Help figuring out if I have a stray voltage problem....

[asn-naso]

So, after my last "uh oh" that I blamed on bad salt, I bought some new corals. Part of these were some SPS from denverjon, and dym. All of my LPS and Zoa's have been doing fine, but the SPS have slowly been dieing off. I've done water changes, water tests, and nothing appears to be bad. Yesterday, I pulled out my GFO, carbon and poly filter, and just put back fresh carbon. Then last night I started digging around, and wanted to re-check the voltage in my tank.

I turned the multi-meter to 200 VAC, put the black into a ground, and red into the tank. This time it came back at 85. I unplugged everything, and found out one of my return pumps (I added a 2nd) was kickout out 80ish. If I have everything else plugged in, other then that one pump, I get a reading of 35. That seems awful high. It seems as if each pump and the heater kick out 5-6.

Does this sound normal? Am I testing it properly? If not, what is the best way to test for stray voltage?

Also, I do not have a grounding probe. I've read good and bad things about them. The outlet is also not on a GFCI.

 

[Cake_Boss]

I was reading 0 with both probes in the water, 25ish with red in water and black grounded to lights, same settings as yours. have you tried putting in some poly-filter, just in case there's some other contaminant in their? I remember you having issues last year. Have you tried sourcing your water from elsewhere?

 

[asn-naso]

Thanks for testing your tank too. I think I have one bad pump, that when it's plugged in, jumps the reading up to 85ish. I've got it unplugged, and will see how things go.

BTW - I had poly filter in there, but pulled it out yesterday.

 

[jda123]

If possible, you can just submerge the glass/titanium part of your heaters - leave the tops out of the water. That can help with some stray current from heaters.

 

[andyrm66]

Very likely the pump motors are causing potential voltage. Not a bad thing. Theres a lot on RC about it. Anytime you have a motor in water, even sealed you will see voltage.

 

[asn-naso]

I unplugged the pump that was causing the bulk of the voltage, and a couple of the SPS's RTN slowed and might have stopped, while others continued. I lost my jedi mind trick, and tri-color. :-( I'm goint to wait before putting any more sps in, just some zoa's, and maybe another hammer for now. Once things appear to be fully stable, or I have the new yet to be purchased tank up and running, I'll try another sps.