There are a few hazards associated with saltwater tanks that aren’t present in freshwater set-ups. One of them involves the conductivity of saltwater.

There are two easy steps that can prevent injury, one of which doesn’t even cost a dime!

Install a GFCI outlet

This step should really be done before setting up the tank, but you may be able to retro-fit your outlets depending on clearance or use a GFCI power cord extension. the outlets can be purchased as cheaply as $9, and the extensions go for $15 typically.

A GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) functions differently than a breaker or fuse. Fuses and breakers have a limit on current flow that has to be exceeded before they trip or blow. A GFCI outlet instead uses the presence of as little as 5 milliamps of current flow from the hot line to ground to trip. It can open the circuit in as little time as 30 milliseconds, fast enough to prevent fatal injury in most cases.

Add drip loops to power cords

Once the tank has been set up and the location of power-heads has been decided be sure and put some drip-loops into your cords. These are simply loops of cable that provide an easy path for water to drip from. This prevents water from running into your outlets. As saltwater is both corrosive and conductive it is best to keep it out of your electrical components.