Going Green in the Aquarium World

fish tv

fish tv

Member
I recently bought a water filter system and realized how much water was going down the drain. Water is a precious commodity and should be conserved. I began wondering what I could do with the water that was discharged as it would have high quanity of undesireable substances.
Any ideas?
Also my electric bill is so high since I started this hobby. With filters, skimmers and espcially lights, I am using more power than ever.
Any ideas on keep power usage down?
Any other conservation ideas?
 
salty blues

salty blues

Active Member
Originally Posted by Fish TV
http:///forum/post/2508834
I recently bought a water filter system and realized how much water was going down the drain. Water is a precious commodity and should be conserved. I began wondering what I could do with the water that was discharged as it would have high quanity of undesireable substances.
Any ideas?
Also my electric bill is so high since I started this hobby. With filters, skimmers and espcially lights, I am using more power than ever.
Any ideas on keep power usage down?
Any other conservation ideas?
You could use it to flush your toilet.
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
I have a long line on the output of the RO that goes out to a flower bed that was otherwise out of the way of sprinklers and such. The plants definitely don't seem to mind the "impurities"

IMO, the most "green" you can be is buying aquacultured and/or fragging and trading with fellow hobbyists. This includes corals, many clean up critters and even fish.
 
ifirefight

ifirefight

Active Member
Originally Posted by Fish TV
http:///forum/post/2508834
I began wondering what I could do with the water that was discharged
Any ideas?
Also my electric bill is so high since I started this hobby.
Any ideas on keep power usage down?
The"waste water" can be used for numerous things...like previously stated..includeing watering plants,washing clothes,flushing toilets..etc. As far as your electric bill... According to your profile,you have a 49 gallon tank. That size tank should cost no more than 20 dollars to run ..per month. If your bill is higher,it is most likely due to an increase in fuel costs. There are also LOTS of threads on these boards(including one started by me) that you can find the EXACT amount of money your tank is costing.
 
reefraff

reefraff

Active Member
I think the issue of water going down the drain depends where you live. If you are in places where water is in tight supply it is really worth trying to utilize the waste water even if it just goes on the grass. If you live where water is plentiful it isn't nearly as bad because you aren't destroying the water running it through the sewer system. It does end back up in the aquifer down stream.
I tried going the dual DI with no RO route because there is no way to run the water outside where my unit is placed. Because our water here is so nasty it just would be too expensive. I guess I should go dual RO and at least cut down on the waste a little. Water is in tight supply around here.
 
m0nk

m0nk

Active Member
My RO/DI unit is next to my laundry area so when I'm doing a large batch, like 15-30g, I'll run the waste line into my washer instead of down the drain.
As far as electricity goes, I'm personally considering getting a wind generator to help with my power usage. There are some personal wind generators that could power an entire house for the standard daily usage, so that would considerably cut down your electric bill. The catch is that one of these wind turbines costs around $1500.
Edit: correction, around $2000 for the turbine, $600 for the tower.
 
fish tv

fish tv

Member
I have my water purifier in the laundry room and I wasn't thinking of washing with the discharged water as in my mind I think it has too much undesired minerals and such. But now that I think of it, it should be no problem.
I live in an aparment and don't have any plants to water. The idea of using the water in a toilet is a great conservation idea, but not for me. I can't think of any other way use the discharged water.
As for lights, I actually have 5 aquariums but only 2 with high powered lights. I may spend an extra $20.00 to $30.00 a month for electricty lighting my aquariums but that money is becoming more critical to me with gas prices going up and not many places to cut my budget.
By the way one way I save money is to leave the TV off and watch my fish tank--hense my screen name Fish TV.
Anybody have any other ideas on how to conserve energy, water, and other earth resources while also saving money?
 
sigmachris

sigmachris

Active Member
Originally Posted by Fish TV
http:///forum/post/2518623
I have my water purifier in the laundry room and I wasn't thinking of washing with the discharged water as in my mind I think it has too much undesired minerals and such. But now that I think of it, it should be no problem.
I live in an aparment and don't have any plants to water. The idea of using the water in a toilet is a great conservation idea, but not for me. I can't think of any other way use the discharged water.
As for lights, I actually have 5 aquariums but only 2 with high powered lights. I may spend an extra $20.00 to $30.00 a month for electricty lighting my aquariums but that money is becoming more critical to me with gas prices going up and not many places to cut my budget.
By the way one way I save money is to leave the TV off and watch my fish tank--hense my screen name Fish TV.
Anybody have any other ideas on how to conserve energy, water, and other earth resources while also saving money?
If you really want to green then buy some greens (plants) to use your discharge water on. I know its minimal but they will help turn you carbon dioxide back to oxygen.
 
robn70

robn70

Member
I've been thinking of adding solor pannels to supliment the electric usage from the power co as I live in a neighborhood build on what was once farm land and have constant sun on all day. I usally run the waste line into the washer for a load of laundry or an extra brute trash can for watering the plants.
 
T

tizzo

Guest
My conservation ideas are hardly tank related but its all the same bill so here they are.
I changed out all my bulbs to those energy saving spirally ones,
I unplug every appliance when I'm not using it. Those ones that simply display the time are around 5 bucks a month!
I am about to put my reciever/dvd/other dvd on a strip I can swich off when not in use,
I bumped my ac up a couple degrees in the summer and down a couple in the winter,
I have become anal about turning off lights,
turned the water heater down a notch,
My fridge is set so that the food isn't frozen,
hmmm,
those are all I can think of right now.
1 more...
my tank temp is 82 degrees so the chiller will not cut on as much.
 
T

tizzo

Guest
Originally Posted by SigmaChris
http:///forum/post/2519296
Tizzo...what about recycling?
that doesn't do much for my electric bill.

but when I lived in charlotte, recycling was as easy as putting out your trash. Its not like that here. Its sad too cause the Tampa tribune pushes papers like Meth dealers!
but here I don't recycle I'm sad to admit.
 
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