Help! Stray voltage.

[rostato]

I woke up and did a water change today, and realized my tiny regal tang got sunken eye or whatever it's called overnight.

I immediatly checked my voltage levels and got 2.5V :yuk:

1.5 of it was from a titanium heater I have had for about 3 years, so that's gone

.7 is coming from my mag 7 return pump (sucks)

Can't find the other .3

SO I need a new heater, return pump, and something else is leaking .3 volts into my tank.

Any ideas?

Is .3 goign to be a problem?

I need a return pump ASAP, but I live so far away...

Guess I should have added a grounding probe:doh: I never have used one

 

[rostato]

Ok, the rest of it is my new stealth heater! WTF

I guess I missed it last time.

I need heaters and a return pump now, great!

 

[grouper therapy]

Imo 2.5v is not causing any problems. The meter you are using could be off that much.

 

[rostato]

Yeah but as soon as I remove one heater the reading goes down 1.5V then I remove the second, and it goes down another .3V.

Then turn off the return and it goes to zero...

 

[rostato]

I get the same reading in the sump, and the tank.

Maybe 2.5V isn't much, but it seems to me like any voltage would be bad.

I have been doing some reading, and it seems I may be overreacting. Am I?

 

[drnecropolis]

In my 120 I was getting around 37v... Fish never had an issue.. Might be the exception to the rule.. Even at 37, Never felt a tingle or anything with hands in the tank..

 

[jennm]

I've seen 36 v cause HLLE over the long term in tangs and angels. They are the most prone.

Rosato if you've removed faulty devices and you've still got 1 V, I wouldn't sweat it.

You have saltwater and electricity - there's bound to be a minute amount. More than ~5 volts IMO is cause for further investigation, but less than that sometimes just comes with the territory.

Jenn

 

[rostato]

Yeah the more I read, the more I feel lucky. lol

I think my OCD got the best of me as the light is not on yet, and I think the Tang is just lightened up because of the dark tank. I'll check back in a couple hours.

I have just been on a rampage trying to figure out why my small maxima clam died the other day...

 

[jennm]

BTW - "sunken eye"... not sure what's up with that but HLLE doesn't happen overnight. In fact it happens slowly, over time, sometimes to the point where a fish's keeper doesn't even notice (well they should notice, but that's another post...)

You could well have something else going on - a picture might help.

Jenn

 

[rostato]

JennM;470060 wrote: I've seen 36 v cause HLLE over the long term in tangs and angels. They are the most prone.

Rosato if you've removed faulty devices and you've still got 1 V, I wouldn't sweat it.

You have saltwater and electricity - there's bound to be a minute amount. More than ~5 volts IMO is cause for further investigation, but less than that sometimes just comes with the territory.

Jenn

Thanks Jenn. I was hopeing you woul dchime in since I valuded your eperience in the thread a while back about what the better brand of heaters were.

 

[rostato]

JennM;470062 wrote: BTW - "sunken eye"... not sure what's up with that but HLLE doesn't happen overnight. In fact it happens slowly, over time, sometimes to the point where a fish's keeper doesn't even notice (well they should notice, but that's another post...)

You could well have something else going on - a picture might help.

Jenn

I'll get a pic when the light come on in about an hour and a half. I really think I just overreacted. lol I'll admit, I'm a little bored today:unsure:

 

[jennm]

Well it's not unusual for tangs to lighten in color when it's dark in the tank - but "sunken eye" sounds like something is amiss.

Jenn

 

[rostato]

JennM;470068 wrote: Well it's not unusual for tangs to lighten in color when it's dark in the tank - but "sunken eye" sounds like something is amiss.

Jenn

It is just a little lighter around the eyes, it could be a problem, or it just might be normal. I will get a better look at it when the halide comes on.

 

[jennm]

Well it could just be "night mode" or it could be the start of pitting. Usually pitting starts around the eyes and nose areas.

You'll have a better feel once the lights are on for a bit.

Jenn

 

[jmaneyapanda]

JennM;470060 wrote: I've seen 36 v cause HLLE over the long term in tangs and angels. They are the most prone.

Rosato if you've removed faulty devices and you've still got 1 V, I wouldn't sweat it.

You have saltwater and electricity - there's bound to be a minute amount. More than ~5 volts IMO is cause for further investigation, but less than that sometimes just comes with the territory.

Jenn

I know you dont really feel this way, but I dont believe stray voltage *causes* HLLE. I DO believe stray voltage to be an issue, and can lead to it, but I feel there are much more causative roles in it, IMO. It ahs been suggested an enormous gamut of possible causes, including voltage, but there is certainly no defintiive information sayings its one thing or another.

Regardless, I woudl get rid of it. Some things not in question is an animals sensitivity to it in water, especially an animal with an electrosensitive lateral line. Knowing its there, and not doing anything about it is pretty poor practice for anyone, IMO.

 

[rostato]

So your saying get rid of the excess voltage?

I am already looking at a more efficient return pump anyway, and heaters are cheap enough for me to not whine too much about.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

rostato;470082 wrote: So your saying get rid of the excess voltage?

I am already looking at a more efficient return pump anyway, and heaters are cheap enough for me to not whine too much about.

IMO, yes. Stray voltage WILL effect your fish. Will it cause them to die? Maybe, or maybe not. But that shouldnt be the litmus test. Someone beating their dog every day may not kill it, but it still isnt right to do.

 

[jennm]

Jeremy I know you and I disagree on the voltage issue vs. HLLE - there are other suspected causes too including poor water quality and diet. My belief that voltage is a cause stems from having seen it in fish where water quality was known to be good over the long-term, as well as varied diet. That was the one thing that wasn't checked until the symptoms were advanced.

Yep, it's anecdotal - but I've seen it happen too many times for me to consider it a coincidence. Chalk another one up to "voodoo science".

Jenn

 

[jmaneyapanda]

JennM;470100 wrote: Jeremy I know you and I disagree on the voltage issue vs. HLLE - there are other suspected causes too including poor water quality and diet. My belief that voltage is a cause stems from having seen it in fish where water quality was known to be good over the long-term, as well as varied diet. That was the one thing that wasn't checked until the symptoms were advanced.

Yep, it's anecdotal - but I've seen it happen too many times for me to consider it a coincidence. Chalk another one up to "voodoo science".

Jenn

I agree, there are a bunch of different theories, all anecdotal.

The most recent research Ive seen on it indicates its more likely carbon fines of certain sources that cause it. I have suspected vitamin imbalance and salinity issues primarily myself. In counterpoint, I have seen fish in tanks LOADED with voltage NOT showing HLLE. But, again, neither of us know, so it is all moot. BTW, I will be able to pickupo that food on Sunday.

 

[jennm]

Well I think we can both agree that stray voltage isn't good to have in a tank, period.

Jenn