Electrical Requirements -

[NoviReefGuy]

Hi all and any resident electricians here I have 200 AMP service to my home. I have 200Amp Main Panel, I already have a 100A Sub Panel as well as A 50 A sub panel. ( not sure of the current load) but in finishing my basement ( tank is part of the build) I was hoping not to have to upgrade my service to 320A in order to add my tank its going to be @ 2000 gallon all in including sump. Will be adding Quarantine, and Frag tanks. Also a full kitchen will be included in build out

I was going to run a separate sub panel just for the fish room. what size do you have? also how many separate circuits ( amps)

I'm already thinking of :

Lighting
Pumps for Display, Frag , Quarantine, Sump , closed loop , Water station
Mini Fridge
Dehumidifier
ERV
CPU for control
Heat Exchange

I was trying to do a load calculation for my set up , stupid question but what should i include, particularly the less obvious stuff...

Thanks for all your help!

Merry Christmas

 

[Woodneers]

Following!

 

[Blue Tang Clan]

I have three 20amp circuits, and I think how you divide them up is important. If one circuit is tripped, you want your life support systems to continue working. Further, I would back up your main items with a UPS battery backup. My Neptune EB832 plugs directly into a CyberPower UPS.

20A (2400W) Circuit 1:
Backed Up with a CyberPower UPS -- provides 30-40min of emergency power

• 75W Return Pump #1
• 120W UV#1
• 300W Heater #1
• Powerheads #1-2
• Neptune Apex
• Etc.

20A (2400W) Circuit 2:
Backed Up with a CyberPower UPS -- provides 30-40min of emergency power

• 75W Return Pump #2
• 130W UV#2
• 300W Heater #2
• Powerheads #3-4
• Etc.

20A (2400W) Circuit 3:

• LED Lights (1000W)
• T5 Lights (448W)
• Powerheads #5-6
• Etc.

15A (1800W) Circuit 4:

• Technically this is the standard circuit for the room - lights and switches, etc. -- I would leave this on its own

Lastly -- you want to know when the power goes out on those circuits -- LOUDLY. Outlet Alarm (Amazon Link)

 

[Woodneers]

I have three 20amp circuits, and I think how you divide them up is important. If one circuit is tripped, you want your life support systems to continue working. Further, I would back up your main items with a UPS battery backup. My Neptune EB832 plugs directly into a CyberPower UPS.

20A (2400W) Circuit 1:
Backed Up with a CyberPower UPS -- provides 30-40min of emergency power

• Return Pump #1
• UV#1
• 300W Heater #1
• Powerheads #1-2
• Neptune Apex
• Etc.

20A (2400W) Circuit 2:
Backed Up with a CyberPower UPS -- provides 30-40min of emergency power

• Return Pump #2
• UV#2
• 300W Heater #2
• Powerheads #3-4
• Etc.

20A (2400W) Circuit 3:

• LED Lights
• T5 Lights
• Powerheads #5-6
• Etc.

15A (1800W) Circuit 4:

• Technically this is the standard circuit for the room - lights and switches, etc. -- I would leave this on its own

Lastly -- you want to know when the power goes out on those circuits -- LOUDLY. Outlet Alarm (Amazon Link)

How big is your tank? 60 amps seems like an abundance which is very good!

 

[JoshH]

I have three 20amp circuits, and I think how you divide them up is important. If one circuit is tripped, you want your life support systems to continue working. Further, I would back up your main items with a UPS battery backup. My Neptune EB832 plugs directly into a CyberPower UPS.

20A (2400W) Circuit 1:
Backed Up with a CyberPower UPS -- provides 30-40min of emergency power

• Return Pump #1
• UV#1
• 300W Heater #1
• Powerheads #1-2
• Neptune Apex
• Etc.

20A (2400W) Circuit 2:
Backed Up with a CyberPower UPS -- provides 30-40min of emergency power

• Return Pump #2
• UV#2
• 300W Heater #2
• Powerheads #3-4
• Etc.

20A (2400W) Circuit 3:

• LED Lights
• T5 Lights
• Powerheads #5-6
• Etc.

15A (1800W) Circuit 4:

• Technically this is the standard circuit for the room - lights and switches, etc. -- I would leave this on its own

Lastly -- you want to know when the power goes out on those circuits -- LOUDLY. Outlet Alarm (Amazon Link)

Also worth noting that 2400W for 20 AMP and 1800W for 15 AMP circuits is the max load for these circuits and should never run at the max. Definitely something to keep in mind when planning out circuits.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have Large tank (660g) with 5 Orphek atlantiks, 5 orphek bars, Chiller unit, CA reactor, Scrubber, skimmer, Reeflo Hammerhead pump and ATO over two 30amp circuits and no issues

 

[Blue Tang Clan]

How big is your tank? 60 amps seems like an abundance which is very good!

My tank is 550G, but if I had a 180G tank I would do it the same way.

The best practice in my view isn’t moar power, it is redundant circuits.

 

[Woodneers]

I was hoping 35 amps would be enough for my build... 20 on one and 15 on the other circuit. Think I should add a circuit or another panel? Not trying to hijack this thread but this is good stuff!

 

[Paul B]

I was a Master Electrician in New York for 40 years and I know in New York they will not let you upgrade your service over 200 amps unless you can show need. I am not sure what constitutes need but I doubt a fish tank is it.
Besides that, you can't really answer your question as there are to many variables like what size heaters you will need along with lights.

You just have to add up all the wattage and figure it out. A normal home without using an electric stove, electric heat or AC is only using maybe 10 amps most of the time. That is mostly for the refrigerator as the lights, especially LEDs use nothing. Of course if you add those things I mentioned, the power consumption goes way up.

 

[Blue Tang Clan]

Also, plan for what you could have in the future, at 85% load max of the circuit.

lights (even LEDs) take up more power than we realize.

 

[mike550]

Just my opinion — not an electrician. Similar to @Paul B thoughts. I think you can overestimate power needs by a lot if you focus on peak load vs average load. Even 200A service to the house still has more than ten 20A breakers.

Perfect example would be heaters and pumps. Heaters don’t constantly draw their max current. Once temperature is stable then it’s going on and off over time. My heater has a peak draw of 500W for maybe 30 min every few hours. So the average draw is 25W. I’m also running a Vectra M2 return pump and the specs say 96W for power consumption. But I’m running mine at 80% and the average power consumption is 35W. This is Apex data by the way.

If you size for max power consumption in all devices I’m sure you’ll have your power needs covered. But that’s like turning everything on at the same time.

 

[NoviReefGuy]

I was a Master Electrician in New York for 40 years and I know in New York they will not let you upgrade your service over 200 amps unless you can show need. I am not sure what constitutes need but I doubt a fish tank is it.
Besides that, you can't really answer your question as there are to many variables like what size heaters you will need along with lights.

You just have to add up all the wattage and figure it out. A normal home without using an electric stove, electric heat or AC is only using maybe 10 amps most of the time. That is mostly for the refrigerator as the lights, especially LEDs use nothing. Of course if you add those things I mentioned, the power consumption goes way up.

Sam here in Michigan so Im told.... I am going to work with my electrician to do a load calculation. But I have two full kitchens in my house; two Furnaces /AC's. LOTS of electronics...2 Laundry rooms... ( gas for Stove Hot water and dryers, and Furnace)

I will be using a heat exchanger, few DC pumps , UV, closed loops from Aquarium Engineering ( not sure of draw/consumption, and Lighting ( maybe Orphek's Alantek V4 and OR's-) tank is going to be 120" L x 60" w x 48' deep.

thanks. !