Power usage, holy crap!
- Thread starter peffy03
- Start date
- Tagged users None
Lylelovett
Active Member
- Joined
- Jul 5, 2018
- Messages
- 430
- Reaction score
- 230
I make decisions to minimize usage where ever I can but I don't let it keep me up at night.
najer
Valuable Member
I have a small house, 3.2 Kw was all I could fit.
- Joined
- May 16, 2020
- Messages
- 526
- Reaction score
- 1,209
I used a killowatt tester to check the usage on my setup, but that was when I first got this build running. It was showing about $50 a month then (Michigan). I really should test it again and see where I’m at. a lot of equipment changes/upgrades over the years.
Mical
2500 Club Member
You neglect to mention that you have one tank that's like "trying heat Lake Superior". Power Co is just jealous of your tank.This is what I get from the electric company. I think they are trying to guilt me into using less electricity. Over 20 years of receiving these reports hasn’t changed my habits yet. Maybe next month I’ll get better about using less....
Reefs and Geeks
Well-Known Member
I'm at about 20kWh/day on my 150 gallon, or @ $0.13/kWh about $75/month for my tanks electric bill. Add in other costs of having a tank such as additives, salt mix, RODI filters/resin, food...etc and i'm at a total of about $175/month just to maintain my tank. Kinda hurts to really add up the numbers. It is pretty though
It is a hobby, which any hobby will cost money. It's fairly easy to spend $175+/month on just about any hobby when you think about it. I just choose reefing as my hobby and don't have any other hobbies that eat up any applicable money.
The trick is to find a way to offset the costs. For me, I've been in the hobby for a while now, and have gotten to the point that I can continually frag my coral and either sell them, or trade them for other reefing stuff I need. I am able to break even at this point with my tank (what other hobbies can pay for themselves?) and still be able to trade for new coral or equipment from time to time without spending much "real" money.
Other than electricity, I closely track any money that I put into my tanks, and money I get from frags. I use this real data with my wife to prove that I did in fact slowly accumulate some net profit and can use that to justify buying a new light, or return pump or whatever from time to time. I've also used some frag money to get take out for dinner, or pay for my son's birthday present, or whatever as well when I'm able. It's not much, but it's a labor of love to care for the tank and I'm just happy that I don't see it as a money pit now that I have proof it isn't.
It is a hobby, which any hobby will cost money. It's fairly easy to spend $175+/month on just about any hobby when you think about it. I just choose reefing as my hobby and don't have any other hobbies that eat up any applicable money.
The trick is to find a way to offset the costs. For me, I've been in the hobby for a while now, and have gotten to the point that I can continually frag my coral and either sell them, or trade them for other reefing stuff I need. I am able to break even at this point with my tank (what other hobbies can pay for themselves?) and still be able to trade for new coral or equipment from time to time without spending much "real" money.
Other than electricity, I closely track any money that I put into my tanks, and money I get from frags. I use this real data with my wife to prove that I did in fact slowly accumulate some net profit and can use that to justify buying a new light, or return pump or whatever from time to time. I've also used some frag money to get take out for dinner, or pay for my son's birthday present, or whatever as well when I'm able. It's not much, but it's a labor of love to care for the tank and I'm just happy that I don't see it as a money pit now that I have proof it isn't.
This is a big reason I’ll never live in California, my koi pond would bankrupt me. Plus it’s basically always on fire...currently i pay .41 per kwh. the issue is california, not the USA
we have something called tiered pricing. my wife and i have 4 kids, so were always in tier 3
deadhead_45yrs
New Member
Rant On -
For those of you talking about installation of residential solar systems.. all need to be aware that there is a move by more and more utilities to end their support for net metering agreements. They are doing anything possible at this time to prevent any new residential installs. If they can't prevent the agreements they are proposing a "Time of Use" rate structures that will make the payback time for new systems double what they were with net metering at a constant day/night rate... Sorry for the rant but I am currently in the middle of this with the local electric Coop.
For those of you talking about installation of residential solar systems.. all need to be aware that there is a move by more and more utilities to end their support for net metering agreements. They are doing anything possible at this time to prevent any new residential installs. If they can't prevent the agreements they are proposing a "Time of Use" rate structures that will make the payback time for new systems double what they were with net metering at a constant day/night rate... Sorry for the rant but I am currently in the middle of this with the local electric Coop.
Crotalus
Active Member
currently i pay .41 per kwh. the issue is california, not the USA
we have something called tiered pricing. my wife and i have 4 kids, so were always in tier 3
Wow, no wonder. You pay more than twice what I pay in Texas. Must be all that free energy from Windmills and solar.
JumboShrimp
5000 Club Member
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2018
- Messages
- 5,808
- Reaction score
- 8,249
Dad from the 1960s: “Turn off the light in that room— You’re not even IN there!!”
Dad from the 2020s: Turn off that protein skimmer— You’re not even IN there!!”
Dad from the 2020s: Turn off that protein skimmer— You’re not even IN there!!”
AquaDaddy
Active Member
We get the exact same thing! Our hot tub and my wood shop probably doesn't help either! Glad I'm not the only one!This is what I get from the electric company. I think they are trying to guilt me into using less electricity. Over 20 years of receiving these reports hasn’t changed my habits yet. Maybe next month I’ll get better about using less....
doughboy
Well-Known Member
I designed my current 50gallon tank to be as energy efficient as possible. At peak usage with light at max (not counting 300w heater), it’s under 100w. I monitor the power usage using a smart plug (it’s accurate and matched kill-a-watt reading) and my average monthly usage is approximately 75kwh. During winter, it averages 3.8kwh per day and 1.8kwh per day in summer. With California rate of $0.31 per kWh, I’m just paying about $1 per day On average.
Daddy-o
2500 Club Member
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2017
- Messages
- 2,685
- Reaction score
- 3,911
Yea we sell a little coral to offset costs. Always make sure to throw a little green my wifes way.I'm at about 20kWh/day on my 150 gallon, or @ $0.13/kWh about $75/month for my tanks electric bill. Add in other costs of having a tank such as additives, salt mix, RODI filters/resin, food...etc and i'm at a total of about $175/month just to maintain my tank. Kinda hurts to really add up the numbers. It is pretty though
It is a hobby, which any hobby will cost money. It's fairly easy to spend $175+/month on just about any hobby when you think about it. I just choose reefing as my hobby and don't have any other hobbies that eat up any applicable money.
The trick is to find a way to offset the costs. For me, I've been in the hobby for a while now, and have gotten to the point that I can continually frag my coral and either sell them, or trade them for other reefing stuff I need. I am able to break even at this point with my tank (what other hobbies can pay for themselves?) and still be able to trade for new coral or equipment from time to time without spending much "real" money.
Other than electricity, I closely track any money that I put into my tanks, and money I get from frags. I use this real data with my wife to prove that I did in fact slowly accumulate some net profit and can use that to justify buying a new light, or return pump or whatever from time to time. I've also used some frag money to get take out for dinner, or pay for my son's birthday present, or whatever as well when I'm able. It's not much, but it's a labor of love to care for the tank and I'm just happy that I don't see it as a money pit now that I have proof it isn't.
Cheers! Mark
fcmatt
Well-Known Member
Interesting post.
Kinda sad high end led lighting uses just as much elect as t5 for some people. Even with bulb costs for t5 and stretching those bulbs you don't really save a ton unless your led magically run and don't break for 10 years.
Kinda sad high end led lighting uses just as much elect as t5 for some people. Even with bulb costs for t5 and stretching those bulbs you don't really save a ton unless your led magically run and don't break for 10 years.
