Maybe someone can help me with stray voltage...

[JAG107]

I just checked my stray voltage first with powerheads off, then with them on. I stuck the black wire in the ground on a power strip, then the red in the DT. With the meter set to 10 AC (only has 10, 50, 250, 500 AC settings, no 120??), it showed 1 volt with them off, 7 with them on. I checked the DT, fuge, and sump and they all read 7. So, obviously I need a ground probe.
My question is, do you think this could be the reason for my very poor polyp extension in my acros, milleporas and birds nests? Even the montis polyps aren't what they used to be.
Over in my frag tank (plumbed into main system), I have PE out the yin yang, acros and milles so hairy it's hard to tell the color of their base!
All this time I've been blaming the 2 pygmy angels, and maybe this could be the cause, what do you think? In the DT I have 2 K4's, a K2, and a RIO 2600.

 

[ccCapt]

Just make sure if you do use a grounding probe, everything is plugged into a GFCI.

 

[JAG107]

Looks like I need to upgrade my outlet.

 

[parrotchute]

how come Ccapt?

Fyi, I've had this bookmarked for a bit - not sure if everyone agrees with it or not, but it's made me waver on whether I should try a grounding probe or or not:
http://angel-strike.com/aquarium/GroundingProbes.html

 

[JAG107]

Great link, parrotchute.
Maybe I'll wait on the probe after all. There's absolutely nothing wrong with any of my fish, I just thought maybe stray voltage might affect my polyp extension. So far, I haven't found any info on that subject, but would really like to.

 

[Bifferwine]

Have you read this yet?

http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/aquariummaintenancecare/a/aastrayvoltage.htm

I think it can be safe to say stray voltage could be causing the poor polyp extension. Stray voltage can and will slowly kill corals, and poor polyp extension is a step in that process.

 

[Ironman]

Stray Voltage has always been a contraversial issue, Everyone has there own opinion here.
Number one a grounding probe can be ok, but only with a GFCI outlet. The benefit to a grounding probe is to protect yourself when touching the water. If you truely did have a short in your tank and you put your hand in the tank you would complete a circuit. that could hurt you or kill you. with no probe and no GFCI you are at the mercy of the Breaker in the breaker box. with a GFCI and a grounding probe the short will trip the GFCI quickly.
As far as your noted stray voltage, Are you sure you are getting an accurate reading? 7ac volts seems high. usually people will notice readings in the millivolt scale. I would expect you would feel a shock when touching the water with 7 volts. Is this a digital meter or analog?

 

[JAG107]

It's analog. I'm certainly no electrics expert; the corresponding AC red area on the gauge says "AC 10V" and under that says "dB". It starts at -20 and goes to +22. Above the "AC 10V" in black says V-mA. Is this Volts? If so, the level would be between 1.6 and 1.9. Does that sound right?
I do not feel any kind of shock when I touch the water. I have had my arm in the tank almost daily for over a year, and have never been shocked.
Thanks everybody for your comments.

 

[ccCapt]

Some good info here.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1462165&perpage=25&pagenumber=1