Utility Bill Questions

[docsavage]

After some years out of the hobby, I am thinking about making a return. I'm still in my research and catchup phase, and am getting close to selecting my tank. Obviously I want to go as big as possible, but am concerned with how much my reef will raise my utility bills.

I'm looking at a 180g with 3 (maybe 4) MH running 10k or 14k 250w bulbs, plus maybe some moon lights. There will also be several pumps on open and closed loops, skimmers, etc..(the usual)

Currrently my bills runs around $200 a month with a family of 5. I live in Florida and have FPL if anyone else is down here. What kind of increase did you see in your bills when your tank was up and running?

Thanks!
DocSavage

 

[Tigger240]

its pretty easy to calulate : 12 cents a kilowatt hr = 1000w.
4 x 250 x 12 x 30 = 360000 / 1000 = 360 x .12 = $43.2 for mh alone, like a 100 watts for a decent return, all mag drive specs are on marine depot, 100 x 24 x 30 = 72000 / 1000 = $8.64 add power heads and other keeping your central air cooler to help cool your tank anywhere from 50 - 150 per month. i have an apartment and i have a 180 w/ 400 mh, and 3 pumps and 4 ph and my electric went from 180 to 289.

 

[chopsuey]

Try this caculator:

Tank Electrical Calc

 

[Putawaywet]

Does FPL use a flat per KWH pricing plan or do they use a baseline/tiered pricing scale? If your pricing is fixed then you can use the calculator to figure your bill.

However, if your utility brackets you then you will need to try and figure out how the tank will affect you in relation to your current bracket. Out here each bracket over baseline sees an incremental increase in pricing so even a moderately sized tank combined with several weeks of central air has bumped many of us left coasters into the 200% bracket.
200% = .33kwh so things start adding up real fast.

Brett

 

[docsavage]

Thx for the link! Not quite as bad as I was thinking. After reading some posts about you guys in CA, I was worried, but now think I can proceed

 

[nyvp]

try going to south florida forum they might help

http://reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=235

 

[thor32766]

we are talking about this in the orca forum also. my bill is around 200 a month. up from the low 100's last year.