SunnyX
New member
Sadly, more and more reefers have been leaving the hobby due to financial stress. You can see it all over the forum and selling board.Still, there are many who have not left the hobby but are on the edge. Hopefully, we can help find a solution to this and save these reefers.
I was over at my local Michigan Reef Forum and a poster had posted about ways of saving money. I thought it was a good one especially for some reefers during this downturn in the economy.
Please take a moment and share some tips for saving money.
Here are some of my thoughts and tips:
The #1 saver for me has been cutting back on energy consumption. When designing my new system I looked to European aquariums for inspiration. Energy is expensive in Europe so the tanks MUST be efficient.
When I went from my 225gl In-wall to my 100gl rimless my energy bill was cut by over 65%! I am saving over $100+/mo compared to the old tank.
1. My old tank was horrifically inefficient. I had over 1400W of MH/VHO lighting over the old tank, I now have 378W with T5. If I had used T5 on the old tank I could have been fine with only 640W!
By switching over to T5 I no longer have to run fans or use energy hogging dehumidifiers. Not no mention the money I am saving on RO/DI filters because of the lack of evaporation.
2. I got rid of ALL inefficient pumps. My old tank had a Reeflo Dart for a main system pump which was 350W and was running 24/7. I now use an Ehiem 1260 which draws a mere 65W. The Reeflo was overkill! The Tunzes(and Vortech next week
) are a much better option then a large system pump. In my old tank the water was turning over so fast that my skimmer wasn't working as well as it does now.
3. I got rid of ALL unnecessary toys and gadgets such as Ca reactors, Kalk Stirrers , etc. Many reefers in Europe have had great success with a simple two part or Balling method dosing. I use "Randy's Two Part" and have found it a better option then any gadget I have run. My sump now has nothing other than a mesh bag of carbon, system pump, and skimmer feed pump.
4. Europe, always being ten steps ahead of us when it comes to reefing and over there it is all about bacteria driven systems. With a simple dosing of Vodka as a carbon source along with some bacteria, such as Microbacter7, you will have no need for ozone, UV, and will save on salt and Carbon. With a cleaner system you will not need to change your water as much.
5. You need to maintain your equipment. When pumps get dirty and clogged up they tend to run hotter, less efficient, and will then need to be replaced much sooner than normal. Once a month I soak my pumps in vinegar and scrub them down. Every six months I disassemble my skimmer and clean it out. Proper maintenance will save you money down the road by not having to purchase new equipment.
My point is You CAN do more with less. Keep it simple.
Run a "greener" tank and you will save money and maybe even help save the planet.
I was over at my local Michigan Reef Forum and a poster had posted about ways of saving money. I thought it was a good one especially for some reefers during this downturn in the economy.
Please take a moment and share some tips for saving money.
Here are some of my thoughts and tips:
The #1 saver for me has been cutting back on energy consumption. When designing my new system I looked to European aquariums for inspiration. Energy is expensive in Europe so the tanks MUST be efficient.
When I went from my 225gl In-wall to my 100gl rimless my energy bill was cut by over 65%! I am saving over $100+/mo compared to the old tank.
1. My old tank was horrifically inefficient. I had over 1400W of MH/VHO lighting over the old tank, I now have 378W with T5. If I had used T5 on the old tank I could have been fine with only 640W!
By switching over to T5 I no longer have to run fans or use energy hogging dehumidifiers. Not no mention the money I am saving on RO/DI filters because of the lack of evaporation.
2. I got rid of ALL inefficient pumps. My old tank had a Reeflo Dart for a main system pump which was 350W and was running 24/7. I now use an Ehiem 1260 which draws a mere 65W. The Reeflo was overkill! The Tunzes(and Vortech next week
) are a much better option then a large system pump. In my old tank the water was turning over so fast that my skimmer wasn't working as well as it does now.3. I got rid of ALL unnecessary toys and gadgets such as Ca reactors, Kalk Stirrers , etc. Many reefers in Europe have had great success with a simple two part or Balling method dosing. I use "Randy's Two Part" and have found it a better option then any gadget I have run. My sump now has nothing other than a mesh bag of carbon, system pump, and skimmer feed pump.
4. Europe, always being ten steps ahead of us when it comes to reefing and over there it is all about bacteria driven systems. With a simple dosing of Vodka as a carbon source along with some bacteria, such as Microbacter7, you will have no need for ozone, UV, and will save on salt and Carbon. With a cleaner system you will not need to change your water as much.
5. You need to maintain your equipment. When pumps get dirty and clogged up they tend to run hotter, less efficient, and will then need to be replaced much sooner than normal. Once a month I soak my pumps in vinegar and scrub them down. Every six months I disassemble my skimmer and clean it out. Proper maintenance will save you money down the road by not having to purchase new equipment.
My point is You CAN do more with less. Keep it simple.
Run a "greener" tank and you will save money and maybe even help save the planet.
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