[ChrisP]

I put a new titanium grounding probe ("More Rid-Volt") today and noticed that I got a mild shock everytime I touched the water. I unplugged all electric from the tank and continued to get a shock. I had plugged it into a power strip which was plugged into a 3-prong outlet. I changed the outlet to a GFCI, plugged the power strip into it and plugged the grounding probe back in - still getting a shock! The reef store where I bought it says that I must have some major wiring problem on that circuit. Luckily, the fish and soft corals in my 34 gal. tank seem to be OK. Any ideas out there?

[FireEater]

Bypass the Power Strip and go directly into the plug and see if you are still getting a shock. If you do then something might not be right in the circuit like the LFS said.

Not really sure how power could be getting through the ground side of the circuit though. How old is the house and is it wired for ground? Usually old houses are not actually wired for ground even though the plugs make it appear they are.

[ChrisP]

Thanks for the advice, Mark. The house was built in the early 60's and just has a black and a white wire going into the receptacle. I guess this means it's not wired for ground. In this case, is there any point in using a grounding probe? By the way - I was blown away by your tank - gorgeous! Two questions. Why did you choose not to use a "Miracle Mud" type bed in your refugium? Are you concerned that the 12" sand bed in your garage barrel might create deep areas producing dangerous gases? I've read a couple of things about sand beds over 4" being potentially dangerous.
Chris

[FireEater]

Not really much you can do about the ground except re-wire the house or at least a circuit from the panel to the tank.

The barrel in the garage is on borrowed time. I'm about to purchase 2 more to replace it. I will take one and plumb it exactly like the one shown. Except the drain will be at the bottom this time. Also no sand will be in it this time.

Then I will take the second one and install it above the first one. Plumb it from my RO/DI unit and also plumb the barrel to the barrel below it.

The bottom barrel will still be plumbed into the tank to give me the extra water volume. This new set up will make water changes quick and efficient. I will just shut the barrel off from system like I do now. With the new drain at the bottom, I can attach a hose and drain is to the gutter.

Then once it is finished, I can just open a valve and the top barrel will fill the bottom barrel. I will only fill the top barrel a few days before I'm ready to do a water change. Pre-mix the salt in it and it will be ready to go.

This new method will give me 65 gallon water changes at a time. I also do not have to do a water change from inside the house at all, just like I do now.

Right now I have to shut the barrel down from the system, drain it which involves a lot of siphoning into 5 gallon barrels, trying not to disturb the sandbed, then pump water from my other 65g barrel I have setup on my RO/DI unit into a 25g barrel, mix the salt with it, then drag the barrel over to the reservoir, pump it into the reservoir, trying not to disturb the sandbed again, do this twice to get the 55 gallons changed out.

I will take pics while I set it all up to document it for my website. I will also move my chiller from inside the house next to the tank to the garage next to the new reservoir.