Titanium Grounding Probes

[lunner]

Hi

Do you guys ground your tanks?

 

[PalmTree]

Absolutely!! I think it is a must! Keeps you from getting electrocuted and prevents your fish from getting a certain type of disease that I can't think of right now.

 

[masterswimmer]

HLLE = Head & Lateral Line Erosion

Yes I ground my tank and any I design and build for others.

swimmer

 

[House of Laughter]

I am grounded dos equis (2x) one in tank and one in sump.

House

 

[Deanos]

No

 

[Henrye]

No. There is some controversy about grounding probes changing "stray voltage", which is merely a potential, to flowing current, as a ground probe would provide a path for current flow. It is also an issue in that some circumstances that a balanced current can run through to ground without tripping a GFCI, until, that is, you stick your hands in the tank :shocked1: . It also raises an issue that by converting voltage into low amperage current might actually be harmful to livestock over the long term. There is a good summary of the issue at:
http://avdil.gtri.gatech.edu/RCM/RCM/Aquarium/GroundingProbes.html
and
http://avdil.gtri.gatech.edu/RCM/RCM/Aquarium/GFI&TechnicalDetails.html

This argument is not terribly popular, but it is something to consider. I feel comfortable that with regular testing of my GFCI, I have sufficient protection that a grounding probe is not essential.

Henry

 

[fritz]

GFCI info
http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum...it-how-much-should-run-me.html?highlight=gfci

 

[Doc Jerm]

IME ground probes cuase trouble after running for several months...

I've bought 5 ground probes, several different brands, all titanium...ALL of them started putting stray electricity into my tank, shocking my hands instantly upon dipping them in the tank water...I have thrown away ALL ground probes and will NEVER use them again...

HLLE-Head and lateral line erosion, seen mostly in tangs IME is caused by a poor diet, not stray voltage as popular opionion goes....

Doc................

 

[bad coffee]

Doc, if the grounding probe is CAUSING stray voltage, there's something seriously wrong. It could be:

You're using a hammer to plug the ground probe into the wrong hole on the recepticle. Most unlikely, but it could happen.

There's another piece of equipment that's causing the voltage. YOu take out the ground probe to clean the coraline off it, and when you stick it back into the tank, the circuit is complete. all that stray voltage has a place to ground, and it trips the breaker/gfci. Start testing your pumps, lights, and heaters to see which is the unit leaking electricity.

I use grounding probes. I have one ziptied to my heater. in my new tank I'm also going to put one in the overflow box.

To have this much electricity around this much water is really stupid without a gfci and a ground probe.

B

 

[masterswimmer]

Like Brett said, there is no circuit completed to cause the grounding probe to:

started putting stray electricity into my tank

Ditto to Bretts' analysis.

swimmer

 

[e.muehlbauer]

I no longer use a grounding probe...I had read the previous articles, and ended up getting rid of it after it became so heavily encrusted with coralline that it was imposssible to clean. Take care, Eric

 

[Doc Jerm]

I've tried many things as stated above...Plug it in-shocks my hand, unplug it-stops...I agree its just plastic pos and neg, with metal ground, but somehow when pluged in it shocks..I've tried 3 different ones/different brands..they all worked for months then boom one day...

Got me whats up.....I run a frag aquaculture operation, have for many years, so I'm no dummy here.....I have also worked under electricians in the past, so learned a little bit, but this occuance doesn't make sense....FWIW others have reported the exact same things as I experienced...

Yep its best to be able to ground a tank.....but I'm not sure these titanium ground probes are the solution...gota be a better way....

Needless to say, thanks for the advice guys;
Jeremy