I've only been doing this for 4 years now, I have 3 tanks and I'm planning my 4th, the largest yet. While I was doing it, I got to thinking, what is this going to do to my electric bill?
As of now I have a steady bill of about $250-300/mo. Not solely due to tanks, but still, I'd have to think they're a contributing factor. As a kid, I remember my parents constantly saying "TURN OFF THE LIGHTS". As a parent, I find myself saying the same thing. But is it really a big deal to leave a 60w bulb on for a half hour, when compared to the power consumption of a tank?
So I thought I'd break it down...
On my 135g tank I have two rena xp3 filters, two 300w heaters, and a powerhead. And lets not forget the dual 160w ballasts. Now, I know not everything is on all the time, but it's pretty easy to see how much things are on. The filters run 24/7 @19w each. The heaters are on a lot as well, as I keep my house at 64f in the winter. When the kids complain I tell them to put on a sweater or stand outside for a few minutes, and then they can come back in and it'll feel very warm. So I'm estimating 12hr a day the heaters are going to keep the tank at a steady 79 degrees. Obviously this will be less in the summer. The powerhead runs around the clock at about 80w. My lights are on, two 10k bulbs and two actinic bulbs on different schedules. The 10k are on from 5pm-9pm and the actinic are on from 9pm-11pm, in addition to 6am-8am.
It's math time!
Filters: 19w * 2 = 38w * 24hr = 912 watt hours per day or 27360 watt hours per month
Heaters: 300w * 2 = 600w * 12hr = 7200 watt hours per day or or 216000 watt hours per month
Powerhead: 80w * 1 = 80w * 24hr = 1920 watt hours per day or 57600 watt hours per month
Lights: 160 * 1(at a time) = 160w * 8hr = 1280 watt hours per day or 38400 watt hours per month
All that is the same as leaving 5 100w light bulbs on, 24 hours a day, 30 days a month, all the time.
Currently my electric bill is $0.0869 per kilowatt hour. This will be going up March 1st, 2013.
Filters: 27.36kwh * 8.69 cents = $2.37 per month
Heaters: 216kwh * 8.69 cents = $18.77 per month
Powerhead:57.6kwh * 8.69 cents = $5.00 per month
Lights: 38.4kwh * 8.69 cents = $3.33 per month
Added up that's $29.47 per month to run a 135g tank. The biggest hitter is obviously the heater, which will all but disappear in the summer months.
My 75g is about half of that since it has one heater, one filter, lesser lights, and no powerhead, so roughly $15. My 15g is probably about a dollar to run. Still, added up it's about $45 for the two tanks, which is a decent chunk of change.
I'm designing a 560g tank built into the wall as I finish my basement. Big tanks require proportionally big filtration. To achieve 10x or greater turnover, I'm looking at a 1hp 8000gph pump that will go into a refugium which will house 6 300w heaters. The pump alone will be 1250w 24 hours a day 30 days a month, that's $78.21 per month for the pump. A 1/2hp pump rated just under 4000gph is 759w, 24 hours a day 30 days a month, that's still $47.49 per month for the pump only. Add heaters, powerheads, lights, and this could easily come near $100/mo in electricity only.
So for those considering big tanks, these are constant charges that you will have every month in addition to the cost of other aquarium maintenance.
As of now I have a steady bill of about $250-300/mo. Not solely due to tanks, but still, I'd have to think they're a contributing factor. As a kid, I remember my parents constantly saying "TURN OFF THE LIGHTS". As a parent, I find myself saying the same thing. But is it really a big deal to leave a 60w bulb on for a half hour, when compared to the power consumption of a tank?
So I thought I'd break it down...
On my 135g tank I have two rena xp3 filters, two 300w heaters, and a powerhead. And lets not forget the dual 160w ballasts. Now, I know not everything is on all the time, but it's pretty easy to see how much things are on. The filters run 24/7 @19w each. The heaters are on a lot as well, as I keep my house at 64f in the winter. When the kids complain I tell them to put on a sweater or stand outside for a few minutes, and then they can come back in and it'll feel very warm. So I'm estimating 12hr a day the heaters are going to keep the tank at a steady 79 degrees. Obviously this will be less in the summer. The powerhead runs around the clock at about 80w. My lights are on, two 10k bulbs and two actinic bulbs on different schedules. The 10k are on from 5pm-9pm and the actinic are on from 9pm-11pm, in addition to 6am-8am.
It's math time!
Filters: 19w * 2 = 38w * 24hr = 912 watt hours per day or 27360 watt hours per month
Heaters: 300w * 2 = 600w * 12hr = 7200 watt hours per day or or 216000 watt hours per month
Powerhead: 80w * 1 = 80w * 24hr = 1920 watt hours per day or 57600 watt hours per month
Lights: 160 * 1(at a time) = 160w * 8hr = 1280 watt hours per day or 38400 watt hours per month
All that is the same as leaving 5 100w light bulbs on, 24 hours a day, 30 days a month, all the time.
Currently my electric bill is $0.0869 per kilowatt hour. This will be going up March 1st, 2013.
Filters: 27.36kwh * 8.69 cents = $2.37 per month
Heaters: 216kwh * 8.69 cents = $18.77 per month
Powerhead:57.6kwh * 8.69 cents = $5.00 per month
Lights: 38.4kwh * 8.69 cents = $3.33 per month
Added up that's $29.47 per month to run a 135g tank. The biggest hitter is obviously the heater, which will all but disappear in the summer months.
My 75g is about half of that since it has one heater, one filter, lesser lights, and no powerhead, so roughly $15. My 15g is probably about a dollar to run. Still, added up it's about $45 for the two tanks, which is a decent chunk of change.
I'm designing a 560g tank built into the wall as I finish my basement. Big tanks require proportionally big filtration. To achieve 10x or greater turnover, I'm looking at a 1hp 8000gph pump that will go into a refugium which will house 6 300w heaters. The pump alone will be 1250w 24 hours a day 30 days a month, that's $78.21 per month for the pump. A 1/2hp pump rated just under 4000gph is 759w, 24 hours a day 30 days a month, that's still $47.49 per month for the pump only. Add heaters, powerheads, lights, and this could easily come near $100/mo in electricity only.
So for those considering big tanks, these are constant charges that you will have every month in addition to the cost of other aquarium maintenance.
