Electric fish tank!

[Raechal]

Okay so the second-hand 55 gallon we bought a month or so ago is having a few major problems. My mom stuck her hand in the water to arrange some decorations and plants and she got electricuted! She just unplugged everything except the filters and it doesn't shock her anymore. One of the lights blew out yesterday so for now it only has one light, but she turned that off as well.

Any ideas of what could cause this? We researched it online and it said it could kill all the fish and it takes awhile for the fish to get over the electric shock. She has an air pump hooked up to two air stones. One is just a plain blue bar air stone and one is a little pirate guy drinking rum and the bubbles move him around.

There is also something leaking water down by where the airpump is. I was thinking maybe the pump was acting like a syphon and taking water out, making the tank leak water from the tubing, but there hasn't been a loss in water level that we've noticed.

Has anyone else experienced this? What is the best thing we can do? We don't think it is the filters, as they are on and the tank is not electric anymore. So it could be the air pump, the lights, or the heater?

 

[pseud]

If you don't have a 'check valve' in the tubing to your air-pump, water can syphon back up into it and cause electrical failure. Check to see if there's moisture in the air-tube, and get a check valve if you don't already have one.

It could also be the heater or air-pump, and less likely to be the lights since they aren't in direct contact with the water (or shouldn't be...)

 

[jimw13uk]

I wouldnt think its the lights as they shouldnt have any contact with the water

My guess would be the air pump.
I would get the air pump and heater tested by an electrician straight away

 

[Salt Freak]

It is probaly the heater it cant be the air pump because most of tehn will only have a valve in them and most of them wont touch the electromagnit in them the only thing would be the heater is somhow getting grounded to the water. If your air pump doesn't have a check valve on I would highly recomend one. And if they were fluorescent lights and it was the lights it would be a lot worse than just a shock as those fluorescents produce more current to run them then what comes out of your wall.

 

[Raechal]

The pump has a check valve. We've tried 3 different pumps and it still was electric today.

 

[BettaMomma]

Dumb question, but you have a drip loop incorpoated into all your electical cords, right?

 

[Raechal]

Dumb question, but you have a drip loop incorpoated into all your electical cords, right?

Probably, but what is a drip loop? )

 

[Raechal]

Just checked on the fish and some of them are breathing heavily. I don't know if it still electric in there as I am scared to stick my hand in there.

My dad has an ohm meter which measures electricity in water and stuff, but he is at work and has it with him.

What should I do?

 

[pseud]

What should I do?

I don't know what you should do, but what I would do if this was happening to me:

Go to the store and buy a brand new heater. Get a bucket and fill it halfway with water from the tank. Remove the fish and place them in the bucket with the heater until Dad gets home. If he has an an Ommeter he probably knows how to use it. Get him to test all your electrical equipment to see which is the faulty one. Dispose of the faulty equipment, don't attempt to get it repaired.

 

[Raechal]

What should I do?

I don't know what you should do, but what I would do if this was happening to me:

Go to the store and buy a brand new heater. Get a bucket and fill it halfway with water from the tank. Remove the fish and place them in the bucket with the heater until Dad gets home. If he has an an Ommeter he probably knows how to use it. Get him to test all your electrical equipment to see which is the faulty one. Dispose of the faulty equipment, don't attempt to get it repaired.

My dad may not be home for another 6 or 7 hours, will they be okay in this bucket until then?

I stuck my arm in the tank and no shock. Can I just keep them in the tank without the lights, heater, and air pump on until Dad gets home?

 

[pseud]

You can definitely leave them in there without the lights on, no problem there.
Without an air-pump, they'll be ok for a while, especially if your filter breaks the surface of the water.
Without a heater, you can but i certainly wouldn't recommend it.

If the store will still be open after your dad gets home, then I guess you can wait. If not, I wouldn't leave them overnight without at least a heater.

 

[Blue Lobster]

Odds are it's the heater. Is there moisture in the heater tube? Remove the heater and stick your finger in the water, no zap then it's the heater.



I would unplug it and leave the fish in there till dad gets home.

 

[Def]

Is this a marine tank? Saltwater carries an electrical charge naturally...

 

[Raechal]

Freshwater tank. I will check the heater now. I don't really have a problem leaving the heater off, as I live in Florida and it is about 78F in the house right now and I don't see it cooling off even at night it stays at atleast 72 in here.

 

[rarefish]

My heater once cracked and caused me to get a very painful shock. All of my fish were ok. Hopefully yours will be too!

rarefish