Minimizing Energy Usage

NaasReefer · 02/21/2018, 05:21 AM

Hi all,

My partner and I are looking at how we can reduce our energy usage in our house and obviously one of the main factors is the reef tank. I am looking for any tips on how to reduce energy usage in the reef tank.

The first thing I've thought of is reducing the photo period, what is the minimum possible while still maintaining good coral growth (sps and lps)?

Any other tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Patrick

mcgyvr · 02/21/2018, 05:38 AM

About 6 hours or so..

windlasher · 02/21/2018, 05:45 AM

LED lighting will help. DC pumps use a lot less electricity than AC pumps. Other than that, I am not sure there is anything else. Purchase or borrow a killawatt meter from your hardware store which will tell you exactly how much everything in your house is using.

https://thd.co/2Ccld5B

alton · 02/21/2018, 06:07 AM

If you live in a warm climate use an external return pump, if you live in a cold climate use an internal. Do not use a pressure rated pump, example Pan World 50PXX pumps 50% more water than a 50PX for the same electricity cost. You can turn down your lighting period during the hot months but there are no savings if you turn them down during the cold months. If you want to move a lot of water use a power head versus a large return pump. Many times we blame our tanks when it is our normal day to day bad habits. Turn your TV off when not in use, replace all the lamps in your home with led. Don't over dry your clothes or hair. Look at the investment you have in your tank overall, why take a big risk in losing it trying to save a few pennies? I remember when I switched from MH to led lighting and then in June I waited for the big savings, it did not happen. Many times what we do around our home trumps our tank electricity usage.

zachfishman · 02/21/2018, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alton

Many times what we do around our home trumps our tank electricity usage.

Most cable company DVRs are extreme power wasters if you have any. Pick up a kill-a-watt energy monitor and go hunting!

The usual non-reef advice applies of course - if you're going to be in your home for many years, upgraded insulation like better windows if yours are very old like mine (I'm a slacker here) can make extreme differences in heating/cooling costs.

Uncle99 · 02/21/2018, 01:11 PM

I am running 8 for 16 months, LED, corals look great...

D_Nyholm · 02/21/2018, 03:10 PM

If it won't look terrible, insulate your sump sides and bottom. You could also seal the top of it but usually with a skimmer that would be difficult.

My basement tank sits on a tile floor with the concrete foundation underneath it. It is a 50 gallon tank (with sump) and I couldn't keep it warm using a 300w heater (room temp around 60 degrees). I put it on a 1" thick foam board insulation and wrapped all sides as well. Now I use a 200 watt heater and it runs much less.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

hijinks · 02/21/2018, 03:32 PM

LED lights and DC return pump are two big ways. Run a DC pump for a skimmer too.

BeanMachine · 02/21/2018, 05:14 PM

Some people run their lights outside of peak hours so it costs a little less.

slief · 02/21/2018, 06:11 PM

It would be helpful to know what your equipment list is. That said, any reduction in electricity on such a small tank will likely be neglidegable depending of course on your equipment.

NaasReefer · 02/23/2018, 03:30 AM

Thank you everyone for the responses, many of them were helpful. The steps I am going to take are as follows:

I am going to reduce my lighting period to 8 hours and I am going to check when the cheaper unit rate kicks in and work around that if possible, even if only for a couple of hours.
I am going to replace my return AC pump with a DC one (I've been thinking about upgrading anyway to reduce noise in the room)
I am going to insulate my sump and refugium with some Styrofoam from used packaging. I will insulate the bottom and all sides.
I am going to insulate the back of my display tank, this is painted black anyway so won't be seen.
I am going to get a temperature controller to run my heaters (not sure if this will save anything but I've been thinking about getting one for a while to reduce temperature swings).

Thanks for the other tips in the house too, we are more conscious about turning off lights when not in the room and turning off other electrical appliances instead of leaving them on standby. I am also upgrading the insulation in the roof but that's been on the long finger for the past year, it's a project for the summer.

Just to also say I am not expecting to save a bucket load of money here but our last electricity bill was 200euro (for 2 months, not sure how that compares to other countries) so if we can save 20% through small changes in the tank and the house as a whole that's a saving of somewhere between 200-240 euro for the year, which can be spent elsewhere like buying more frags

ReefkeeperZ · 02/23/2018, 05:42 AM

some electronic devices are vampires even off they suck a ton of juice. definitely get a kill a watt meter and explore.
sounds like everyone covered the best options for your tank, insulating it and your sumps if a huge one if you live in a cool climate.

ReefkeeperZ · 02/23/2018, 05:44 AM

thats a little bit lower than my average monthly bill i'm pushing between 3-400 us dollars since it's winter. it'll go down in the summer.

Uncle99 · 02/23/2018, 01:11 PM

Fridge, stoves and dryers consume the most power....I could run my entire package of equipment for a month in what my fridge consumes in one day.

d0ughb0y · 02/23/2018, 02:44 PM

if your household appliances are older than say 10 years old, you can save energy bills by getting new energy efficient appliances.
4 years ago, I replaced all my 15 year old appliances (refrigerator, washer, dryer, tv, stove, microwave) and my energy usage literally got cut in half. better than getting solar and keep using old appliances.
my 50 gal tank average power consumption is slightly under 45watts (not counting heater in winter and fan in summer).

you need to measure power usage in order to keep track of consumption.
others suggested kill-a-watt. I suggest getting a smart outlet. The one I got from amazon (two for $25) comes with a free smartphone app (VESync) that will keep track of your daily, monthly and yearly usage history. You cannot do that with a kill-a-watt.

outssider · 02/24/2018, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by d0ughb0y

my 50 gal tank average power consumption is slightly under 45watts

how is that possible? what are you using for lights

d0ughb0y · 02/24/2018, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by outssider

how is that possible? what are you using for lights

Light is AI Hydra 52 run at 40% consuming 37 watts on for 8 hours. Over 24 hours, that’s 12.33 Watts average. DC return pump runs 17 Watts. DC skimmer 8 Watts. I’m not using any powerhead, only RFG nozzles on return lines. The wattage is measured off the wall outlet, so that includes power consumed by doser and apex.

outssider · 02/25/2018, 04:20 PM

no heater or chiller ever ?? my chiller only runs in the summer and its not on all the time but still uses 500 watts when it's on .....1/4 horse.

d0ughb0y · 02/25/2018, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by outssider

no heater of chiller ever ?? my chiller only runs in the summer and its not on all the time but still uses 500 watts when it's on .....1/4 horse.

re-read my post. I said not counting heater in winter and fan in summer.
typical spring and fall, neither heater nor fan is used, and during summer, the fan use is minimal. This winter is quite colder so the heater is on more.

mitch91175 · 02/25/2018, 05:36 PM

Get smart strips for every where you have a TV. Plug the TV into the control outlet and everything else that you want no power to in the switched outlet. Every time you turn off the TV, everything else get NO power.

Also a Nest thermostat will help out as well, if you do not already have one.

You can also invest in a Samsung SmartHub and add smart switches with sensors. Or one of the competitors, but the SmartHub is the best available with all the integration it has.

rocklobster1 · 02/25/2018, 07:39 PM

LED used to help but actually now more often the fixtures are higher watt than comparable T5s. That use to be a big positive for LEDS but the new Radions are sporting about 200w of power draw so your not saving much. Couple ways are using your hotwater heater to heat your tank (I've only read about that) second is to have an external vent or exhaust system to keep the humidity out of your home which will save on central AC.

02/21/2018, 05:21 AM	#1
NaasReefer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Naas Posts: 142	Minimizing Energy Usage Hi all, My partner and I are looking at how we can reduce our energy usage in our house and obviously one of the main factors is the reef tank. I am looking for any tips on how to reduce energy usage in the reef tank. The first thing I've thought of is reducing the photo period, what is the minimum possible while still maintaining good coral growth (sps and lps)? Any other tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Patrick __________________ I found Nemo! Current Tank Info: 120 Gallon Mixed Reef tank

02/21/2018, 05:38 AM	#2
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	About 6 hours or so.. __________________ Who me?

02/21/2018, 05:45 AM	#3
windlasher Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 504	LED lighting will help. DC pumps use a lot less electricity than AC pumps. Other than that, I am not sure there is anything else. Purchase or borrow a killawatt meter from your hardware store which will tell you exactly how much everything in your house is using. https://thd.co/2Ccld5B __________________ --- PLEASE HELP SAVE THE DOLPHINS In case we run out of chicken. ---

02/21/2018, 05:14 PM	#9
BeanMachine Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Orange, CA Posts: 11,200	Some people run their lights outside of peak hours so it costs a little less. __________________ 300 Gallon 72x36x27 AGE- 4x Ecotech XR30G5 Blue- AA PVC Hybrid Sump- Dual Synergy Shadow Boxes w Bean Animal- RO 220INT Elite- AquaMaxx cTech T3 CaRx- RD3 230- Apex- Tunze 6155, 6255 & 6150- MP40

02/21/2018, 06:11 PM	#10
slief RC Sponsor Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 14,173	It would be helpful to know what your equipment list is. That said, any reduction in electricity on such a small tank will likely be neglidegable depending of course on your equipment. __________________ Director Customer Support Royal Exclusiv USA For All Royal Exclusiv & Bubble King questions please refer to our Sponsor forum: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/fo...play.php?f=745 Current Tank Info: 480G display mixed reef, 90G sump, 90G refugium, 60G display refugium. Check out my build thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1783476

02/21/2018, 06:07 AM	#4
alton Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Zuehl, Texas Posts: 4,460	If you live in a warm climate use an external return pump, if you live in a cold climate use an internal. Do not use a pressure rated pump, example Pan World 50PXX pumps 50% more water than a 50PX for the same electricity cost. You can turn down your lighting period during the hot months but there are no savings if you turn them down during the cold months. If you want to move a lot of water use a power head versus a large return pump. Many times we blame our tanks when it is our normal day to day bad habits. Turn your TV off when not in use, replace all the lamps in your home with led. Don't over dry your clothes or hair. Look at the investment you have in your tank overall, why take a big risk in losing it trying to save a few pennies? I remember when I switched from MH to led lighting and then in June I waited for the big savings, it did not happen. Many times what we do around our home trumps our tank electricity usage.

02/21/2018, 01:11 PM	#6
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	I am running 8 for 16 months, LED, corals look great...

02/21/2018, 03:10 PM	#7
D_Nyholm Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Long Island, New York Posts: 80	If it won't look terrible, insulate your sump sides and bottom. You could also seal the top of it but usually with a skimmer that would be difficult. My basement tank sits on a tile floor with the concrete foundation underneath it. It is a 50 gallon tank (with sump) and I couldn't keep it warm using a 300w heater (room temp around 60 degrees). I put it on a 1" thick foam board insulation and wrapped all sides as well. Now I use a 200 watt heater and it runs much less. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

02/21/2018, 03:32 PM	#8
hijinks Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Colorado Posts: 505	LED lights and DC return pump are two big ways. Run a DC pump for a skimmer too.

02/23/2018, 03:30 AM	#11
NaasReefer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Naas Posts: 142	Thank you everyone for the responses, many of them were helpful. The steps I am going to take are as follows: I am going to reduce my lighting period to 8 hours and I am going to check when the cheaper unit rate kicks in and work around that if possible, even if only for a couple of hours. I am going to replace my return AC pump with a DC one (I've been thinking about upgrading anyway to reduce noise in the room) I am going to insulate my sump and refugium with some Styrofoam from used packaging. I will insulate the bottom and all sides. I am going to insulate the back of my display tank, this is painted black anyway so won't be seen. I am going to get a temperature controller to run my heaters (not sure if this will save anything but I've been thinking about getting one for a while to reduce temperature swings). Thanks for the other tips in the house too, we are more conscious about turning off lights when not in the room and turning off other electrical appliances instead of leaving them on standby. I am also upgrading the insulation in the roof but that's been on the long finger for the past year, it's a project for the summer. Just to also say I am not expecting to save a bucket load of money here but our last electricity bill was 200euro (for 2 months, not sure how that compares to other countries) so if we can save 20% through small changes in the tank and the house as a whole that's a saving of somewhere between 200-240 euro for the year, which can be spent elsewhere like buying more frags __________________ I found Nemo! Current Tank Info: 120 Gallon Mixed Reef tank

02/23/2018, 05:42 AM	#12
ReefkeeperZ Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 392	some electronic devices are vampires even off they suck a ton of juice. definitely get a kill a watt meter and explore. sounds like everyone covered the best options for your tank, insulating it and your sumps if a huge one if you live in a cool climate. __________________ insert witty catchphrase here

02/23/2018, 05:44 AM	#13
ReefkeeperZ Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 392	thats a little bit lower than my average monthly bill i'm pushing between 3-400 us dollars since it's winter. it'll go down in the summer. __________________ insert witty catchphrase here

02/23/2018, 01:11 PM	#14
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	Fridge, stoves and dryers consume the most power....I could run my entire package of equipment for a month in what my fridge consumes in one day.

02/23/2018, 02:44 PM	#15
d0ughb0y Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: sf bay area Posts: 5,165	if your household appliances are older than say 10 years old, you can save energy bills by getting new energy efficient appliances. 4 years ago, I replaced all my 15 year old appliances (refrigerator, washer, dryer, tv, stove, microwave) and my energy usage literally got cut in half. better than getting solar and keep using old appliances. my 50 gal tank average power consumption is slightly under 45watts (not counting heater in winter and fan in summer). you need to measure power usage in order to keep track of consumption. others suggested kill-a-watt. I suggest getting a smart outlet. The one I got from amazon (two for $25) comes with a free smartphone app (VESync) that will keep track of your daily, monthly and yearly usage history. You cannot do that with a kill-a-watt.

02/25/2018, 04:20 PM	#18
outssider Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Reseda, Ca. Posts: 1,717	no heater or chiller ever ?? my chiller only runs in the summer and its not on all the time but still uses 500 watts when it's on .....1/4 horse. Last edited by outssider; 02/26/2018 at 06:07 PM.

02/25/2018, 05:36 PM	#20
mitch91175 Premium Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 303	Get smart strips for every where you have a TV. Plug the TV into the control outlet and everything else that you want no power to in the switched outlet. Every time you turn off the TV, everything else get NO power. Also a Nest thermostat will help out as well, if you do not already have one. You can also invest in a Samsung SmartHub and add smart switches with sensors. Or one of the competitors, but the SmartHub is the best available with all the integration it has.

02/25/2018, 07:39 PM	#21
rocklobster1 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 57	LED used to help but actually now more often the fixtures are higher watt than comparable T5s. That use to be a big positive for LEDS but the new Radions are sporting about 200w of power draw so your not saving much. Couple ways are using your hotwater heater to heat your tank (I've only read about that) second is to have an external vent or exhaust system to keep the humidity out of your home which will save on central AC.