Fish tank mishaps (electrical or not) - Equipment

Darksome · 07-25-2009, 05:20 PM

Couldn't decide whether to post it here or on another subsection, please move it if it's not in the right place...anyway, I have always been wondering about how fires get started with people's fish tanks, either water got into the sockets or a lamp just exploded, or maybe it didn't even start with electrical wires, maybe your CO2 tank exploded...I'm curious to hear other peoples' stories.

Seattle_Aquarist · 07-25-2009, 05:57 PM

Hi Darksome,

Over 50 years in the hobby and no fires or explosions, it is a pretty safe hobby in my opinion. I did crack the glass tube of a heater once and got a small shock when I reached in the tank.

Darksome · 07-25-2009, 07:11 PM

50 years and nothing serious has ever happened? I think I might be a little too paranoid. I've been in the hobby for most of my life, 19 now...but it isn't until recently that I have given safety a thought.

I've heard about fires but they never go into full detail as to how it usually happens...I guess I just want to learn from people's mistakes...better take preemptive steps.

TAB · 07-25-2009, 09:01 PM

the chance of a fire starting from a socket getting wet are very, very low. about the only way I can even think of happening is if it cuased a short that cuaght the wires in the wall on fire.

now something like a ballest( it could happen with a external pump, but thats even more remote) getting too hot, and either catching fire or catching something else on fire, can and has happend.

Zapins · 07-26-2009, 03:18 AM

Well, the most common way that electrical fires happen is when the main house electricity fuse is replaced with an incorrectly rated fuse and a socket is overloaded with too many devices.

The fire happens because most houses are wired to use a max of about 10 amps. The reason a fire happens is because the thickness of the wire used in the walls for 10 amp systems is relatively thin and when a lot of current is passed through a thin wire it heats up (like a tungsten light bulb). A lot of devices plugged into one or two outlets on the same electrical wing of the house will draw more current through the wire feeding those sockets then if the devices were spaced out throughout the house on different wires.

Now ordinarily the main fuse would trip if it sensed that more then 10 amps were flowing to one area of the house preventing electricity from flowing that way and thus overheating the wires/fire. The real danger happens when someone replaces the fuse with a larger capacity one, say a 20 amp fuse and puts a lot of devices on one socket. The main fuse doesn't trip until it reaches 20 amps and by this time the wires in the walls have heated up so much they melt through the rubber coating and can catch things in the wall on fire.

If the main fuse is the correct capacity for the system, then there should be a very low risk of fire even if one socket is overloaded. I really doubt there would be any sort of problem with a fish tank on its own. The lights/heater/filter/etc... don't draw that much current (amps). But if there were several other heavy power using appliances on the same set of wires leading to the electrical mains (like refrigerators, TV's, washers/driers) and the main fuse was of too large a capacity then you might have a problem.

I suppose there is also a small risk that the wiring of the tank lights or the ballast might be of very poor quality and could spark/light the plastic trim or casing on fire. But I doubt it. I heard of one APC member who bought Jebo (Odyssey) lights and they short circuited and caused a lot of smoke, but no flames.

Newt · 07-26-2009, 06:16 AM

Replace all of your electrical outlets used for the tank to GFIC receptical outlets.

Karebear · 07-26-2009, 06:18 AM

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"Over 50 years in the hobby and no fires or explosions, it is a pretty safe hobby in my opinion. I did crack the glass tube of a heater once and got a small shock when I reached in the tank."

Fifty years Roy? Wow, you don't look that old.

I have smelled lots of smoke from water getting in fixtures at the store and some sparks, lots of low voltage zaps especially when you touch the metal ladder when your hand is in the water, but that is all. This is with some suprises with bare wires that have broken off.

Seattle_Aquarist · 07-26-2009, 06:28 AM

Hi Karebear,

Suffice to say I started in the hobby b4 I was 10 YO. (BTW, thanks I don't feel my age either; except some days!) Glad you are back from AK.

benjavan · 07-26-2009, 06:57 AM

I had a major fire in my shop as a result of a certain brand of fixture. The fire started at the switch when the fixture was off. The fixture was a duel 96w power pc. I think these fixtures just produce too much heat.

Tex Gal · 07-26-2009, 09:30 AM

I've had multiple tanks for almost 3.5 decades. Never any problems. I did have a tingling when I'd reach into my plant grow out tank. Finally read about this being a shorting heater. Replaced it and had no issues after that. I did take the precaution to install GFI's where each tank is located since I went high tech with everything. It's a small price to pay for peace of mind.