paul b July 26, 2012 Share July 26, 2012 I figured out all of my 100 gallon reef tank costs, including electricity but not including any livestock because I can buy or not buy whatever I want and I do give away a lot of livestock when it gets too big. Here is my costs, I know most people spend way more but that is their chioce. These costs are yearly ASW $120.00 I didn't figure in the NSW that I sometimes use live blackworms $104 I feed live worms every day Brine shrimp eggs $40.00 I hatch shrimp every day Mysis $60.00 clams $25.00 fish oil $5.00 Ice melter for calcium $5.00 baking soda $5.00 Epsom salt $5.00 electricity $580.00 Total $949.00 for the year. Or $2.69 a day. Not to bad. I figured my electricity costs 15 cents per KW/hr (I think) So I figured my lights, and heater are on for 12 hours so I figured half of their power for the entire day. The 5 pumps that I use are on all day. Total electricity costs me $580.00. My electric is actually cheaper because I have solar panels but I didn't figure that in. My boat in comparism costs me over $10,000.00 with me doing all of the maintenance and if I don't need any parts, that includes gas,marina fees, insurance etc. So I figure this hobby is ten times cheaper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidm July 26, 2012 Share July 26, 2012 interesting. what lights do you use? If they're MH I wonder how much the electricity bill would change if you used LEDs instead - of course they're more of an upfront investment. cheers, David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flooddc July 26, 2012 Share July 26, 2012 interesting. what lights do you use? If they're MH I wonder how much the electricity bill would change if you used LEDs instead - of course they're more of an upfront investment. cheers, David IMO, It's probable takes 3-5 years to break even if you changed from MH's to LED's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incredible Corals July 26, 2012 Share July 26, 2012 IMO, It's probable takes 3-5 years to break even if you changed from MH's to LED's. True and I also read somewhere that the majority of hobbyist only stay in the hobby for 1 year and it's actually going down. I think it was on the Reef Threads pod cast. So for the majority of hobbyist, LEDs are a bad investment if their only reason to purchase them is to save money on electricity. Kind of hard to get into a hobby thought while telling yourself that you will only do it for a year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul b July 26, 2012 Author Share July 26, 2012 IMO, It's probable takes 3-5 years to break even if you changed from MH's to LED's I switched last year from MH to LEDs. My LEDs are 108 watts and the MH were 275 watts. The LEDs put out 25% more light for a third of the cost. The fixture cost me about $300.00 to build so that figure may be correct. True and I also read somewhere that the majority of hobbyist only stay in the hobby for 1 year and it's actually going down That is also probably true, but I have had a reef since 1971 so for me it pays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowieReefer84 July 26, 2012 Share July 26, 2012 2012-1971 = 31x939 = $38k spent on your tank... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul b July 26, 2012 Author Share July 26, 2012 2012-1971 = 31x939 = $38k spent on your tank... That sounds about right. Still no where near as much as my boat, so it is my cheap hobby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incredible Corals July 26, 2012 Share July 26, 2012 You obviously weren't part of the survey or the average would probably triple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul b July 26, 2012 Author Share July 26, 2012 You obviously weren't part of the survey or the average would probably triple. No I don't think I was in the survey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ridetheducati July 26, 2012 Share July 26, 2012 Here is my break out: Day Month Year Electric $2/d $60/m $720/y Water $5/m 60/y Salt $15/m 180/y Food and Supplies $40/m 480/y -RO/DI chamber(s) $10/m -Food $15/m -GAC $5/m -Ca2 Reactor Media $5/m -CO2 refill $5/m Monthly Costs: $120 Annual Costs: $1,440 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowerseller July 26, 2012 Share July 26, 2012 I'm not about to put in writing how much my system costs and then put it on the internet. I'm afraid I'd be taxed on it AGAIN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davelin315 July 27, 2012 Share July 27, 2012 I'm with Chip and then some... Paul, you're a brave brave man for even going there. I already get yelled at for how much our electric bill is, I can't imagine if I actually calculated how much the tank costs to run per year how much trouble I'd be in! I think I'd rather be a Penn State football player right now than go there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flooddc July 27, 2012 Share July 27, 2012 Hope the boss (you know who) don't see this break down expense thread. We'll all going to the dog house for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
londonloco July 27, 2012 Share July 27, 2012 A few years ago I had 11 fw tanks running, from 5g to 125g. I came across a formula for determining power consumption for a month: Wattage/1000 X your cost per kWh X 24hrs X 30 days per month I included lights, power heads, pumps, heaters, adjusting the hours, ie...lights on 8 hours a day, pumps 24 hours a day, I think I used 8 hours for my heaters. My total monthly consumption was about 85$ a month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treesprite July 28, 2012 Share July 28, 2012 (edited) Given that my apartment management now makes me pay 75 a month just to keep a tank, that's 900 bucks right there! I really need to do a survey at different forums to give myself some basis for contesting such a large fee (I was told when moving in that I would not have a fee, but it is not in writing). Edited July 28, 2012 by treesprite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef July 28, 2012 Share July 28, 2012 a fee, for a fish tank?? that is a new one.... ive heard of it for dogs and cats but not a tank....(called PET RENT, lol soooo stupid) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef July 28, 2012 Share July 28, 2012 How does it list it in your contract? as rent/fee or a deposit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flooddc July 28, 2012 Share July 28, 2012 Given that my apartment management now makes me pay 75 a month just to keep a tank, that's 900 bucks right there! I really need to do a survey at different forums to give myself some basis for contesting such a large fee (I was told when moving in that I would not have a fee, but it is not in writing). WoW! That't a ripoff! They probably kept the monies(fees) for themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treesprite July 28, 2012 Share July 28, 2012 I asked before I moved in if I would have a fee for the aquarium and was told that I wouldn't have to because I was already going to be paying a $20 fee for my cats. 6 months later I got a letter saying that I have to pay $75 a month for the extra water and electricity (we don't have utility bills here). An average 10 minute shower takes 50 g of water - my tank uses one to two showers worth of water a month. I have no chiller and I have T-5 lights - I don't watch a lot of television or play a stereo, don't have a computer on all day, and don't leave lamps on all day long. My argument is that the majority of apts with 2 bedrooms have at least 3 people in them rather than just 2 (like mine), so they are automatically using more utilities than I am without the aquarium, then add in additional people or overnight guests, and people who are apparently afraid of the dark and like cable tv... I'm not using any more electricity and water than probably 75% of the other 2 br apartments even with my aquarium. I have not been able to get the manager on the phone for over a year to ask anything (God forbid there be a maintenance emergency), and the office is in the other building which has a locked door, and because the manager hops between 3 geographical locations she is never accessible in person. I hope I am not hijacking the thread. This is about the cost of keeping the reef tank, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul b July 29, 2012 Author Share July 29, 2012 Paul, you're a brave brave man for even going there Not really, I am married for 38 years and when I got engaged to my wife I explained to her that I have this fish tank and I will always have a fish tank, it is what it is. She has never complained about the cost, not even once. But I don't complain that she has about 200 pairs of shoes either, so it works out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef July 29, 2012 Share July 29, 2012 LOL the opposite here Paul.. I have the tank and other animals,,, my husband buys cars and guns... we just call it a wash in the end as long as we are both happy, lol PS I do not have 200 prs of shoes or 200 purses,,,, i collect animals, lol all of us women have our vices... mine are heartbeats, lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now