When I was running my 240 gallon tank I was averaging about 700 bucks a month in electricity...(I have a koi pond and another 75 gallon tank)....Since then, due to certain ventures I had to take down the 240 gallon tank and now my electricity is about 200 bucks a month..... WOOOO HOOOOO!!!!!
Sobering electrical usage results :( time for a Reality check
- Thread starter SurfOnH20
- Start date
F35-Joint Strike Fighter
New member
Don't worry, I'll send his wife an e-mail about this thread
MammothReefer
Active member
500$ in electric bills per month for your 240!! Agh! don't scare me like that I just setup a 225!!
I'm running
2x250w De's 7 hours a day
1x2000gph (200w) Return pump
2xTunzee 6100s (40w)
1x800w Heater
1x30w Pump for Calc reactor
1xSmall maxi jet for phosban & carbon.
1x30w Pump for Skimmer
and I'm thinking about switching to a smaller return pump since it's overpowering my overflows anyways and I have to have it turned down.
Orochimaru
1 of 3 legendary ninjas
you don't scare me...:rollface:
It's funny how you all jump to defend the hobby instead of jumping to defend his wallet.
If a person wants to get out of the hobby we should let them.
It's expensive no matter how you dice it. Leave the poor guy alone with his results.
BTW I love the hobby, I'm just getting tired of the cultist attitude some people have when someone tries to exit the hobby.
Sure he could make it a little cheaper by implementing different cooling. I'm sure 50% of the heat my chiller works to remove is caused by the chiller pump itself. But if I still want to exit, let me.
SurfOnH20 if you want to choose
- More money in wallet + fish in the sea
over
- Less money in wallet + fish in a box
I support you.
I think my tolerance threshold for the pro-fishtank mindset has been lowered lately due to all the flak I have taken for my decision to exit.
Put it into perspective people. Unless you're propgatnig corals and savnig the universe, these boxes of fish are not more important than your financial obligations to your family. I better end here before I get too far off on a tangent.
Cheers
Josh
If a person wants to get out of the hobby we should let them.
It's expensive no matter how you dice it. Leave the poor guy alone with his results.
BTW I love the hobby, I'm just getting tired of the cultist attitude some people have when someone tries to exit the hobby.
Sure he could make it a little cheaper by implementing different cooling. I'm sure 50% of the heat my chiller works to remove is caused by the chiller pump itself. But if I still want to exit, let me.
SurfOnH20 if you want to choose
- More money in wallet + fish in the sea
over
- Less money in wallet + fish in a box
I support you.
I think my tolerance threshold for the pro-fishtank mindset has been lowered lately due to all the flak I have taken for my decision to exit.
Put it into perspective people. Unless you're propgatnig corals and savnig the universe, these boxes of fish are not more important than your financial obligations to your family. I better end here before I get too far off on a tangent.
Cheers
Josh
I see it as this... if someone's tank is costing significantly more than it should be then that person needs to make some changes. Right now I'm at $90 a month total electricity for a 80gal with 2x175W magnetic, Eheim 1260, Seio 620/820, Sedra3500, 1/10 JBJ chiller, and a couple hood fans. I think I pay about $40 a month for just the tank.
True, But ...
You need to consider that when someone really WANTS their tank, they will either accept the electricity usage or work to minimize it.
The elec bill alone is not enough to make someone exit the hobby.
People who live to ski, find ways to make it affordable so they can ski all the time.
If someone wants to exit claiming a high elec bill as the cause, obviously it's either, not the only reason, or they don't love the hobby enough to work to minimze the usage.
So leave those people alone.
I think. Maybe there are people out there who LOVE the hobby but stay away simply because of the elec cost. I would hope not.
Josh
You need to consider that when someone really WANTS their tank, they will either accept the electricity usage or work to minimize it.
The elec bill alone is not enough to make someone exit the hobby.
People who live to ski, find ways to make it affordable so they can ski all the time.
If someone wants to exit claiming a high elec bill as the cause, obviously it's either, not the only reason, or they don't love the hobby enough to work to minimze the usage.
So leave those people alone.
I think. Maybe there are people out there who LOVE the hobby but stay away simply because of the elec cost. I would hope not.
Josh
I really want to buy another tank (I sold mine when I moved a couple months ago), but I am a little hesitant due to costs and maintenance time. If the right deal on a used tank comes along I may go for it, but for now it's nice have a $33 electric bill. My last bill before moving was $650!
tacocat
Premium Member
I read the original post, as DANG, this thing consumes a ton of energy, not this sucks I'm out.
Personally, I'd rather see reefkeeping be considered more of a lifestyle than a hobby. If you never referrer to being a dog owner as a hobby. It's a serious commitment. It impacts everything I choose from house choices, career choices, and finances.
IMO, it's better for someone to get out, then to half-asp it, or worse struggle financially as a result. I would also rather see better designed and maintained smaller tanks than large ghetto ones.
®eefer
New member
Daaaaaaaaaaam Dave. $650? My entire electric bill is about $70/mo and that includes running your old tank 24/7. I think ditching the panworld for the eheim saved a little, but I also only have 2x175w halides. Circulation is provided by the cheap, low wattage, "non-controllable" Tunzes. I bet it was all the AC you need in the IE. I wonder if people realize that although it is much cheaper to rent/buy out there the $500+/mo on electricity might offset all the "affordability". How are you liking HB by the way?
Don't worry too much my setup was as follows:
4 tunze 6100
Mag 12 Return
Mag 18 Return through chiller
1/3 JBJ Chiller
6 x 250watts HQI Halides
2 x 110watts VHO
2 x ASM G3 Protein Skimmer
3 x Phosban Reactor inline using Mag 7 pump
CA Reactor...etc....there was more that I don't remember.....
NicoleC
New member
Josh, I really didn't read anything that suggested he wants to tear down. You're right, money alone isn't the reason why people leave the hobby, but in this case it seems like he can save himself a lot of money and grief with a minimum of effort, and if he went to the trouble to calculate his electrical usage, there's no reason to think he's not willing.
I realize this is a sensitive topic for you right now, but not everyone is going to come to the same decision you did. If you're getting grief from people, tell THEM to put a sock in it!
I realize this is a sensitive topic for you right now, but not everyone is going to come to the same decision you did. If you're getting grief from people, tell THEM to put a sock in it!
MammothReefer
Active member
Hehe, the only reason we give each other grief when we quit is to mask the volture that is secretly craving to buy your livestock and equipment for .10c on the dollar 
Reefing is like the Highlander, for everyone that leaves(dies) the others get stronger.....there can only be one!
Reefing is like the Highlander, for everyone that leaves(dies) the others get stronger.....there can only be one!
Orochimaru
1 of 3 legendary ninjas
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8249508#post8249508 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MammothReefer
Hehe, the only reason we give each other grief when we quit is to mask the volture that is secretly craving to buy your livestock and equipment for .10c on the dollar
Reefing is like the Highlander, for everyone that leaves(dies) the others get stronger.....there can only be one!
dude, that is deep....I think you will be tank of the month once there is only one left. :lol:
I see the light now. When will be the next gathering?
