Running costs, heaters ?

[waynes world]

Hi all, i have chosen to reduce my work shop and build a fish den. Before i start out on completing the design etc i need to work out the roiugh running costa s things in the UK are crazy on electric and water.
I have worked out the pump and power head, lighting running cost, not the heater side of it, and as it goes this is going to be the killer is i have worked it correct.
It will be fully insulated all around with 50mm polyurethane foam. but for the two viewing sides as its a L shape.

Dimension would be 11 foot along the long rear sides, so around 8 foot front viewing sides, and 3 foot x 3 foot. around 4500l litres or 1200 gallon ( UK )

Heaters will need to be 6000kw, does that sound about right, on for around 10hrs day.

That means £450 a month to heat it. electric is .25p a KW .

m maths is .25p x 6 ( 6kw ) = £1.50 x 10hrs = £15 for 10hrs

£15 a day for 30 days £450 a month to heat the tank.

If its that ill keep cold water fish instead haha

 

[tlindsey]

m maths is .25p x 6 ( 6kw ) = £1.50 x 10hrs =

That means £450 a month to heat it. electric is .25p a KW .

m maths is .25p x 6 ( 6kw ) = £1.50 x 10hrs = £15 for 10hrs

£15 a day for 30 days £450 a month to heat the tank.

Wow definitely would go with the cold species. waynes world

 

[waynes world]

Wow definitely would go with the cold species. waynes world

i though about Gold fish lol.

I am thinking on other ways to heat it. Gas is a lot cheaper at around 6 pence a Kw towards the 25p for electric. A thought is to fit under floor heating type set up and wrap it around the tank.

 

[duanes]

The last time I lived in the states (over 10 yrs ago) I started gravitating toward Uruguayan cchlid species, that needed a winter cool down.
They can easily take water temps down to low 60" F (15" C) and this saved on my elec bill.
I also lined the back, sides and bottom of my tanks with styyrofoam panels to cut heat loss during winter, when my Mlwaukee air temos dipped below freezing.
Some of the Australoheros species that could handle (actually needed cool downs below.

Male left, female middle shot, spawning colors far tight.
Below, some of the Gymnogeophagines that also require cool downs


There are also a number of Crenicichla, and many other fish species that hail from UUruguay and Argentina that would not break the bank in winter

As well as a number of species that come from China and Korea, and even mountanious regions of Indian that appreciate some cool.
Denison barbs, Chinese high fin shark barbs, Paradise gouramis, and mountain minnows come to mind that easily tolerate water temps in the 60s, if goldfish are not your thing.

 

[jjohnwm]

Just a quick comment, but if you need 6000kw of energy to heat your tank, you must live on Pluto. I think you mean 6kw or 6000w. Still, not cheap. Insulating all non-viewing sides of the tank will indeed make a big difference, as will keeping the tank completely covered at all times.

I'm completely onboard with duanes on this topic; there are many, many species of fish that are not actually "cold-water" in the strictest terms, but which are found in temperate areas and easily withstand or even benefit from seasonal variations and cooler temps in winter. I've been moving away from heated tanks for several years now, and currently don't have any tanks that are individually heated. Not only does this make a huge difference to my electricity bill, but IMHO it removes a huge source of stress in general. I don't care how many redundant systems and safeguards you utilize, the concern about temperature is very real and the possibility of an outage or other equipment failure is ever-present. Keeping your tanks at room temperature or, as in my case, basement temperature, is very relaxing.

Many people...not enough, mind you, but many...concentrate on keeping fish that are well-adapted to the water parameters they have coming out of their faucets; great idea, for both the fish and the fishkeeper. Extending this thinking to include light stocking levels that don't absolutely require artificial water circulation/aeration, and maintaining species that don't require artificially high temperatures makes life easier for you and safer for the fish. Fishkeeping, like any hobby, is intended to reduce stress...not increase it.

Native fish are also an interesting group to work with; apparently in England you can just traipse out to the local creek and bring home any number of interesting local fish, with no authorization required beyond a simple fishing licence. esoxlucius is doing just that; I am jealous beyond words.

Looking forward to hearing what direction you choose. Good luck!

 

[esoxlucius]

Think yourself lucky you don't need 6000KW to heat your tank, lol. There'd be regular power outages in all the surrounding towns, though the guys at the local power station plant will love you what with all the overtime they'd be on, lol.

When the gas and electric prices started getting silly a while ago, thanks in part to Vladimir Putin, our bill skyrocketed. We have a smart meter and I did an exercise over a period of time to determine how much money my 3x300w heaters in my 360g tank were costing (as well as a couple of other smaller heaters in other tanks too).

It was an eye opener for sure. Your costing for your much much bigger tank is probably about right. If that cost sits well with you and your partner, and you can actually afford it, together with all the other spiralling prices, then you're golden.

As jjohnwm said, I don't need to worry about heating my 360g tank now. I changed it over from a tropical set up to a cold water European Perch tank earlier in the year.

It's certainly something for you to think about. The great thing about your situation is that huge tank. It would be great for any of the typical coarse fish we get in the UK, except pike, they'd soon outgrow it.

You can buy coarse fish on line from these places which supply commercial fisheries, or, you can do what I did and just go to a local reservoir and catch your own! Just be careful though, if you went to any old lake and it turned out to be part of some angling club, you could get done for poaching, trespassing or theft, or all three!!

Good luck.

 

[Jexnell]

A tank that big will hold its temperature a lot longer than you think. So the heaters won't be running all the time. Especially if you heat the room to around 72°f (22°c) then at most tank heaters only need to raise a couple degrees to 75°f (22.8c)

 

[Toby_H]

Be cautious during water changes.

I tend to get my fresh water close to temperature but don't really worry about getting it exact.
But... If my fresh water is 3*F cooler than the heaters are set at on a 50% water change, now my heaters need to heat the water 1.5*F. Its a lot cheaper for me to heat that water with my gas hot water heater than with my electric aquarium heaters.