Safety Concerns for Saltwater Aquariums

Electrical & Saltwater:

In an age where more technology and electricity has come to even the most basic saltwater aquariums, there is a wide range of potential problems presented. The big thing to keep in mind here is that saltwater is more conductive to electricity than even normal water. Sometimes when pumps, heaters or powerheads fail, they can leak small amounts of electricity into the water, which typically has bad results for the fish and coral. There are 2 important things to have on any aquarium and especially saltwater: GFCI outlet in-line and a grounding probe. The GFCI will help prevent an immediate surge of power and protect anyone who puts their hand in electrified water. The grounding probe will let any leaking electricity back into ground so that it doesn't stay in the water. The problem is still there and needs to be addressed when this is the case but the grounding probe will at least keep the water from zapping anything.

Plumbing and Pressure:

Here locally in Sacramento, we have built and maintained thousands of aquariums over the last decade. The biggest issues we see are major failures because plumbing or hoses were installed improperly. Using hard, glued PVC for under saltwater aquariums is not always the ideal solution! Each tank is different and the approach must be based on what each tank needs. Aquariums with canister filters also need the hoses to be tight and secure, especially at the unit where constant removal is common for the cleaning but can loosen things over time. Parts of these systems are also under pressure, which means over time leaks can develop.

Safety for fish & family:

Part of the importance in having professional service done on your aquarium is to make sure theses devices and equipment is always operating correctly and are safe. There are a lot  of small things that to an untrained eye might get overlooked. Here at The Fish Guy, we always recommend having grounding probes and GFCI outlets on every aquarium! In addition, if there are ever small children around the aquarium and its smaller than 100 gallons (or less than 48'' wide) , it is important to have the aquarium secured to a wall so it can't be tipped by a child hanging on it, or in-case of an earthquake. There is no replacement for safety, and here in the Sacramento area we are striving to make each aquarium as safe as it can be!