe should work but it should be grounded to a gfi. you don't want any stray voltage in your tank so best bet use gfis and test. also use two separate gfis if you can and here's why. i had two tanks plugged in to the same gfi. it tripped because i got power strip wet. i was not home for about36 hours. well with no lights, heater, or water movement fish died and some coral. lesson learned. no i use two gfis with one set of lights plugged into each same with power heads. so now if one trips i still have half of the system running. __________________ I feel like 1.025 and i look like skimmate. I eat crap and throw up! What am I? Current Tank Info: I need help!!

08/22/2009, 11:17 PM	#11
wetWolger Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,955	that two GFI comment is a great idea...I assume it would only work that way if your only grounding to one of the GFI's (assuming it was tripped due to voltage in the water) __________________ cheers, jent d-_-b Current Tank Info: 66gal = 32x24x20

08/23/2009, 12:17 AM	#12
maroun.c Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Lebanon Posts: 6,111	I would immediately do a 40-50 % water change followed by another one soon. Run large amount of Carbon and change it in 4-5 days. You have to deal with the fumes that went out of the pump when it shorted. also increase aeratin by skimming at full wet... Reason for doing big water changes is to get red your tank water from the contaminants that could have leached in it not only from the fumes but from the exposed wiring of the pump as for it to short the two lines (made of copper) have to get uncovered to cause the short which means they could leach some copper or other in your water. Also I'm not sure if the short in itself will accelerate leaching nasty stuff in your tank!!! if anyone can house your corals and fish for some time that would be preferrable as then you would be able to doao couple oflarge water changes or maybe a complete wter change. __________________ 390 G mixed reef build Current Tank Info: 390G mixed reef