Interesting reasons not to use ground probe

I think all he is saying is that the probe my not be good for the fish, like some say. But there is no argument that they are good for you. Electricity and water is always bad, PERIOD!

 

Id rather be safe then sorry... Maybe if you had the experience of sticking you hand in a tank and getting that shock you would know the importance of the probe... been there... done that...

And IHAVEMTS:
That is no different if you loose power in that same situation... AND if you had that same situation, but didn't have the probe, and you came home and stuck your hand in the water, would you be alive to talk about it?

IMO a Ground Probe is necessary...

 

I will have to see if the Dr. has two in stock!

 

When it comes to choosing between what's good for my fish or what's good for me, I can pretty much guaranty that I'm going to chose me over a fish every time I don't run tanks without a ground probe. Never have, never will.

 

I believe you are confusing a Power Strip with a Probe.

 

So why not use a grounding plug when you are working on the tank but take it out at other times? Seems to me that would be a good balance of safety vs. possible trips when you are not around.

 

I believe most modern power strips have ground probes and GFCI?? I understand you might still want something for in the tank but wouldnt that prevent a current from getting into the tank? Just a question

 

Actually, most have neither. They have grounded outlets but I guarantee you that your maxijet or Hydor Korallia powerhead EDIT: DOESN'T have a grounded plug so you get nothing from that.

There are more expensive powerstrips that do have GFCI in them but they are substantially more expensive than even surge suppressing powerstrips for computers.

 

Bare in mind; the tank is isolated from ground, anything that goes on inside the tank pretty much stays in there. If you want to use a ground probe that is fine too, reason I do not use one is the simple fact explained earlier on this thread, providing current that didn't exist prior to the ground prove. Definitely if you put your hand in the tank you will feel a tingling sensation.. because you are the first path the electricity found, and so did you! If having a ground probe keeps you from finding a faulty piece of equipment things could get worst!!! Most power heads, return pumps, heaters, etc,etc, not only are leaking current, but also minerals of which they are made of, examples iron, silicone, and other quimicals.
If you did feel a tingling, more likely you will do something to solve the problem! but ask your self; what if everything seems normal when something is slowly leaching in the water column and no way to detect till is too late?

 

If you take your voltmeter and switch it to ohms and you measure between ground and common side of the ac line there is no resistance. Why because in all US homes both the common and ground wires screw into the same terminal block inside the breaker box. The ground wire is used only as backup incase the common side has issues. All power coming into your house is 220 and normally has four wires in the cable. There is 120 positive and 120 negative, common and ground. 110 breakers will only touch one leg of the incoming 220 while 220 breaker snap onto both voltage rails. If you look outside your breaker box you will see the copper ground probe running from inside the box to the ground. This probe ties into the same terminal block that the common and ground wires screw into i.e. electrically the common leg on a korolla is the same as ground. The only way to isolate your tank from the rest of the house power is to use a line isolation monitor LIM for short. A LIM will take the house 120 that is 120 on the positive and ground on the common to 60v on the positive and 60v on the common. Nothing is isolated unless you add the LIM. The GFI is a current limiting ground probe. I work on isolated and house 110 and 220 everyday so I do know what i am talking about and dont get me started on 208 three phase.