Reef Electricity Calculator... how much is your reef using?

[NeveSSL]

Hi all!

I got to thinking tonight and wondering about how much electricity I'm paying for each month for my tank. I'm relieved to say its only about $16.

I know some of you cringe at the mere thought of knowing how much electricity your reef uses, but just in case you'd like to know, I'm geeky enough to have made a spreadsheet for you to easily and quickly find out.

Attached is a basic spreadsheet I made to check. I made it with 40 "slots" so to speak, to put your numbers in.

All you have to put in is how many watts it uses, how long in hours its on per day, and how much your electricity costs per kilowatt hour (you can find this on your electric bill, but its defaulted to $0.09 because that is the state average).

Remember tho, a 39w bulb doesn't use 39w because its not 100% efficient, so allow for a little bit extra for inefficiency.

Good grief I'm a geek...

Anyway, who dares to see how much they spend on electricity?

Brandon

 

[NeveSSL]

And just for reference, here is mine if you're having a hard time understanding where to put what. I put everything I could think of on here, but its late and I probably forgot at least 1 thing.

Brandon

 

[NeveSSL]

Crap... somehow the grand total got put in front of the big, bold letters that say "Grand Total". :lol:

Again, its late.

If anyone else finds any errors, let me know, but I think my math is correct. Its a fairly simple math problem.

Brandon

 

[mamagoose45]

Brandon, you set me up for the perfect jab, but I'm going to let it slide by, against my better judgment...

 

[ct_vol]

I don't have a fancy excel sheet, but if my electric bill is any indicator, my before and after is about $100-125... Not to mention the other $75 or so for water/sewer...

 

[sandalscout]

Wow, I'm shocked, mine is only about $20-25 a month (just for the DP, then a few pumps and lights for the QT and mixing buckets).... Thanks Brandon.

 

[NeveSSL]

:lol: Thank you, Moriah. Point taken.

Randy, you callin' me fancy?

That's not bad, Matt. I'm thinking about starting to play with some numbers for a larger tank (maybe a theoretical 300g system) and see what happens.

Brandon

 

[meintn]

I run a 125G DP with a skimmer, UV, GFO, and HO T5 and it costs an average of $25-30 per month to run.

 

[Sir Knight]

Just wanted to let you know reef central already has a electric calculator on the main page of this Website.

Joe

 

[NeveSSL]

That's not bad, James.

I know, Joe. It just does yearly and I wanted a bit more control and fewer assumptions on my spreadsheet. But thanks for the headsup.

Brandon

 

[gflat65]

I think I've posted this before, but it hasn't changed yet, so... Some has been or will soon be redistributed, but no 'new' equipment for at least a few months. Just got a 72x30x14 from Ocea, so my goal is to have it up this weekend (three tanks go away when I get it set up).

 

[NeveSSL]

Wow, Gary. I like my $16 a lot better. :lol:

Brandon

 

[cee]

You have a 1 hp chiller Gary or are chillers only about 50% efficient?

 

[DMBillies]

I know from the time we moved in to the time we moved out of our old place our electric bills went up over $100/month on average (with the 270, a 30ish gallon frag tank, and a 24 gallon nano).

What your figures don't take into account is the amount of heat/humidity the tanks put into the house. We never used the heat in the winter at all, but our air was on from March until the end of September... almost non-stop. So, we had a HUGE change in electric bill from summer to winter.

 

[sandalscout]

Very good point Brian, definetely something for most to consider. I don't think it affects some of us as much (basement tank here), but still a huge factor, for sure.

 

[dborowsk]

Maybe worth considering enrolling in the Green Power Switch or some other alternative energy program. It would be bad to think of all the coal mine wastes polluting the water systems and all of the acid rain changing the pH of the water systems, when we all enjoy water systems as our hobby. Think green, other than algae.

 

[Pickupman66]

My tank runs me about $27 a month with the 440vho's, gen-s pcx 40, and the mag 9.5. Nothing else is running. I didnt count the fans as they are very minimal.

 

[andywe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15067842#post15067842 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dborowsk
Maybe worth considering enrolling in the Green Power Switch or some other alternative energy program. It would be bad to think of all the coal mine wastes polluting the water systems and all of the acid rain changing the pH of the water systems, when we all enjoy water systems as our hobby. Think green, other than algae.

I am form the NW where they are all about being green, but I still have a little trouble about paying more for the same resource. How can we tell how many "blocks" we ened yo buy from Green Power, and do we get a tax break?

 

[poolkeeper1]

It's a whole lot more fun If you don't Fixate on what It cost you to enjoy your hobby, If It's too much get a Goldfish. If the greenies have their way You'll be a felon for keeping a Reef Tank, The reef Police are coming to a neighborhood near you sooner than we think maybe!

 

[andywe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15068279#post15068279 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by poolkeeper1
It's a whole lot more fun If you don't Fixate on what It cost you to enjoy your hobby, If It's too much get a Goldfish. If the greenies have their way You'll be a felon for keeping a Reef Tank, The reef Police are coming to a neighborhood near you sooner than we think maybe!

Bill,

I undertand where you are coming from, but I don't think this topic is about the greenies so much as it is about a suggestion of conservation. I agree with the power issues....and I am all to familiar with the Greenies as I am from Seattle, home of Greenpeace and other militant organizations like the Sea Pirates who prefer a more "active" approach.