nope . . . I thought it would, but even with 4 tanks running, multiple filters and lights, etc., have not seen major jumps in the bills . . .
Has anyone's electric bill gone thru the roof?
- Thread starter we4wieners
- Start date
shut your heaters off or lower them. UV will kill you....and so will lights. Keep the lights off during day light hours and only put them on for a few hours a night.But the bill seems awfully high for what you are running.
My bill have definitely increased. I use the budget plan, so my bill is the same each month across all seasons. I have a 150, 125, 90, 90, 46, 29 and 29 up and running. My bill is 2.5 times what it was 18 months ago when I didn't have any.
mine went up 30 bucks !!! from 22 
. i dont run heaters in the summer 
and the lights are only one for 3 hours max throught the year !
. i dont run heaters in the summer and the lights are only one for 3 hours max throught the year !Ive stopped using a heater and lights for my tanks, due to electric and tank stays at 78-80f without heater in summer, even though in my house, has to due with heat from water pump and it being made of 1/2" acrylic.
I recently purchased a Kill-a-Watt ($28 at Home Depot) to monitor the cost of my tanks. I entered the 17 cents a kilowatt-hour rate from my electric company and plan to monitor each tank for a week now (summer) and a week in the winter.
So far I know my 125G is costing me $19/month. That is my most energy efficient tank. I have two HOBs for filtration and only have three 24" light strips (3x15w) consuming 45W. Since it is summer, the 300w heater rarely cycles on/off.
I now have the monitor on the 150G. I know that will be a higher cost due to the 130W light fixture, two canisters, and 400w heater.
Come winter, the heaters run often. The cost will be much higher.
If I knew my four tanks were going to cost me $150/month, I would not have set all of them up. That $150/month could be used to help pay the car loan.
So far I know my 125G is costing me $19/month. That is my most energy efficient tank. I have two HOBs for filtration and only have three 24" light strips (3x15w) consuming 45W. Since it is summer, the 300w heater rarely cycles on/off.
I now have the monitor on the 150G. I know that will be a higher cost due to the 130W light fixture, two canisters, and 400w heater.
Come winter, the heaters run often. The cost will be much higher.
If I knew my four tanks were going to cost me $150/month, I would not have set all of them up. That $150/month could be used to help pay the car loan.
The OP asked what would cause the bill to be so high? My guess is the lighting, despite newer light systems being more energy efficient.
I used to run a 100g SW tank, along with my 90g African cichlid tank, and my bill was quite high. When I broke down the SW -- and shutdown five pumps/powerheards (for various reasons) and my T5 lighting, my bill dropped drastically.
It bumped up slightly as that 100g tank is now a CA tank!
I used to run a 100g SW tank, along with my 90g African cichlid tank, and my bill was quite high. When I broke down the SW -- and shutdown five pumps/powerheards (for various reasons) and my T5 lighting, my bill dropped drastically.
It bumped up slightly as that 100g tank is now a CA tank!
