how do you guys afford the electricity?
- Thread starter jmpowie
- Start date
perfectdark
Active Member
Ditto ^^^
However running 3 room air conditioners and a pool filter all summer long made me think I was running a 1000 gal reef tank with 5 250W MH and a chiller. My bill was $400 a month for 3 months.... YIKES
However running 3 room air conditioners and a pool filter all summer long made me think I was running a 1000 gal reef tank with 5 250W MH and a chiller. My bill was $400 a month for 3 months.... YIKES
perfectdark
Active Member
Ohhhhhh you sneaky little hitchiker you......
jonthefishguy
Active Member
My home aquarium pulls 250 per month alone. We estimated the kilowatts being used by the aquarium and well, doubled the bill from 250 to 500. Oh well, no one said this hobby was cheap.
emm0909
Member
$100 a month sounds crazy. What are you running?
Lights are getting better and better so you have to use less wattage for the same amount of water. T5's are awesome. VHOs are great. If you were running a 125w MH and two actinics, sump with skimmer, heater return pump, chiller and pumps in the tank then I can see your bill going to $100.
Lights are getting better and better so you have to use less wattage for the same amount of water. T5's are awesome. VHOs are great. If you were running a 125w MH and two actinics, sump with skimmer, heater return pump, chiller and pumps in the tank then I can see your bill going to $100.
jonthefishguy
Active Member
Originally Posted by earlybird
I wonder... has anyone ever been suspected by the "law" with higher electric bills possibly thinking you're growing illegal plants?
I haul a lot of water and I fear my neighbors think I've got a meth lab or something.
I havent. A few clues that will tip off the law that you are a meth lab. Your neighbors complain of the constant traffic in and out of your home. The fact that you act very suspicious when anyone comes to your door. And over amount of electricty that would be average to 3 or more homes in your neighborhood would use. Aluminum in the windows. A need for a colored light bulb in the porch light, either red or green. Consistant late night visitors that just come and go and you meet them at the curb. Thats just a few.
I wonder... has anyone ever been suspected by the "law" with higher electric bills possibly thinking you're growing illegal plants?
I haul a lot of water and I fear my neighbors think I've got a meth lab or something.
I havent. A few clues that will tip off the law that you are a meth lab. Your neighbors complain of the constant traffic in and out of your home. The fact that you act very suspicious when anyone comes to your door. And over amount of electricty that would be average to 3 or more homes in your neighborhood would use. Aluminum in the windows. A need for a colored light bulb in the porch light, either red or green. Consistant late night visitors that just come and go and you meet them at the curb. Thats just a few.
perfectdark
Active Member
Originally Posted by jonthefishguy
I havent. A few clues that will tip off the law that you are a meth lab. Your neighbors complain of the constant traffic in and out of your home. The fact that you act very suspicious when anyone comes to your door. And over amount of electricty that would be average to 3 or more homes in your neighborhood would use. Aluminum in the windows. A need for a colored light bulb in the porch light, either red or green. Consistant late night visitors that just come and go and you meet them at the curb. Thats just a few.
PD Starts to wonder how you know all this (shifty eyes)
I havent. A few clues that will tip off the law that you are a meth lab. Your neighbors complain of the constant traffic in and out of your home. The fact that you act very suspicious when anyone comes to your door. And over amount of electricty that would be average to 3 or more homes in your neighborhood would use. Aluminum in the windows. A need for a colored light bulb in the porch light, either red or green. Consistant late night visitors that just come and go and you meet them at the curb. Thats just a few.
PD Starts to wonder how you know all this (shifty eyes)
dreamer44
Member
Originally Posted by PerfectDark
Ditto ^^^
However running 3 room air conditioners and a pool filter all summer long made me think I was running a 1000 gal reef tank with 5 250W MH and a chiller. My bill was $400 a month for 3 months.... YIKES
been there, done that!!
we have central air and the pool, that almost never gets used., and yet it runs and runs and runs!! never mind the chemicals we have to buy to keep it clean and the time to vacuume it to keep it clean, I think we would be better off without the darn thing!
My elect bill is finally down to 274.00 a month....and im still freaking out over that price!
Lori
Ditto ^^^
However running 3 room air conditioners and a pool filter all summer long made me think I was running a 1000 gal reef tank with 5 250W MH and a chiller. My bill was $400 a month for 3 months.... YIKES
been there, done that!!
we have central air and the pool, that almost never gets used., and yet it runs and runs and runs!! never mind the chemicals we have to buy to keep it clean and the time to vacuume it to keep it clean, I think we would be better off without the darn thing!
My elect bill is finally down to 274.00 a month....and im still freaking out over that price!
Lori
donald
Member
Originally Posted by jonthefishguy
I havent. A few clues that will tip off the law that you are a meth lab. Your neighbors complain of the constant traffic in and out of your home. The fact that you act very suspicious when anyone comes to your door. And over amount of electricty that would be average to 3 or more homes in your neighborhood would use. Aluminum in the windows. A need for a colored light bulb in the porch light, either red or green. Consistant late night visitors that just come and go and you meet them at the curb. Thats just a few.
Sound like more than a few tips to me
I havent. A few clues that will tip off the law that you are a meth lab. Your neighbors complain of the constant traffic in and out of your home. The fact that you act very suspicious when anyone comes to your door. And over amount of electricty that would be average to 3 or more homes in your neighborhood would use. Aluminum in the windows. A need for a colored light bulb in the porch light, either red or green. Consistant late night visitors that just come and go and you meet them at the curb. Thats just a few.
Sound like more than a few tips to me
groupergenius
Active Member
Electric cost is just another factor in the cost of the hobby. IMHO a fairly small factor at that.
90 gallon tank, stand--$450
Lighting---$850
Live rock---$750
powerheads---$160
sump w/pump---$225
skimmer---$300
chiller---$200 used
corals and fish---$unlimited
Standing in front of the tank like a zombie checking every square inch---$priceless
90 gallon tank, stand--$450
Lighting---$850
Live rock---$750
powerheads---$160
sump w/pump---$225
skimmer---$300
chiller---$200 used
corals and fish---$unlimited
Standing in front of the tank like a zombie checking every square inch---$priceless
mscarpena
Member
$100 per month sounds crazy. I have a 55 gallon fish only, and a 46 bow front with 250 MH and 2 95 VHO in my basement. I also have a 75 reef with 4x110 VHO and I run2 air conditioners all summer long and my electric bill is only like $230.00. I just got it and it was $210.00. Yeah!! SOmething does not seem right. Also if you want a saltwater tank do a fish only or do some low light corals or non-phototsynthetic corals. Don't get out of the hobby just because your electric bill is too high. There are things you can do. Insulate tanks, cut back light period, more efficent lighting, pumps, and newer equipment. Good luck.
perfectdark
Active Member
Originally Posted by earlybird
A pool in Rhode Island seems crazy to me.
I agree seeing as though it gets used about 5 times out of the 4 months its open for. I am a beach person myself and often wonder why I open the pool to begin with, I am never in it.
A pool in Rhode Island seems crazy to me.
I agree seeing as though it gets used about 5 times out of the 4 months its open for. I am a beach person myself and often wonder why I open the pool to begin with, I am never in it.
ghiggi
Member
Originally Posted by jmpowie
I had to break down my 75 reef because it was costing me over 100.00 a month in elec
. How much does a 300 gal cost to run a month? Does Al Gore know about all of you and your tanks?
How did you calculate your costs? Unless you are running some serious lights and equipement, it shouldn't cost that much. Check out this thread to help calculate your actual costs:
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/288970/451-electric-bill
I run a 135g w/40g fuge with 2x400w MH, 4x96w PC, return pumps, heaters, fuge lights, phosphate reactor and more and it only adds abut $40 a month to my electric.
I had to break down my 75 reef because it was costing me over 100.00 a month in elec
How did you calculate your costs? Unless you are running some serious lights and equipement, it shouldn't cost that much. Check out this thread to help calculate your actual costs:
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/288970/451-electric-bill
I run a 135g w/40g fuge with 2x400w MH, 4x96w PC, return pumps, heaters, fuge lights, phosphate reactor and more and it only adds abut $40 a month to my electric.
fedel castro
Member
Originally Posted by earlybird
I wonder... has anyone ever been suspected by the "law" with higher electric bills possibly thinking you're growing illegal plants?
I haul a lot of water and I fear my neighbors think I've got a meth lab or something.
hahaha, i had my place audit (after i had fun), because my electric bill is 1200.00 per month,
talk about red flags, i waited to see how TECO would react, they thought i was growing weed, haha, thats funny, i met the green team,(a team of people looking for mj growers), made them think that i was a grower, haha, they tried to get me, thinking that purple haze i had was a drug, like the purple haze that you smoke, i always talked about the corals,the colors, like if it was drugs.
, i'm always late to pay,lol, and they always ask for a additional deposit,
, now they have 1300.00 just for a deposit.
so glad i'm down sizing from a 280,210,180,175,144,125,2 42 bowfronts , 2 65 hexs , 92 corner, 90, 75, and 42 hex, talk about insane
glad to travel the world now, can't do it with all these silly reef's,
now i can
I wonder... has anyone ever been suspected by the "law" with higher electric bills possibly thinking you're growing illegal plants?
I haul a lot of water and I fear my neighbors think I've got a meth lab or something.
hahaha, i had my place audit (after i had fun), because my electric bill is 1200.00 per month,
so glad i'm down sizing from a 280,210,180,175,144,125,2 42 bowfronts , 2 65 hexs , 92 corner, 90, 75, and 42 hex, talk about insane
glad to travel the world now, can't do it with all these silly reef's,
now i can