Shock

[Bonne46]

Ok so need little help. I have a 125g tank, houses a turtle and some fish. I run two heaters plus canister filter. I noticed my floating thermometer was broken so I reached my hand in there to get it out and I got a shock, obviously not strong enough to hurt me, or even the turtle and fish but you get that zap.

I looked at heaters and they look fine, what can be doing this?

 

[the loach]

Check the lighting. Could be a ground problem, or even static electricity.

 

[Bonne46]

Can’t be light because that broke earlier this week and waiting for new one to come in.

 

[dougall]

Could be filter, or anything electrical.

So filter may be a problem, but my money would be on a heater.

 

[Bonne46]

Just put my hand back in and no shock this time. I guess I’ll try buying new heaters first. Anyone recommend a brand? I was running a in-line and a fluval.

 

[the loach]

It is easy to check the heaters: look for moisture inside. Also you can unplug them one by one (and the filter, anything electrical) and find out which one causes it, if it isn't static electricity.

 

[Bonne46]

So let’s break it down as dumb as possible, how to tell difference between shock and static? Because I don’t want to be using wrong term lol.

 

[the loach]

Static electricity will give you a shock, but it's harmless. You might want to read the wiki page about static electricity. The only way to be sure, is do the test I described above.

 

[Bonne46]

Then I’d imagine it’s static because if it didn’t hurt me, and the turtle and fish were still fine it had to be that. I will do that test tho describe. If it’s static what is there to do with that?

 

[the loach]

It could be a broken heater or pump leaking a bit but that has to be consistent. With a heater you'd at least have to see moisture in there. I don't see a pump leaking cause the electric part isn't separated from water by rubber (like the cap of a heater). But it is easy to check.
That has to be consistent, unlike static electricity that can happen depending on humidity, what you are wearing, and what you touched previously, for example.