How much is everybody's electric bill?

[orionduck]

OK this subject I really want to know because, I didn't know this hobby was sooo expensive,.. how much is everybody paying for electric bill.. . after i get my reef tank salt water-- the kWh is .. start off Sept 09 837 kWh and when Oct 09 come 1143 kWh .. $169.52 for Oct.....

Anyway I figure I got like 4 fish tank in all ..-- 55 gallon, 40 gallon, 30 gallon, 120 gallon and 30 gallon sump,. plus a sick tank that is 6 tank in all ...

I need to find a better solution ----

 

[cujo6984]

how much were you using before the tanks??? what do you have rinnung for pumps and for lights? i estimate my fish room to use about $150 a month the pond about $120 :/

 

[Sean Irwin]

Mine varies from around $60 most of the year to about $150 or so during the summer. Based on the electrical use calculator someone posted on here awhile ago, my tanks account for about $10 of my electrical bill per month.

 

[orionduck]

Tell me if this is wrong ----- on the math 6x30 watt 180 watt per hour. 30 day a month is about 30x24 hour= 720 hour in 1 month. 180watt x 720 = 129600 ...--- 129 kWh ... this last part BUT wait,,,,,

filter and powerhead etc ...==== take that into consideration .... and light -----

 

[orionduck]

before the reef thank ------

here is the breakdown

oct 08 368
nov 08 546
dec 08 1188
jan 09 494
feb 09 813
mar 09 795
apr 09 770
may 09 615
jun 09 664
jul 09 687
aug 09 687
sep 09 837 ----- when i started the reef tank believe 2 week into this month
oct 09 1143 ----- current month $169.52

 

[orionduck]

... $150 a month for only your FISH,, how about your light for the whole house

how much were you using before the tanks??? what do you have rinnung for pumps and for lights? i estimate my fish room to use about $150 a month the pond about $120 :/

How about the light, other stuff in your house.. u didn't mean $150+____ plus other stuff in the house?

 

[cujo6984]

the light is not on all the time you have to figure how many watt per hour and how many hours


if you run a 180 watt light for 8 hours a day for 30 days at $.17 per kw its about $7.50 a month

 

[cujo6984]

How about the light, other stuff in your house.. u didn't mean $150+____ plus other stuff in the house?

yes the fish room alone uses about $150 dollars worth a month the entire house uses about 400-600 for the summer

that includes everything tanks pond central air the house is always between 69 and 71 nener any hotter never any colder and 4000+ish sqft aint cheap

 

[orionduck]

most of the light are at 8 hour per day -- the pump filter are on 24/7 -- which mean --- I quess would be to build a fish room.

If I figure that my bill at 170 per month x 12 month = $2040 per year

If I built a fish room it would be about $500 the most, insulation and pvc and this heater

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/3UG31?Pid=search

Power Rating 750/562 Watts, Voltage Rating 240/208 Volts, Line Current 3.1/2.7 Amps

so at 600 watts per hour ... x 437000 that is 437 kWh .. only thing is this unit might be on for about 12 hour ---

OR better yet upgrade or downgrade some of the fish tank...

 

[orionduck]

Then again the metal halide is about 250watt 2 of this is about 500 watt ...---- 8 hour of burning this sucker is about 8x30=240 hour per month 120000 ,, 120 kWh extra

 

[orionduck]

Do you really need 2 metal halide for 120 gallon tank? or can I used a regular light,. is this gonna hurt my frag ...----I should just do a small frag tank.

 

[cujo6984]

before the reef thank ------

here is the breakdown

oct 08 368
nov 08 546
dec 08 1188
jan 09 494
feb 09 813
mar 09 795
apr 09 770
may 09 615
jun 09 664
jul 09 687
aug 09 687
sep 09 837 ----- when i started the reef tank believe 2 week into this month
oct 09 1143 ----- current month $169.52

just a wild guess do u set up some xmas lights lol

the other thing you need to look at is if the kw# are actual or estimated last month they estimated me. your rate is about .15 cents per kwh

 

[cujo6984]

the halides are running you about 18 bucks a month is it worth it???


just multiply the kwh by .15 120 x .15= 18

 

[orionduck]

is the metal halide do I need it??? I don't know -- I just got this frag 4 week ago.. I never kept frag before----

 

[orionduck]

1143x.15=$171.45

Well I need to downgrade all of my tank.. ... --- BUT is the metal halide a need or no? If I kept only fish ..

 

[cujo6984]

for fish only regular flourecent is all you need corals require higher light

 

[trainman]

OK this subject I really want to know because, I didn't know this hobby was sooo expensive,.. how much is everybody paying for electric bill.. . after i get my reef tank salt water-- the kWh is .. start off Sept 09 837 kWh and when Oct 09 come 1143 kWh .. $169.52 for Oct.....

Anyway I figure I got like 4 fish tank in all ..-- 55 gallon, 40 gallon, 30 gallon, 120 gallon and 30 gallon sump,. plus a sick tank that is 6 tank in all ...

I need to find a better solution ----

How old are your pumps, Magnetic ballasts on the lights cost more too.
My bill is running about $450 to $500 per month whole house, actually got a usage meter to determine where the big draw is.
115 gal fish only return pump and couple power heads, lights, 120 display twin 250 HQi & 4 54 watt T5, basement fish room 90 twin 400watt with 2 VHO, 55 with 2 175, another 55 with T8 and power heads in all plus the reeflo return pump, I just dont know why its so high (he he he) plus 4 freezers and 3 refridge.
Forgot about the skimmers and reactors, good thing we have low rates here.

Jay

 

[orionduck]

Omg

How old are your pumps, Magnetic ballasts on the lights cost more too.
My bill is running about $450 to $500 per month whole house, actually got a usage meter to determine where the big draw is.
115 gal fish only return pump and couple power heads, lights, 120 display twin 250 HQi & 4 54 watt T5, basement fish room 90 twin 400watt with 2 VHO, 55 with 2 175, another 55 with T8 and power heads in all plus the reeflo return pump, I just dont know why its so high (he he he) plus 4 freezers and 3 refridge.
Forgot about the skimmers and reactors, good thing we have low rates here.

Jay

OMG -------------------------------OMG I am speechless -------------------------------

 

[orionduck]

I am going to get regular flourecent --- I got 2 there already but will get 2 more from home depot or lowe.

 

[MrReefer]

It is what it is, an expensive hobby. The bill is worth it to keep your coral alive. Your taking a hit from switching from halides to pc's on proper coral care. Maybe you can cut the number of tanks down. Bills do suck though