# Making our hobby more cost efficient



## John_C (Dec 17, 2007)

I have noticed lately a lot of people getting out of the hobby due to trying to cut cost at home, as well as for other reasons. TO make the hobby more efficient for me personally I just changed which species i kept. Changing from high cost more demanding species such as African cichlids and Discus to cooler tolerant, smaller fish species, such as guppy and fancy varieties of white cloud minnow, as well as less demanding shrimp. Also I made most of my aquariums low tech planted tanks only keeping a couple of them in the high end style.

Has anyone here altered their hobby in any way as well due to the higher cost of hydro and energy?

I wrote a little article about my transition on my blog.

http://lushaquatics.wordpress.com/2012/10/25/making-your-aquarium-hobby-more-cost-efficient/


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## bigfishy (Jun 19, 2009)

or use lesser computer, it will cut down the electricity bill!


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## Lee_D (Jun 11, 2010)

I find the big cost to be lighting. If you want the tank to look good, you have to shell out big bucks for good lighting. I also find that the more you spend on lighting, the less they last.

The tank, gravel, stand, and fiter, once purchased, really don't require much cost for upkeep. The cost there is the original investement.

Lee


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## John_C (Dec 17, 2007)

*Good call ...!*

Yah exactly! I find i spend more time watching my tanks and reading books than procrastinating on the computer or watching TV nowadays, so it must even out.

THing with lighting i use HO T5 now, and they last pretty long, while providing adequate lighting for most plants out there, the exception I find being the very sensitive reddish plants, but that's a small number. Also I keep fish that are more cool tolerant, and don't need a heater since the heat emitting from the HO T5 produce enough heat to warm the water temps just about room temp at 73 - 75F.


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## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

thanks for posting.

I am only doing low light / low tech, thus choosing plants like Java Fern / Bacopa, Hygrophilia, Anubias, Dwarf Sags, which are doing well, as i started with little, and now have my 75g well planted (the java fern and hygrophilia grow extremely well and propagate, as well as the bacopa, and no fish eat these plants either, making it very convenient).

I used play sand to lower cost on the 75g tank, but more expensive black plant substrate on the small 10g tank for looks, but also to grow certain plants like dwarf sags better and then transfer to larger tank.

I cut down on water changes, but i think i had a build up of tds, and that may have affected the fish. I have thus changed adding products to the tank, and doing weekly (or by-weekly) water changes. 

Also, no heaters on the 75g tank, fish are more choosen for the coldwater tolerant temps when possible. 

However, i have over-filtration, and that is 3 filters on the 75g tank, and 2 filters on the 10 g tank, which add to the cost, as having only 2 tanks to do everything (plus a hospital tank) limits the variety desired of fish, and thus overloading more than underloading the tanks. Underloading would have been ideal, and reduced the filtration requirements to 2 filters on the 75g tank, and 1 filter on the 10g tank.... however, when one wants to maximize with space and amount of tanks, it makes it harder to underload...

Lights are 1x 13W 6500k bulb from home depot on the 10g, and 2x 30W 6500k shop lights also from home depot for the 75g tank modified to fit and cover emerging plants. I have gone by with even 1 light bulb on the later at some point, but due to the increased shading i had created, went back to 2 bulbs, but i will reconsider everything now and see if i can make some improvements.

I have RCS shrimps in both my tank, as well as amanos. Alot of hidding spots / driftwood ensures their survival or reduces the losses in any case. These help with the cleaning / maintenance. MTS also help with leftovers and alga as well. I have just gotten spixi snails, which also are helping with alga and leftoever. I recommend RCS and Snails in all tanks as a base for a back-up crew making life easier and can be considered practicaly low bioload. As I never had a blossom of MTS, i can imagine my tanks are under control. Again, MTS and RCS serf reproduce, thus lowering costs as well.


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## splur (May 11, 2011)

Or just live somewhere where the utilities are included, then you can go all out!! (that is not my case unfortunately)


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## GAT (Oct 8, 2011)

splur said:


> Or just live somewhere where the utilities are included, then you can go all out!! (that is not my case unfortunately)


these days most apartments are charging for electricity. That being said, if you don't mind putting $200-250 you can get a sweet DIY led setup (high light setup).


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

GAT said:


> these days most apartments are charging for electricity. That being said, if you don't mind putting $200-250 you can get a sweet DIY led setup (high light setup).


http://www.ontario-hydro.com/index.php?page=current_rates

Suppose I run my lights from 12pm to 11pm. This gives me, in the winter:

12pm - 5pm: 5 hours at 10.0 cents/kWh
5pm - 7pm: 2 hours at 11.7 cents/kWh
7pm - 11pm: 4 hours at 6.5 cents/kWh

In one 30-day month, that gives me:

(5*10 + 2*11.7 + 4 * 6.5) * 30 = 29.82$ per kW

If I run a high light setup of 216W, that is:

0.216 kW * 29.82 $/kW = 6.44$ per month

An equivalent LED fixture would use, what, 100W? That would represent a saving of:

6.44$ - (0.1 kW * 29.82 $/kW) = 3.46$ per month

If you're upgrading to an LED just for the hydro savings, it will take you 72 months to save 250$ in hydro costs. That's 6 years.


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## GAT (Oct 8, 2011)

If everything goes well with LED you don't even have to change any bulbs but with T5 HO you will have to change bulbs so you can add that cost too. But you are right, electricity cost and the bulbs cost alone won't justify the high initial setup cost.

DIY led cost is almost similar to brand new T5HO light fixture cost (not odyssea fixtures).


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## Tino (Sep 10, 2012)

Just my 2 cents, I found that running things on non-peak hours helps.
Tank lights come on after work 5:30ish and turn off @ midnight.
Also if you want to save $ on electricity make sure dishwashers run after 9pm and laundry is done on weekends.


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## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

Solarz,

wow, thanks for the post, so from that, i can see how much i am paying monthly, and if someone can quickly double check my calculations.

So, I have the following runing daily (note, i recently increased the number of hours from 8 to 10 hours on my timer):

*Each Day for lights:*
4 - 5 pm = 1 x 10 c/ kWh = 10 c
5 - 7 pm = 2 x 11.7 c / kWh = 23.40 c
7 - 2 am = 7 x 6.5 c / kWh = 45.50 c
*Total* = 10 + 23.40 + 45.50 = 78.9 c / kW per day or *0.789 $ / kW per day*

*Each Day for Filters: filters are on ALL day*
Total = 4x11.7 + 6x10 + 2x11.7 + 12x6.5 = 208.2 c / kW or 2.082 $/kW per day

*Here is my Consumption in the WORST CASE*

*Lights:*
2 x 13W light bulb = 26W
2 x 33W lights = 66W
Total = 92 W = 0.092 kW

*Filters:*
1 x AC110 (14W) = 14W
1 x AC70 (6W) = 6 W
2 x AC50 (6W) = 12W
1 x AC20 (6W) = 6 W
3 x Tetra Whispair Air Pump (1.5W) = 4.5 W
1 x Eheim 2217 (20W) = 20W
Total = 62.5 W = 0.0625 kW

*Thus, Daily, I consume the following:*
Lights: 0.789 $/kW per day x 0.092 kW = 0.072588 $ / day
Filters: 2.082 $/kW per day x 0.0625 kW = 0.130125 $ / day
*Total = 0.20 $/day*

In one Month of 30 days
30 x 0.20 = 6 $ / month

*In one Year* (imagining winter is same as summers cause i am lazy to calculate the difference, so it should be better than this):
365 x 0.20 = *73 $/year *

*So in conclusion, i am only spending 75 $ / year MAX in electricity.*
, for 1 x 75g and 2 x 10g tanks

To that, one must add cost of fish food, water, filter floss changes.

How do you calculate Water Change Cost????

Anyways, for food, i cant imagine it going over 50 $, and should be closer to half that.

As for filter floss, i estimate about 30 to 45 $ / year

So a total of 130 $ - 170 $ MAX without considering water bills for regular upkeep. Well, next time my wife asks, i have a number to give!!!! Curently i didnt calculate heater costs, but may put a small one in one of my 10g ones...

How can i reduce this??? The only way is to first lower stocking levels to reduce the filter requirements and thus filter floss change as well and the number of filters on. This is much harder than it sounds, but i am sure it can be achieved. As i have low light requirements, lowering time or quantity will not result in that much of a saving worth jumping up for.


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## Lee_D (Jun 11, 2010)

Water Change Cost?

Run your sprinkler for an afternoon and you will likely use a years supply of water changes.

I'm running 7 Rena three's, 10 four foot T5 HO's and 8 3 foot T5 HO's

I figure my Hydro is about $200 a month without doing the math.

P.S. Heaters don't really count because the waste heat warms your house.

Lee


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

Lee_D said:


> P.S. Heaters don't really count because the waste heat warms your house.
> 
> Lee


Uh yes they do, because:

1- It takes far more energy to heat up water than air.

2- Electric heating is more costly than natural gas heating.


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## John_C (Dec 17, 2007)

*heaters...*

I found since eliminating the use of heaters, that energy consumption from the hobby was drastically reduced.

I haven't tried LED yet, but that will be my next endeavor.. The HO T5 though consumes far less than metal Halide or power compact!

Running the lights past the prime consumption hours too goes a long way. If you're fortunate enough to have a green room though, that just solves everything! SOmething I'll have to take on eventually


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## 50seven (Feb 14, 2010)

I once put my wattage meter on my entire 90G reef system; then punched all the data into a spreadsheet to calculate the price during peak hours, etc. 

The final cost was just under $30 per month, putting my annual electricity costs at about $360/year

I have switched all my lights to LED, but have not yet had the opportunity to test the power consumption again. Though I won't say that the lower operating costs were my deciding factors for switching.


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

here is the best way to save 

http://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/ocean-wonders-aquarium-with-remote-control/207466

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## 50seven (Feb 14, 2010)

LOL dude that is brilliant! 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## jediwiggles (Aug 29, 2009)

*paying for light*

Just a thought...if your insane like me...Put your tank in the sun 

I get plenty of ambient light to keep my plants happy, even on cloudy days. Also provides 'natural' light.

Go ahead and tell me that putting a tank in the sun is nuts. As long as you stay ontop of algae its not a big deal. 

I run my 2xt5ho for about 4 hours so I get some time to view my tank after work...roughly 6-10pm.

Yeah its a lot of light, but if you control the balance of co2, and nutrients you'll find the show is quite rewarding.

Although now that I've seen the numbers, 70 bucks to pay for lighting over a year is a drop in the bucket as far as this hobby's concerned.

Just my 2 cents,

Matt


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## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

i wanted to do that too, but unfortunately, where the sun is hitting most of the days in the year, could not place my large 75g aquarium. I only really get sun there in the summer time. Wallstad does put the tank facing the sun light too by the way.


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## Scotmando (Jul 10, 2011)

sig said:


> here is the best way to save
> 
> http://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/ocean-wonders-aquarium-with-remote-control/207466


I'm switching all my tanks to these! LOL


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