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04/18/2009, 02:22 AM
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#1 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: St. Louis
Posts: 2
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energy usage help!
Hello all,
this is only my second post here and wasn't exactly sure where would be most appropriate, so please bear with me and redirect me to the forum best suited to my questions if this isn't the place. the misses complained about the power bill recently and suggested it was the hobby, so i went on a hunt to try and figure out what i'm actually using in my aquarium and how to bring down the cost if possible. i have a 120 gallon with 4x54 watt T5's, a recent upgrade from some crappy lights that seemed to not work well, (216 watts total?) running about 12 hours a day, one heater i think around 50 watts, 2 penguin 330 filters (which i can't seem to find the wattage on), a regent aqua tech 200 canister filter (again no idea of wattage, though i have learned are a cheap version of the HOT magnum 250?), and a 3.1 watt air pump. KWH where i live is .0863 in the summer and .0412-.0612 in the winter months. most of the equipment is used from when my lady had the aquarium up and running years ago and the manuals have since been thrown away or otherwise lost. i'm not happy with this system and have been researching sumps. i'm very into diy so i would like to build my own to get clutter out of the display tank and to increase water volume. so i guess my questions are, any idea how much wattage i'm actually using with my current setup? what are my electric costs per month at the rates listed above? and would building a sump with a 750 gph pump (180 watts?), heater, lights help reduce my monthly cost? i really, really, really don't want to have to take my aquarium down! i don't have a protein skimmer yet, been very diligent with cleaning and water changes and am not interested in MH, too hot and expensive and not ready to dive into corals that need that kind of intensity. i appreciate any and all help and hope these questions aren't too elementary or basic. kris |
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04/18/2009, 03:50 AM
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#2 |
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Registered Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 6,258
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http://www.p3international.com/produ.../P4400-CE.html
Shift your lighting schedule towards the evening past peek hours
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~Doug |
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04/18/2009, 05:12 AM
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#3 |
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Moved On
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Spokane, WA
Posts: 3,263
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04/18/2009, 05:28 AM
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#4 |
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It's what it's
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: 41° 2' 45" N 85° 8' 43" W
Posts: 7,579
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Unless you have Time of Use metering, running lights or anything else on off peak hours won't do anything for you, you'll still pay the same amount per KWH if you are on a tier system. I, on the other hand, have Time of Use metering and pay $0.02 per KWH on off peak hours and $0.10 per KWH during on peak hours.
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Freed Current Tank Info: 180gal(1120 watts of MH/VHO light), 60gal "sump", Deltec 601 calcium reactor, Euro Reef CS8-3+ skimmer, 20 gallon QT |
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04/18/2009, 09:03 AM
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#5 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: haskell, n.j.
Posts: 593
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i would say cut back your lights for even an hour and that would help, and maybe get a bigger heater, 50 watts is small for that size tank and maybe on constantly. You can also get a watt meter, i saw them in dr foster and smith and just plug your things onto it and it will tell you the watts. If the bill is really high you should think about changing other lights in the house to screw in florescent bulbs,and if the wife tries to make you take it down i say get a new wife.lol, seriously just cutting back on the lights should help a bit, you could always run the actinics longer than full lights
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george 50g corner reef yellow tang Current Tank Info: temp 90g reef,2 4bulb t5 lights- |
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