Newsgroups: alt.aquaria

Having recently experienced an increase in our discretionary spending
money, we began browsing through a recent FAMA to see what we could
buy.  The ad for the Sandpoint "Solution Ground" caught our eye.  I
had talked to Andrew at Sandpoint last August about induced voltage in
tanks and its supposed bad influence on fish.  We figured "what the
heck, let's try it".  After all, at the very worst, grounding the
water probably wouldn't hurt anything.

We have noticed a general decline in the appearence of a couple of the
discus in our 100g Almost Optimum Aquarium (AOA) in the last six
months.  We mysteriously lost a large German Brillant Turquoise female
about 2 months ago (maybe due to a pH fluctuation).  Two other
Turquoise have looked kind of dark recently.  One of them has
developed cloudy eyes.  All the discus once had nice red eyes but have
all lost the redness.  Lastly, the Wattley Turquoise (the one in the
picture in AFM) has had a mild case of fin rot for a few months.

In the last year, we have not changed anything in the way of feeding
or maintenance.  Water quality, pH and hardness have not changed.
Plants are still flourishing.  In other words, nothing that we can
measure would lead one to believe a problem exists.  Measuring the
induced voltage in the tank with a high impedance voltmeter (from
Radio Shack) showed an AC voltage of 0.5 volts.

We bought two solution grounds from Pet Warehouse for about $35 each.
These look like pH electrodes and have a titanium rod for contact with
the water.  You could easily make one out of stainless steel for under
a buck.  There is a 10' long lead with a spade lug on the end that is
connected to a convenient ground (we used the cover plate screw on an
electric outlet).  We put one in the 100g tank described above and one
in our 90g Optimum Aquarium (the "Super Show Tank").  The four discus
in the SST have shown no signs of any problems since the tank was set
up last October.  The SST had 0.4 volts measured.  Both tanks now
measure 0.0 VAC with the grounds connected.

The Solution Ground has been in both tanks for about 1 month.  We have
noticed no change in the SST, so at least nothing bad happened.

However, we have noticed a marked improvement in the AOA.  All three
adult discus have gotten their color back and seem much more active.
The Wattley Turquoise female and a Striated Red male are displaying
courtship behavior (which hasn't happened since the other female
died).  The red color has returned to all the discus' eyes and the
cloudy eyes of the one have cleared up.  Also, in the month we have
had the grounds, the fins of the Wattley discus have begun growing
back and are almost back to normal.  

This was not a scientific experiment with controls or anything.  I was
very skeptical about the whole thing until we saw the overall
improvements in the fishes appearance and behavior.  I'm not saying
that the Solution Ground did the trick, but we are planning on buying
two more for our other tanks based on the observed changes.

We are not associated with Sandpoint, but we are satisfied customers.

---------
George (and Karla) Booth

Xref: sparky alt.aquaria:4310 rec.aquaria:5994