gmerek2 October 6, 2013 Share October 6, 2013 My tank uses roughly 700 watts. Calculated to about 35$ a month in electric charges give or take a few.I have a digital electricity usage monitor. Reads out watts. My reef octopus nwb250 was the biggest hog at 200 watts and both my pumps (mag9.5) rang In at around 150 each. I have a 125 gallon system. Just food for thought. The money this thing costs me is a lot. But I have the extra money and its worth every penny. Just food for thought and thought it was interesting....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cord October 6, 2013 Share October 6, 2013 Good note. I have been calculating my approx. wattage usage as well, as I have a back up generator connected to the house in case of emergency. Hard to tell the wife to turn that TV off, my tank is running, lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef October 6, 2013 Share October 6, 2013 Lol....thankfully I pay the electric bill...if my husband ever saw the bill, being that I keep the house at 69 during the summer plus the tanks going...I think he'd figure out really quick how to cut my budget,lol but atleast with my new return pump it's DC so should be a little better....lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cord October 6, 2013 Share October 6, 2013 69?, wow!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion October 6, 2013 Share October 6, 2013 69?, wow!!! I said the same thing to myself! I can't imagine what that electric bill is... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshifer October 6, 2013 Share October 6, 2013 Lol....thankfully I pay the electric bill...if my husband ever saw the bill, being that I keep the house at 69 during the summer plus the tanks going...I think he'd figure out really quick how to cut my budget,lol but atleast with my new return pump it's DC so should be a little better....lol That's still too hot for me and the mrs. Mine. Even right now is at 60. and in the winter i close the heat vents. Idk we just like it cold. Lol (maybe that's why I get so much evap) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef October 6, 2013 Share October 6, 2013 Teehee....YEP...so the problem is living in Washington state the last 10 years, it just to freaking hot here! I do turn it up to 72 when I'm not home...so I'm sure that helps..but the highest my bill has ever been in the summer is $210 so far, I guess we haven't had any horrible weeks though so...and then in the winter it's ony about $70 because I usually just leave the windows open... Being in a townhouse really helps, if we were in a single family home I'm sure it would be 2x as high... So I don't really worry to much about the tanks power consumption,lol though when e move back to WA were putting solar panels up to help with the cost out there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCDRDATA October 6, 2013 Share October 6, 2013 Where in Washington State? I grew up in Walla Walla (yes, it's a real place, SE corner of the state). Certainly a lot hotter here; at least there the humidity stayed low when the temperature climbed in the summer. That said, I'm also looking at how to cut down on my aquarium power footprint; while I haven't done a full calculation, it's probably at least in part from "don't ask the question if you can't stand the answer." At least I'm not running metal halides (they set off my wife's migraines). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef October 6, 2013 Share October 6, 2013 The Kitsap Peninsula...we still have houses in Poulsbo and Silverdale... Most people don't know there really is a peninsula inbetween Seattle and the Olympic national forest,lol but it's beautiful there and I can't wait to get back! I'm also not running Mh..have LEDs, my current 50g setup has an eheim pump and they are pretty energy friendly...and then the skimmer and 2 powerhead I the tank...the biggest jump for me will be the new DC pump, 2 more LEDs and possible 1 more powerhead, but maybe not...hopefully I can keep it to 2 with the way my returns are I the new tank... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCDRDATA October 6, 2013 Share October 6, 2013 The Kitsap Peninsula...we still have houses in Poulsbo and Silverdale... Most people don't know there really is a peninsula in between Seattle and the Olympic national forest,lol but it's beautiful there and I can't wait to get back! Back in the 90s I interviewed for a job on Whidbey Island - my wife was very hopeful but it didn't happen. That same year we also visited the San Juan Islands there in Puget Sound, but it turned out to be the one day that entire season there were no whale sightings anywhere . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmerek2 October 6, 2013 Author Share October 6, 2013 You would see a beached whale if I were visiting the beach. Love San Juan! 69?! You could hang meat in there. Turn your fridges off! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef October 6, 2013 Share October 6, 2013 Lol...these are define toy cold water beaches all year round...other than walking in up to your knees I the summer...there aren't any swimmers... San Juan's have had much slower sightings over the last few years as some of the pods are staying more off of the coast... But anyways.. Back to the OT... Electricity.....one of the few actual necessities to run a tank,lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami October 7, 2013 Share October 7, 2013 The Kitsap Peninsula...we still have houses in Poulsbo and Silverdale... Most people don't know there really is a peninsula inbetween Seattle and the Olympic national forest,lol but it's beautiful there and I can't wait to get back! I'm also not running Mh..have LEDs, my current 50g setup has an eheim pump and they are pretty energy friendly...and then the skimmer and 2 powerhead I the tank...the biggest jump for me will be the new DC pump, 2 more LEDs and possible 1 more powerhead, but maybe not...hopefully I can keep it to 2 with the way my returns are I the new tank... So you may know Bremerton and Illahee State Park. Spent some of my early years at both. Budgeting for efficient power is so important in this hobby. Sometimes paying a little more for an energy-efficient something (e.g. return pump) can quickly make up for a slightly higher initial purchase price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef October 7, 2013 Share October 7, 2013 Yeah...we lived just north of Bremerton...and illahee state park about 15minutes north, my husband was stationed at Bangor and Bremerton naval bases when we lived there, and when we go back he'll probably be at Keyport or Bangor again.. Yeah, paying the extra $ now to buy more efficient equipment has a real payoff in the end...it's well worth it to me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
londonloco October 7, 2013 Share October 7, 2013 I use this formula: Wattage/1000 X your cost per kWh X #hrs on a day X 30 days per month to calculate the cost of my tanks. I have 6 fw tanks and a 60g reef. Runs about 45$ per month for all of them. We keep the house between 68-70 all year round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind October 7, 2013 Share October 7, 2013 Here is a nice calculator I always use to see how changing certain items on the tank can affect the power bill. http://www.reefcentral.com/index.php/tank-electrical Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swimmatte October 7, 2013 Share October 7, 2013 Teehee....YEP...so the problem is living in Washington state the last 10 years, it just to freaking hot here! I do turn it up to 72 when I'm not home...so I'm sure that helps..but the highest my bill has ever been in the summer is $210 so far, I guess we haven't had any horrible weeks though so...and then in the winter it's ony about $70 because I usually just leave the windows open... Being in a townhouse really helps, if we were in a single family home I'm sure it would be 2x as high... So I don't really worry to much about the tanks power consumption,lol though when e move back to WA were putting solar panels up to help with the cost out there... LMAO......$210, that's all? I broke $400 for three consecutive months this summer. And I don't even have a big house, just a 2,000+ sq ft townhouse with only two exterior walls. Granted, I have 3 full refrigerators, a huge deep freezer, and a wife that runs a pastry business out of our house. My three tanks are the least of my worries........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmerek2 October 7, 2013 Author Share October 7, 2013 I changed my power company and anyone else considering solar power? Looks attractive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef October 7, 2013 Share October 7, 2013 LMAO......$210, that's all? I broke $400 for three consecutive months this summer. And I don't even have a big house, just a 2,000+ sq ft townhouse with only two exterior walls. Granted, I have 3 full refrigerators, a huge deep freezer, and a wife that runs a pastry business out of our house. My three tanks are the least of my worries........OMGOODNESS!Our TH is 2800 sq ft, and only 2 fridges, no deep freeze and a gas stove, thankfully...but we try to use the grill alot in the summer and fall as to it heat the house to much... So yeah...she's running up your bill! Lol And 1 tank...yeah only one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swimmatte October 7, 2013 Share October 7, 2013 OMGOODNESS! Our TH is 2800 sq ft, and only 2 fridges, no deep freeze and a gas stove, thankfully...but we try to use the grill alot in the summer and fall as to it heat the house to much... So yeah...she's running up your bill! Lol And 1 tank...yeah only one... My tanks are only about 100 total gallons of salt water and another 29 of fresh, all running LED's, so I'm not using too much power. It's definitely the baking. Our oven is often running non-stop Wed, Thurs, Fri, from noon to midnight during the summer. I can't believe we're still on our original. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef October 7, 2013 Share October 7, 2013 Plus your air conditioning a hot freaking house when your running the stove that much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swimmatte October 8, 2013 Share October 8, 2013 Plus your air conditioning a hot freaking house when your running the stove that much! Oh trust me, I know. And we keep the house between 69-73 all year. Luckily, I have no temp issues with my tanks. Both stay at 78, give or take .5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Rhoads October 8, 2013 Share October 8, 2013 Whoa Whoa whoa... wife that runs a pastry business out of our house What does she make, and where can I buy some? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Rhoads October 8, 2013 Share October 8, 2013 I know my tank is a power hog. I used to get power bills in the $200 range living in an apartment... Since I switched to LEDs, and moved out of the south (think DC is hot?? try Charlotte!!) they are typically $150s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sachabballi reef October 8, 2013 Share October 8, 2013 What does she make, and where can I buy some? i was wondering the same thing...why dont i know this.....hmmmmmmm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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