Kizmar
#derpface
So... I determined that I have (had) stray voltage in my sump. By the process of elimination, I found the culprit to be the protein skimmer. I'm hoping since the skimmer pump is under a year old that Reef Dynamics will replace it at no cost (other than maybe shipping). We'll see.
The real reason I'm posting this is to talk about how I realized I had stray voltage...
This is a little beside the point, but a couple months (or less) ago I had tested the sump with a multimeter in efforts to troubleshoot the issues I had with a starfish dying in the sump. At the time I (don't think) there was rogue electric current in the water. So I think this issue just recently started, or slowly kept getting worse over the last few weeks. ...or it's been intermittent and I just caught it at the right time.
Anyway, how I noticed it... I was feeding the Peppermint Shrimp that are (now) in my refugium. When I stuck my fingers in to sink the pellets I felt a sharp pain where I had a couple tiny cuts. It surprised me so much that I jerked my hand out of the water. Of course, I had to do it again to see what exactly I just felt. I held a finger with a cut in the water long enough to tell it was electric current, not just saltwater on a little cut. When I put a finger that didn't have a cut in the water, I felt nothing.
Begin process of elimination:
I wouldn't have guessed a small cut would amplify stray voltage so much. As I mentioned, I felt nothing when dipping a finger without a cut in the water. It was a significant difference.
Hopefully I can get this resolved quickly because my skimmer is out of commission until I get a replacement pump.
The real reason I'm posting this is to talk about how I realized I had stray voltage...
This is a little beside the point, but a couple months (or less) ago I had tested the sump with a multimeter in efforts to troubleshoot the issues I had with a starfish dying in the sump. At the time I (don't think) there was rogue electric current in the water. So I think this issue just recently started, or slowly kept getting worse over the last few weeks. ...or it's been intermittent and I just caught it at the right time.
Anyway, how I noticed it... I was feeding the Peppermint Shrimp that are (now) in my refugium. When I stuck my fingers in to sink the pellets I felt a sharp pain where I had a couple tiny cuts. It surprised me so much that I jerked my hand out of the water. Of course, I had to do it again to see what exactly I just felt. I held a finger with a cut in the water long enough to tell it was electric current, not just saltwater on a little cut. When I put a finger that didn't have a cut in the water, I felt nothing.
Begin process of elimination:
- Stick finger with cut in display tank with everything plugged in: no shock. Good, at least it's not affecting my display.
- Unplug the heaters, stick cut finger in sump water: SHOCK!
- Unplug the pumps, stick cut finger in sump water: SHOCK!
- Unplug the skimmer pump, stick finger in sump water: no shock. Bingo!
I wouldn't have guessed a small cut would amplify stray voltage so much. As I mentioned, I felt nothing when dipping a finger without a cut in the water. It was a significant difference.
Hopefully I can get this resolved quickly because my skimmer is out of commission until I get a replacement pump.