Question about 90g or so

Eienna · Feb 25, 2013

For those of you who run FOWLR or reef tanks around 90g or so, how much does it cost you on average in electricity bills to run your setup? I need to know if the bill's going to take all my spending money (how would I buy fish food then?!) before I get in too deep. Any help is appreciated, as well as recommendations of power-efficient and preferably quiet equipment!

Budman's Corals · Feb 25, 2013

Eienna said:
For those of you who run FOWLR or reef tanks around 90g or so, how much does it cost you on average in electricity bills to run your setup? I need to know if the bill's going to take all my spending money (how would I buy fish food then?!) before I get in too deep. Any help is appreciated, as well as recommendations of power-efficient and preferably quiet equipment!

I spend on my 120 around 50 bucks a month,That includes everything i need to keep it running right, Doesn't include stuff that i want to buy(trust me theres alot of that)

Fish food i would say is the cheapest depending on how many fish you have,I use Life spetrum and it last a long time for the 20 bucks i spent on it,Sometimes i feed Mysis,Clams,Squid,Shrimp.

Electric is around 75 cent a day running 6-T5, skimmer, 4 pumps

Good luck with it

Eienna · Feb 25, 2013

Ah, then I imagine I should be fine. Thank you very much!!
I would still like some more responses, particularly from CA, in case the power prices are higher here :/

Eienna · Feb 25, 2013

I use NLS for my FW tank, by the way. Great stuff.

Budman's Corals · Feb 25, 2013

Eienna said:
Ah, then I imagine I should be fine. Thank you very much!!
I would still like some more responses, particularly from CA, in case the power prices are higher here :/

Ya yall prob higher,but **** i already thought i pay enough in power,close to 500 a month

Eienna · Feb 25, 2013

Thankfully, our electric bill is closer to $100 a month, tops. It was a lot higher when my hubby was running heat sources for his snakes, but they're gone now.

Budman's Corals · Feb 25, 2013

Eienna said:
Thankfully, our electric bill is closer to $100 a month, tops. It was a lot higher when my hubby was running heat sources for his snakes, but they're gone now.

Thats not bad at all. Well with my kids and there electronics y bill is always high,

Im sure others will post here an average of the electric,but for salt mix and supplies i always shop around for the best deals
'top 3 sites i use are

Bulk reef supply
Drs Foster Smith(cheapest on Salt by far + free shipping @ 49.00)
That fish place

sometimes Marine Depot..

Eienna · Feb 25, 2013

Thank you very much for your help n_________n

nytegti · Feb 25, 2013

I live in a pretty pricey area for power and my 90 with 20 sump costs ~ 60-70$/month for EVERYTHING. media, food, electric(LED lighting), water, salt, etc. just to give you a comparison. if I stuck with NLS pellets it'd be a bit cheaper, but I like frozen foods better.

Eienna · Feb 25, 2013

Alright, terrific!!!

I won't be using LEDs, but it shouldn't make too terribly much of a difference. Four T5s instead.

lofty78 · Feb 25, 2013

My 90 is a mixed reef with 600 W of MH and T5 lighting... my power bill is probably 50 to 60 more a month than it was before with out the MH lights I would venture to say $20 to $30 more... not sure how power prices in Phoenix compare to in cali

Eienna · Feb 25, 2013

lofty78 said:
My 90 is a mixed reef with 600 W of MH and T5 lighting... my power bill is probably 50 to 60 more a month than it was before with out the MH lights I would venture to say $20 to $30 more... not sure how power prices in Phoenix compare to in cali

You say "more"....what was it total before the halides?

lofty78 · Feb 25, 2013

Sorry, replied to your PM... But I started with the MH. I meant that I was guessing the MW was taking up about 50% of the increase.

Eienna · Feb 25, 2013

I really wasn't talking about the increase as much as the total, but thanks

mcarroll · Feb 26, 2013

Eienna said:
Alright, terrific!!! I won't be using LEDs, but it shouldn't make too terribly much of a difference. Four T5s instead.

With LEDs you'll spend about half as much on power and nothing on bulb replacements. IME bulb replacements cost more than power or any other ongoing cost.

Something to consider if cash flow will be tight as you indicate.

-Matt

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Eienna · Feb 27, 2013

mcarroll said:
With LEDs you'll spend about half as much on power and nothing on bulb replacements. IME bulb replacements cost more than power or any other ongoing cost.

Something to consider if cash flow will be tight as you indicate.

-Matt
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I know, but because I'm high-functioning autistic (or at least I'm chalking it up to that) I HATE the intense shimmer leds create. I tried them on my FW tank and they just about made me crazy.

mcarroll · Feb 27, 2013

That's what people call the disco ball effect.

Try a so-called "multichip" led solution like the offerings from Kessil and lately a few others. Also you can search on eBay under that term for DIY ingredients and floodlight style enclosures. There's no disco effect with these.

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Eienna · Feb 28, 2013

I looked at the kessils and it does the same thing. It's the way the light from those and the metal halides interact with the surface refraction. The fact that the ripples are so small creates a look like quick flashes and it gives me a nasty headache. I don't know if most people can even see it.