Stray voltage.... someone with a handful of knowledge runs with it and makes a huge deal out of the subject. This is pretty much the conclusion Ive come up with. The internet really help this myth get out of hand.
For everyone out there thinking that there should be zero volts try the meter test and see what you find. Every piece of equipment showed voltage in the tank including LED lights that do not come into contact with the water in any way. In fact even with every item unplugged from the wall I still showed a reading of 2 volts. With every item plugged in (2 FX5's, 2 300wt in line heaters, 18w UV, LED lights, air pump), I had a reading of 34.9 volts. Each item added voltage reading as they were plugged in. If you showed a true 120v in your tank you would have a problem. What all of you who test your tanks will be reading should be the natural voltage that occurs from running the magnetic pump motors, transformers and what not required to run your tank.
If the theory is that fish in my upstairs tank are doing better because there is less/no voltage, then the voltage should be lower.... well it wasnt. It read in at 38v.
I think what is really going on has to do with stress. Something is stressing the fish out. I am going to try an experiment. I have an air pump on my large tank that is a bit noisy and causes the stand to rattle/vibrate a bit. I do not have an air pump at all upstairs. Fish are sensitive to vibration and my theory is that the vibration caused from this air pump is stressing the fish out. So tonight I am going to turn this thing off and see how the fish do.
For everyone out there thinking that there should be zero volts try the meter test and see what you find. Every piece of equipment showed voltage in the tank including LED lights that do not come into contact with the water in any way. In fact even with every item unplugged from the wall I still showed a reading of 2 volts. With every item plugged in (2 FX5's, 2 300wt in line heaters, 18w UV, LED lights, air pump), I had a reading of 34.9 volts. Each item added voltage reading as they were plugged in. If you showed a true 120v in your tank you would have a problem. What all of you who test your tanks will be reading should be the natural voltage that occurs from running the magnetic pump motors, transformers and what not required to run your tank.
If the theory is that fish in my upstairs tank are doing better because there is less/no voltage, then the voltage should be lower.... well it wasnt. It read in at 38v.
I think what is really going on has to do with stress. Something is stressing the fish out. I am going to try an experiment. I have an air pump on my large tank that is a bit noisy and causes the stand to rattle/vibrate a bit. I do not have an air pump at all upstairs. Fish are sensitive to vibration and my theory is that the vibration caused from this air pump is stressing the fish out. So tonight I am going to turn this thing off and see how the fish do.
