Cost of running tanks..?

buzz

Does anyone know or has worked out the cost of running their fish tank?

I have no clue but wouldnt mind knowing.
Only as my flat mates have brought it up does to lecky bills:D

I have a RIO400 450L tank with an internal bioflow 8 filter, Eheim pro 3 600 external, T5 lighting, 2 air pumps and 2 300w heaters.

2nd tank is a Trigon 190L with API Nexx external and bioflow internal, 2 air pumps and 1 200W heater.

3rd is a RIO125 with internal only, 1 air pump and 1 100w heater.

What would that cost on average per month?

Lights are only on for about 3 hours per day in the evening.

Id be interested to hear from other people who run tanks if they have noticed an increase by much on electricity?

Thanks

fred funk }{

You could calculate the costs of running the filters and lights as they're on for a fixed time whereas the heaters are on and off and depending on the aquarium's environment and amount of water to be heated.

The heaters are on/off so it's pretty difficult to calculate.

Electricity costs aprox 18 Cent per 1000 watts per hour. Post up what Watt all your lights and filters/pumps are and we'll get an idea.

Silverfish

We have a current cost so Mr Silverfish can remind me how much the tanks are costing us. I don't really listen.

He graphs it all out and it gives the usage for the previous 10 minutes, previous hour, previous 6 hours, previous 24 hours, previous week and previous month.

Like so:





So you could get an idea by connecting it up, turning off all the tank lights / filters / heaters, then plugging them back in and seeing the spike.

CruelCoin

buzz wrote: »

Lights are only on for about 3 hours per day in the evening.

?? unless you have a tank of Anubias, i'm guessing you're running a cichlid tank?

Unusual for the lights to be on so seldom, most people have it 7-10 hours a day.

But yes, my elec bills have gone up.

Three lights, three heaters, three filters, three air pumps. Lots of extra gizmos. Wouldn't be able to give you a figure though.

CJhaughey

You can buy a little meter that plugs into the wall and all the current that goes through is measured and recorded.
They are cheap, only about 15-20 euro and it should answer all your queries.
Or buy an Owl monitor.

buzz

Silverfish, Wow thats serious calculations there..

CC - Yup tank 1 is SA cichlids, tank 2 is Africans and tank 3 is community.
But work from 8am till 7pm so only on when from when I get home to bed time I switch off all lights.

CJ - Sounds great, any Electrical store sell them?