Electricity Cost per Tank?? !!

[NaClH20NMYVEIN]

There are a few thread with solartubes. They are called "gone solar" and "gone solar too" and a few others I cant remember. I have only heard of a few local people trying it, but no one has ever posted on it or shown pictures. I plan to have 4 over my tank but that is still probably 6 months from happening. The company I'm going to use says they have done 3 local installations over reef tanks, so it has been done, just no one on this board.

 

[NaClH20NMYVEIN]

Here is the one from down under http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1563053

 

[Frank AZ]

For those on SRP - check to see if you can get the "EZ-3" plan - for mid spring to mid october the peak is only 3pm to 6pm - we saved a bundle ($200+ for may/june/july/august) on this plan over the summer - Crank the AC way down from noon to 3, then basically off until 6 when everything comes back on (including things such as the tank lights)

 

[luisgo]

Five months ago I posted here a detailed cost of running my 125 gallon reef tank with the cost item by item. I used a Kill a watt unit. Electricity cost in Puerto Rico per killowatt is 19¢, higher than in the states.

These are the results of the estimated annual power cost for each equipment in my 125 gallon reef tank.

Power heads Koralia #1 - $9.98 X 2 = $19.96
Power head Koralia #2 - $18.30
Little Giant 4MDQ-SC 810 GPH pump - $144.00
Aquaclear 402 PH sump (backup UPS) - $14.97
Power head Maxijet behind the rock structure - $20.80 X 2 = $41.60
Sicce pump skimmer SWC Xtreme 200 - $39.94
Pump calcium reactor Ecoplus - $38.28
Metal halide 2 175w (8 hours) - $213.00
VHO 2 160w (10 hours) - $157.00
Fans for the Light fixture - $31.62 x 2 = $63.24
Light for mangroves - spiral fluorescent, 26w/100w 5K Satco (24h) - $39.94
Light chaeto algae - ecosmart 75w (24h) - $28.29
Chiller Current USA Tower 1/4hp - $44.90
Other miscellaneous equipments like the moonlights and Co2 tank solenoid were not measured.

The total annual cost to run my tank was $863.42, including other miscellaneous equipments is more or less $875.00. That is $72.92 monthly or $2.40 daily.


For more details here is the link

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1702895

 

[61scout80]

I'm with you Chris. I guess my tank eats about $100+ a month of electricity. I was dumb not thinking about that when i went from a 30 to a 90. When we bought the house I didn't want a pool because it would cost about $100 a month....


We recently had a solar consult, and although not thrilled with the company we interviewed with i'm really interested in solar power. ED3 offers some incentives and there are a lot of people in Maricopa switching over. You may have seen the house that just got some panels on it on the north side of the wash.

85239.com has had a few articles about it recently. If you can't find them pm me and i'll send you the links. In those articles one claimed to get a 5.04 kwh system for $9,000 out of pocket. it should produce 10,080 kilowatt-hours per year. I know your energy woes from last summer, so i'm guessing that would drop only the top tier of our bill.

Assuming your bill is the same price as mine, the top tier costs .115 cents per kwh. hitting the expected production number of 10,080 times cost/kwh= $1,159.20 savings per year. Almost $100 a month. "payoff" would be between 7 and 8 years.

There are also a ton of things we could do to your house that would help lower your power bill too that are much cheaper. Sunscreens, Solar attic fans, more blown in insulation, water heater insulation and more. with that huge wall facing west some tall trees in the back yard would save you a ton as well. ever consider swamp coolers?

I have been reading about this crap for the last few weeks, if you want me to give you a little more detail of what i learned let me know, I could swing by.

 

[criecken]

I'm with you Chris. I guess my tank eats about $100+ a month of electricity. I was dumb not thinking about that when i went from a 30 to a 90. When we bought the house I didn't want a pool because it would cost about $100 a month....


We recently had a solar consult, and although not thrilled with the company we interviewed with i'm really interested in solar power. ED3 offers some incentives and there are a lot of people in Maricopa switching over. You may have seen the house that just got some panels on it on the north side of the wash.

85239.com has had a few articles about it recently. If you can't find them pm me and i'll send you the links. In those articles one claimed to get a 5.04 kwh system for $9,000 out of pocket. it should produce 10,080 kilowatt-hours per year. I know your energy woes from last summer, so i'm guessing that would drop only the top tier of our bill.

Assuming your bill is the same price as mine, the top tier costs .115 cents per kwh. hitting the expected production number of 10,080 times cost/kwh= $1,159.20 savings per year. Almost $100 a month. "payoff" would be between 7 and 8 years.

There are also a ton of things we could do to your house that would help lower your power bill too that are much cheaper. Sunscreens, Solar attic fans, more blown in insulation, water heater insulation and more. with that huge wall facing west some tall trees in the back yard would save you a ton as well. ever consider swamp coolers?

I have been reading about this crap for the last few weeks, if you want me to give you a little more detail of what i learned let me know, I could swing by.

Sure Vinny, that would be great.
I have done alot of research myself over the past year, but doesn't sound like as much as you have.
Will PM you my number, in case you lost it.

 

[dmorel]

FWIW, in my case the cost of keeping the ambient temperature (particularly in the sump room, which is also knows as my former garage) is the killer. My winter electric bills are nothing interesting, but the 800ish bills in June/July/August sure do get your attention.

 

[littletruong]

There are a few thread with solartubes. They are called "gone solar" and "gone solar too" and a few others I cant remember. I have only heard of a few local people trying it, but no one has ever posted on it or shown pictures. I plan to have 4 over my tank but that is still probably 6 months from happening. The company I'm going to use says they have done 3 local installations over reef tanks, so it has been done, just no one on this board.

Here is the one from down under http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1563053

thanks for the info!

 

[criecken]

I converted my halide to T5 this past summer, trying to save.
I went with 2 IceCap 660's. 3 - 54watt bulbs per ballast being over driven.
I run the actinic's for 10 hours and the daylight for 8 hours.
That runs me about $38/month... for the T5 lights alone.

Hate to think about it, but I may have to downsize to a small tank.

Correction on the above figures, I made a mistake in my first round of testing.

The above IceCap setup runs about $22/month.

 

[jerryz]

Pea soup Or the Green Tank

Pea soup Or the Green Tank

Hopefully a full explanation will be forthcoming by the end of the summer. Not hiding anything. Just want to have it all together and its not soup yet. Or is that a tank full of algae?? Not sure

Please explain!

 

[criecken]

Think I know, talking about a home made LED setup.

Hopefully a full explanation will be forthcoming by the end of the summer. Not hiding anything. Just want to have it all together and its not soup yet. Or is that a tank full of algae?? Not sure

 

[OwenInAZ]

Hopefully a full explanation will be forthcoming by the end of the summer. Not hiding anything. Just want to have it all together and its not soup yet. Or is that a tank full of algae?? Not sure

A tank full of algae is news? Bwa ha ha ha! :love1:

For the record, with my 90 and 2x400W halides my entire electric bill rarely goes above 200, even in the summer. I think my highest this year was about 250. It's all about efficiency in other parts of the house, and a smart lighting schedule. That and I don't actively heat/cool my tank.

 

[m-six hundred]

I figured my tank ran around $80-100 a month. I will find out this month summer since i no longer have a tank Oh and it was a 90 gallon with a 40 gallon sump and 2 250 watt MH's

 

[criecken]

I figured my tank ran around $80-100 a month. I will find out this month summer since i no longer have a tank Oh and it was a 90 gallon with a 40 gallon sump and 2 250 watt MH's

I was wondering if you were back in the hobby.
For what it's worth, your Emperor Angel is doing great.
He is starting to change over on his colors and has become my favorite fish!

 

[criecken]

Anyone ever hear of something called an "SP 1200" ?
Talked to a local guy today and he says this unit, which gets installed to your house where the power comes into the home, makes use of the lag between the Hertz pulses.
From what I understand it will save you atleast 10% of your kwh usage, considering the average home. I guess it creates effeciency based on items in the average home that use electronic motors. So I would only assume this would be even more so to those of us with aquariums.

Link to item:
http://www.power-save.com/1200.html

 

[incloud]

Five months ago I posted here a detailed cost of running my 125 gallon reef tank with the cost item by item. I used a Kill a watt unit. Electricity cost in Puerto Rico per killowatt is 19¢, higher than in the states.

These are the results of the estimated annual power cost for each equipment in my 125 gallon reef tank.

Power heads Koralia #1 - $9.98 X 2 = $19.96
Power head Koralia #2 - $18.30
Little Giant 4MDQ-SC 810 GPH pump - $144.00
Aquaclear 402 PH sump (backup UPS) - $14.97
Power head Maxijet behind the rock structure - $20.80 X 2 = $41.60
Sicce pump skimmer SWC Xtreme 200 - $39.94
Pump calcium reactor Ecoplus - $38.28
Metal halide 2 175w (8 hours) - $213.00
VHO 2 160w (10 hours) - $157.00
Fans for the Light fixture - $31.62 x 2 = $63.24
Light for mangroves - spiral fluorescent, 26w/100w 5K Satco (24h) - $39.94
Light chaeto algae - ecosmart 75w (24h) - $28.29
Chiller Current USA Tower 1/4hp - $44.90
Other miscellaneous equipments like the moonlights and Co2 tank solenoid were not measured.

The total annual cost to run my tank was $863.42, including other miscellaneous equipments is more or less $875.00. That is $72.92 monthly or $2.40 daily.


For more details here is the link

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1702895

A coffee a day is worth the enjoyment.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

$2.39/day

Less than a small cup of small cup of coffee, you too can enjoy the comfort of a living reef in your home.

$2.39 may not seem like a lot, but for your reef inhabitants, it means the world!

Please start now, for as little as a hamburger and fries you can change the lives around you.

So, what are you waiting for?

Get started today!