New 75g tank set up, but something is weird.
 

Hey guys!

I recently just got a 75g tank set up, but I have a question:

1. I just got the water in the tank and pumping. I also got the salt mixed in (1.024). I noticed after I mixed the salt in that I felt a small, sharp, zap-like pain in the cuts of my fingertips when putting my hands in the tank. I don't feel this pain when I put my hands in my other 13g reef tank. Is this normal?

Possible something is placing a electric current in the water?

Yes, definitely. When I shut the power off, I don't feel the pain anymore. Is there any way to fix it without replacing the parts? (They were very expensive)

You have to figure which item is doing it. You are lucky the current isn't stronger that it could kill you

I think it's the protein skimmer.

if you have a mutli-meter. put a lead on the negative side of it and feed it to the ground (confirmed ground only if your not sure dont mess with it) of an outlet and place the hot probe in your tank. watch the readings, unplug each piece of equipment one at a time until you get a zero reading, that will identify your voltage leak.

What would I do after that?

Grounding probe!

replace or repair the defective equipment

Replace the offending equipment! I have a hard time believing this is a real question once the offending piece of equipment is found.....

If it is the skimmer pump, you can often times just replace the pump without having to replace the entire skimmer.

The odds of any of us dying in this situation is thankfully blessedly slim unless you were soaking wet, barefoot, and standing on a metal surface when you stuck your hands in. While its probably 120volts AC, your body has a resistance typically measured in the millions or tens of millions of ohms from hand to hand or hand to foot (easy to test with ohmmeter if you get bored).

You'll get a tingle, but it won't kill you. Either way, junk the part thats doing it. If its the protein skimmer, replace the pump. Don't try to fix it unless you are an electrician that knows what you are doing. Contact the manufacturer for a replacement.

I also found out that sometimes I don't feel it when I put my hands in the water with everything plugged in…

I just mixed the reef crystal salt yesterday, could it be electrolytes in the water?

Probably a heater, then.

Like stated, figure out the culprit. Then trash it.

By the way, all submerged equipment should be on a GFCI. And For God's Sake, don't use a grounding plug without a GFCI.

My pump in my SW mixing tank was doing the same. When I would touch the water a small zap. I replaced the pump and problem solved. I have a vertex grounding probe in my display and sump also.

I do not feel it anymore at all today with everything plugged in.

Heaters come on and off. Sounds like it may be the issue.