PGE and Reef Tank

[LindaGage]

Wanting to know how much $ your tank lights, skimmer pumps ect add to the PGE bill

 

[UCanDoIt]

here's an estimate calculator
http://www.reefcentral.com/calc/tank_elec_calc.php

i have 3 tanks & the highest is $165 total in a month including my personal use.

 

[Elite]

How the heck you keep it that low?? My bill always $400 plus. I don't have clue why it's so much..

 

[UCanDoIt]

I use T5 lighting, low heat & more energy efficient. I use gravity feed on my my skimmers, which eliminates 1 pump each which means also less heat. I use Deltec and H&S skimmers, very efficient and uses hardly any electricity and doesn't add much heat back into tank water. So, no need to use a chiller on any of my tanks. My recirculating pump is either Iwaki or Eheim. HTH

 

[Brewen]

House hold elc bill 210 a month. Tank 3 250 hqi w/ 4 54w t-5's 1/3 hp chiller. 6000 tunze some mag pumps etc.

 

[funman1]

I got a Kill-a-watt device on ebay for 25 bucks
It will tell you exactly how much each device costs to run.
Plug it into the wall then plug your equip into it and let it run for 24 hours.
Press the KWH button on it and it tells you how many Killowatts you used and then multiply by your electricity rate mine is 0.08 per Killowatt hour

My nano tank costs 0.10 per day to run. ($3.00 a month)
Including heater, lights, return pump, and ATO
Now granted I don't have big huge pumps, big heaters and 5 powerheads, MH lighting etc...

But hey get that device, and you can tell why your bill is so high.

My old fridge I found out was costing $45 a month, got a new fridge and now it's $13.00 a month!!

Neat little device that's cheap and easy to use..
http://search.ebay.com/search/searc...&sadis=200&fpos=95610&saprclo=&saprchi=&sass=

~Steve~

 

[LindaGage]

Fun - I am going to look into one of the devices.
Elite my bill is mostly touching the $300 range and I have no idea why before the shortages it was always at $200.
I have two tanks both with dual 150 halides plus pc on one and t5 on the other.

 

[sfsuphysics]

Another thing to look at is that it has been colder than usual recently, so those XXX watt heaters probably were working a little overtime to keep the heat at 80F in your tank.

 

[orientalexpress]

Mine went up from 70.00 to 120.00 not too bad for 120 full blown sps.By choosing a low energy pumps save me money in the long run.The only thing that i can't cut is the lights.

 

[LindaGage]

orientalexpress ~ R U saying that your utilities increased due to PGE or because of the super cool sps

 

[orientalexpress]

well,since u put it that way.yes,more flows,more lights,bigger skimmer and a few extra gadgets like calcium reactors,kal reactors,chiller to keep the tank stable then let said softie ,i said YES.


lapsan

 

[sid700]

Linda, go to page 5 of the link below. ChemE has a spreadsheet that may help you develop your own. Or pm me and I can email you my spreadsheet. It's in MS Excel 97.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=747617

 

[tropoasis]

You guys have it easy

My summer elec bill......$1600 month !!!!!

('course I have a lot of tanks)

 

[LindaGage]

Thanks Sid,
After reading that post, I plan to cut back the max period of halides. will maybe 2hr pc/t5, 3 hours halide and 1 hr pc see what happens.