Has anyone ever had their tank light fixture fall into their tanks?

[larryngu 31]

I was just wondering that maybe fish can be shocked if the light fixture drops into the water.

Share your insight please.

[dnalex 13,633]

Yes, don't do it.

[sarajo 566]

This is one of my biggest fears

[Lucerne 218]

I think its a real danger and its one reason id be reluctant to ever make or modify my own light fittings (except for fitting reflectors or other premade additions). I sometimes wish I had more lighting for better plant growth but im much happier using a fitting that is designed to fit my tank, even if its a little weaker.

Use a circuit breaker on your tank equipment and if this ever happens to you disconnect your outlets via your central fusebox or equivalent before going anywhere near it :/

[GoldenSpoiledRotten 6,786]

Yes. I only use fully-submersible lights for that reason now.

[Gcourtney 854]

this is my biggest fear I just use the lights that come with my kits for that Matter, saves the worrie

[4prettyfish 2,702]

Yes, don't do it.

Be careful. Edited November 13, 2012 by 4prettyfish

[larryngu 31]

I have one these tanks where in order to feed the fish I have to pop the tank hood twice a day.

I rarely turn on the tank light.

From now on, I will only plug in the tank light cord when I'm actually using the tank light.

From now on, most of the time the tank light will be unplugged.

Edited November 13, 2012 by larryngu

[fantailfan1 26,742]

Yes, don't do it.

Shoot. I was going to give this a try at my next water change. Guess my plans have changed.

[Gcourtney 854]

Yes, don't do it.

Shoot. I was going to give this a try at my next water change. Guess my plans have changed.

I've almost done it at a water change its nerve racking

[tastyworms 396]

For $15 bucks you can replace your outlet with a GFCI outlet. This will prevent your fish from being electrocuted should your light fall in the tank.

Interesting side story, I've never personally dropped lights that were on into the tank (off is a different story, lol). But this guy I work with did something close. His wife was topping off the tank and it was a 90G so very tall and she's pretty short. The water didn't go straight down and splashed out into the lights and the hood caught on fire. Talk about making fire with water, .

[fantailfan1 26,742]

. Was she OK?

[tastyworms 396]

Yes

[GoldenSpoiledRotten 6,786]

I have one these tanks where in order to feed the fish I have to pop the tank hood twice a day.

I rarely turn on the tank light.

From now on, I will only plug in the tank light cord when I'm actually using the tank light.

From now on, most of the time the tank light will be unplugged.

Don;t quote me on this, but I think it might be better if you had light on your tank. Fish need a normal day/night cycle and if the tank is not close to a window that gives it light or if the room light is not on all day, you might have an issue.

[koko 14,363]

Yup My Old kitty mookie jumped on my very old 20 gallon long tank, years ago when I first met TD.

I had a plexi glass lid to it, she wanted tank water, jumped up and well it didnt hold her weight and in she went along with the light.

My light did work after I let it dry out for 2 days.

Moral of the story. Get a Glass lid and keep your cats off the tops of your tank

[fantailfan1 26,742]

. Were your fish OK? And the cat?

[kukana d 57]

I have dropped semi-expensive light fixtures into tanks on 2 separate occasions,and had to toss both of them out-they never would work again

[larryngu 31]

I have one these tanks where in order to feed the fish I have to pop the tank hood twice a day.

I rarely turn on the tank light.

From now on, I will only plug in the tank light cord when I'm actually using the tank light.

From now on, most of the time the tank light will be unplugged.

Don;t quote me on this, but I think it might be better if you had light on your tank. Fish need a normal day/night cycle and if the tank is not close to a window that gives it light or if the room light is not on all day, you might have an issue.

My tank is two feet away from my bedroom window. I know the window is facing the proper way where it's ideal for plants to get sunlight. I think my window is facing east. I'm not good with directions.

Edited November 14, 2012 by larryngu

[GoldenSpoiledRotten 6,786]

I have one these tanks where in order to feed the fish I have to pop the tank hood twice a day.

I rarely turn on the tank light.

From now on, I will only plug in the tank light cord when I'm actually using the tank light.

From now on, most of the time the tank light will be unplugged.

Don;t quote me on this, but I think it might be better if you had light on your tank. Fish need a normal day/night cycle and if the tank is not close to a window that gives it light or if the room light is not on all day, you might have an issue.

My tank is two feet away from my bedroom window. I know the window is facing the proper way where it's ideal for plants to get sunlight. I think my window is facing east. I'm not good with directions.

So the room stays lit all day?

[LovelyChaos 869]

Never have I had a light go completely in the water (one end in, but I caught it before it submerged), but I have had 2 cats fall into the tanks! Luckily they were my shorter tanks so they got out right away.

[PierreMonteux 0]

For $15 bucks you can replace your outlet with a GFCI outlet. This will prevent your fish from being electrocuted should your light fall in the tank.

Interesting side story, I've never personally dropped lights that were on into the tank (off is a different story, lol). But this guy I work with did something close. His wife was topping off the tank and it was a 90G so very tall and she's pretty short. The water didn't go straight down and splashed out into the lights and the hood caught on fire. Talk about making fire with water, .

The one thing I would add to this is how the GFCI outlet works. It functions by comparing the current leaving the outlet on one side against the current returning on the other side. The information that comes with the outlet will give what the trip current differential is; it is usually around 5 mA.

If the light fixture in question (or heater or anything else in the tank) only has 2 wires on it, a GFCI won't do any good as even shorted, the power out will still equal the power in. It is only when the water is grounded that the GFCI will trip. If the light has a third prong on the outlet (as mine does) it will trip the GFCI when it enters the water, as some of the current will go down that third wire. Likewise, if your light only has two wires, but something else has grounded the tank (be it you had installed a ground wire into the water yourself, a python made a ground connection back to a sink, or you unfortunately had one hand in the water and the other on something grounded), the GFCI would trip.

Edited November 14, 2012 by PierreMonteux

[neeceee2 2]

Only the edge. Both hands were full. Lucky some one was home so they came, unplugged it and pulled it out. No harm done.