Ground probe help please!!!

I think you got some good advise from everyone. I would just like to add that you should probably also try to figure out how much voltage is being leaked, which device (probably a powerhead or heater) is bad and replace it. You could use a multimeter to figure this out. Just unplug your devices one at a time, testing between until you find the bad device(s).

 

ok, i will do this. I thought that you would always have some voltage leakage occurring, even with working equipment.

 

After reading your post I decided to test my tank, I'm getting 0.8 volts which is acceptable.

I use to have a stray voltage problem and got zapped good a while back, my tank tested 55 volts (even though I have everything plugged into GFCI outlets it didn't trip, probably because my heater and powerheads don't have the ground prong, I don't fully understand). Turned out to be a bad 200w stealth heater and a bad koralia #4 powerhead.

 

55 volts sounds like a lot, hopefully you weren't badly hurt.

I will be going with with a DIY grounding probe b/c I can't find any locally. most people don't even know what I'm talking about. I know how to make it but i can't find any titanium. Can I use stainless steel wire instead?

 

SS wire will work in the short term but is more chemically reactive than titanium. There are several good sources to purchase a ground on line... here's just one:

Aquarium Safety: Ultra-Ground Titanium Probe

 

I'd recommend the longer probe like this one above... not only more surface area in contact with the water (though it's not a necessity) but less chance that it will come out of the water when using it. My ground probe is kinda short, and only 2" into the water... if it were bumped or re-oriented, it could easily come out of the water completely.

 

Shipping to Trinidad would probably cost more than the probe itself. That's why I was going to build one. I guess i will use ss for a little while at least.