Reef tank electricity $450?!?!

Acrofiend · Mar 2, 2023

Hi all so I usually average maybe $60 a month for my reef tank electricity but this last month I hit $450 for my 50 gallon cube. Has anyone experienced the same? How can I heat tank more efficiently during the cold months?

DCR · Mar 2, 2023

I would look at your usage and price per kWh on your bill. I suspect your price or additional fees made it go up that much. No way you should see that much of an increase due to a 50 gal reef tank in LA

blaxsun · Mar 2, 2023

Get out of California... My electric usage is $58 CAD for a 200-gallon system (locked in until 2025).

Cthulukelele · Mar 2, 2023

Yeah I second look at price per kW then see if there's any faulty machinery. That's caused by something malfunctioning or robbery. Hopefully your utility company hasn't decided to rob you. When my aquariun heaters were on their way out my electricity bill spiked by over 100 dollars(though that was on around 200 gallons of water)

ReefSakes · Mar 2, 2023

what the heck? That's crazy high. My power to run a 300g and 225g is about $110 a month

DaJMasta · Mar 2, 2023

If it's actually something in or around your tank using that much power, you can probably tell just by touching it - tha'ts likely hundreds of watts being continuously on and is likely quite unsafe.

Given that, I doubt it's coming from your tank. Maybe your HVAC system is having an issue or you've got something power hungry on elsewhere.

JCOLE · Mar 2, 2023

That's crazy high for a small cube. I suspect something else. My tank runs me about $200 a month but thats a 500 gallon with halides and 2000 watts of heaters.

Do you have an Apex or anyway to track the power usage?

Lbrdsoxfan · Mar 2, 2023

NJM16 said:
Hi all so I usually average maybe $60 a month for my reef tank electricity but this last month I hit $450 for my 50 gallon cube. Has anyone experienced the same? How can I heat tank more efficiently during the cold months?

Our electricity is high per kwh. Your either on DWP or Edison, look closely at your bill... Also check if your on a fixed rate plan or that crap TOU stuff (makes a big difference imo). The weather has been crap here (by our standards), so a high bill ain't shocking.

I average 130-160$ a month to keep two tanks lit and heated with a total of about 220 gallons of water between both of them and about 1300 sqft of condo.

Stoneyed · Mar 2, 2023

With some basic math, and assuming ~$0.29/kWh (LA average according to google), you are pulling over 2kw/hour! I'd suspect my HVAC system, or water heater before the aquarium.

bradreef · Mar 2, 2023

California power bills were ridiculous. I lived in California most of my life and power bills arent much of a consideration elsewhere.

exnisstech · Mar 2, 2023

There is no way a 50g cube caused that much of an increase. I realize rates are different everywhere but the increase from $60 a month to $450 is unbelievable. I wonder if they have been under charging you ($60 seems low) and decided to catch up all at once? I would be looking into that bill. I heat a 200g system, a 40g cube, and a 40g breeder along with 10 led lights and a 4 bulb t5 fixture durring Ohio winters and my total monthly bill is $250ish

Lbrdsoxfan · Mar 2, 2023

He prolly won't post his, but I'll post mine... That's a 'cheap' month (spent about 17 days on the road for personal and work).

Lbrdsoxfan · Mar 2, 2023

exnisstech said:
There is no way a 50g cube caused that much of an increase. I realize rates are different everywhere but the increase from $60 a month to $450 is unbelievable. I wonder if they have been under charging you ($60 seems low) and decided to catch up all at once? I would be looking into that bill. I heat a 200g system, a 40g cube, and a 40g breeder along with 10 led lights and a 4 bulb t5 fixture durring Ohio winters and my total monthly bill is $250ish

Serious. Prolly his heat due to all the cold and rain. You'd be surprised as a lot of places here are pure electric.

exnisstech · Mar 2, 2023

Lbrdsoxfan said:
Serious. Prolly his heat due to all the cold and rain. You'd be surprised as a lot of places here are pure electric.

That because it doesn't really get cold there

Lbrdsoxfan · Mar 2, 2023

exnisstech said:
That because it doesn't really get cold there

Usually, lol. Cold for these folks has been mid to high 30s overnight with a lot of wind. Most still have single pane windows and NO insulation. I'm originally from Mass with some years living in Chicagoland & Denver so cold dosent bother me (as much)

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Acrofiend · Mar 2, 2023

DCR said:
I would look at your usage and price per kWh on your bill. I suspect your price or additional fees made it go up that much. No way you should see that much of an increase due to a 50 gal reef tank in LA

My 200w heater runs almost half the time now during these colder months in Los Angeles county. So i guess according to my rates it’s correct, unfortunately. Here are my rates

Acrofiend · Mar 2, 2023

Lbrdsoxfan said:
Usually, lol. Cold for these folks has been mid to high 30s overnight with a lot of wind. Most still have single pane windows and NO insulation. I'm originally from Mass with some years living in Chicagoland & Denver so cold dosent bother me (as much) .

Yeah my house is pretty much the temp outside which is 40’s overnight.

Acrofiend · Mar 2, 2023

exnisstech said:
There is no way a 50g cube caused that much of an increase. I realize rates are different everywhere but the increase from $60 a month to $450 is unbelievable. I wonder if they have been under charging you ($60 seems low) and decided to catch up all at once? I would be looking into that bill. I heat a 200g system, a 40g cube, and a 40g breeder along with 10 led lights and a 4 bulb t5 fixture durring Ohio winters and my total monthly bill is $250ish

This is what I’ve been thinking. I’ve been averaging $200 a month and that last month was $60. So I assume they just caught up my bill.

Cthulukelele · Mar 2, 2023

NJM16 said:
Yeah my house is pretty much the temp outside which is 40’s overnight.

Ahhhh yeah that will explode heater costs as that's essentially running an electric aquarium heater as a space heater

Acrofiend · Mar 2, 2023

Lbrdsoxfan said:
Our electricity is high per kwh. Your either on DWP or Edison, look closely at your bill... Also check if your on a fixed rate plan or that crap TOU stuff (makes a big difference imo). The weather has been crap here (by our standards), so a high bill ain't shocking.

I average 130-160$ a month to keep two tanks lit and heated with a total of about 220 gallons of water between both of them and about 1300 sqft of condo.

That’s what I’m assuming. My bill shows three rates so I guess I’m on TOU.