# Higher electric rates



## buffalo (Mar 6, 2010)

Anyone concerned about their aquarium electricity use especially those with multiple aquariums? Higher peak rates coming May 1st. Those with reef and planted aquarium has the lighting issues, those with large aquarium have the higher wattage heaters. Anyone making any changes or just absorb the higher cost?


----------



## mitko1994 (Dec 12, 2012)

Well I guess ppl don't really have a choice they will either close down tanks or tank the cost. 


EDIT: Unless someone comes up with a perpetuum mobile way to produce power


----------



## c31979839 (Nov 26, 2014)

How about the next best thing, we could all go and put solar panels on our roofs, dig down deep and grab some geothermal energy and put a wind turbine on our chimneys. 

Sure the return on investment would be like a gazillion years, but you wouldn't have to pay the higher hydro rates


----------



## darkangel66n (May 15, 2013)

All my lights are timed for off peak running.


----------



## Bullet (Apr 19, 2014)

Thanks to all who voted Liberal - again !


----------



## bob123 (Dec 31, 2009)

I agree with Bullet thank the Liberal voters. I have my lights on after seven at night and now most of my tanks don't have heaters in them. The tanks for my Discus and Altums need to be heated to 30c so they have heaters.


----------



## bettaforu (Sep 6, 2009)

Liberals...... Nothing they do has any good for Ontario, yet people keep on letting them away with everything! Get smart vote Conservative next time, then maybe we might save some money and our fish!


----------



## buffalo (Mar 6, 2010)

bob123 said:


> I agree with Bullet thank the Liberal voters. I have my lights on after seven at night and now most of my tanks don't have heaters in them. The tanks for my Discus and Altums need to be heated to 30c so they have heaters.


You can add styrofoam insulation to the back and the sides of the aquarium that you can't view. Those running 200 -300+watt Leds or those with mh will certainly see a difference in the bill if they run through on peak hours.
Not sure what you can do about high wattage heaters; at least they not constantly on.

Our water rates are also getting on the ridiculous side. i now pay for water what i use to pay for electricity and water combined just 6 yrs ago


----------



## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

mitko1994 said:


> Well I guess ppl don't really have a choice they will either close down tanks or tank the cost.


they do have a choice, when voting for a party and they made they choice. Now bend over and relax

and

now all prices will jump

*100% free webcam site! | Awesome chicks and it is absolutely free! | Watch free live sex cam - easy as 1-2-3*


----------



## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

This is too funny. People here have very short memories. You forget the mess created by the previous Conservative regime when they were last in control. They sold off major assets and still increased the provincial debt and harmed the provinces credit rating. The province has yet to recover from that. The federal Conservatives are just as bad, or worse. They have spent your tax dollars like drunken sailors while reducing benefits (8 deficit budgets vs Chretien/Martin's 11 consecutive surplus budgets)). Perhaps you have noticed how much more it costs to eat or how much we are paying for gas, when oil prices have tumbled? 
So, someone (all of us) needs to hold the Liberals accountable, because they have done a poor job, but if you think the Conservatives would have been better, you need to give your head a shake.
As to the original question, I don't expect it will make much difference to me as most of my tanks aren't heated or lit, and most of them are filtered using an 18 watt air pump.


----------



## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

My solution to the general issue was:

1) Low tech "freshwater" aquariums
2) Timer for lights to be on at 5pm - 1am (I would still get hit by this though)
3) Fish that DONT need heaters, ie coldwater fish.

It is limiting, but... managed it for 4 years. 

Well, funny that I just closed down my 75g tank...


----------



## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

BillD said:


> This is too funny. People here have very short memories. You forget the mess created by the previous Conservative regime when they were last in control. They sold off major assets and still increased the provincial debt and harmed the provinces credit rating. The province has yet to recover from that. The federal Conservatives are just as bad, or worse. They have spent your tax dollars like drunken sailors while reducing benefits (8 deficit budgets vs Chretien/Martin's 11 consecutive surplus budgets)). Perhaps you have noticed how much more it costs to eat or how much we are paying for gas, when oil prices have tumbled?
> So, someone (all of us) needs to hold the Liberals accountable, because they have done a poor job, but if you think the Conservatives would have been better, you need to give your head a shake.
> As to the original question, I don't expect it will make much difference to me as most of my tanks aren't heated or lit, and most of them are filtered using an 18 watt air pump.


Thank you for detailed response on this issue. 

*100% free webcam site! | Awesome chicks and it is absolutely free! | Watch free live sex cam - easy as 1-2-3*


----------



## Kooka (Feb 8, 2011)

BillD said:


> This is too funny. People here have very short memories. You forget the mess created by the previous Conservative regime when they were last in control. They sold off major assets and still increased the provincial debt and harmed the provinces credit rating. The province has yet to recover from that. The federal Conservatives are just as bad, or worse. They have spent your tax dollars like drunken sailors while reducing benefits (8 deficit budgets vs Chretien/Martin's 11 consecutive surplus budgets)). Perhaps you have noticed how much more it costs to eat or how much we are paying for gas, when oil prices have tumbled?
> So, someone (all of us) needs to hold the Liberals accountable, because they have done a poor job, but if you think the Conservatives would have been better, you need to give your head a shake.
> As to the original question, I don't expect it will make much difference to me as most of my tanks aren't heated or lit, and most of them are filtered using an 18 watt air pump.


So you're saying we really don't have an option when it comes to voting in the provincial elections? When Mike Harris was premier, he had to fix the BS the NDP caused. Of course he got crucified by the usual public sector culprits (teachers, bureaucrats, etc...) but it had to be done. The 407 sale to the Spaniards is probably my greatest gripe withe the PCs but that's another story... Yes, the Conservatives did sell off a lot of provincial assets but guess what, if you followed the news recently the Wynne liberals just sold off a majority stake in Ontario Hydro. The hydro price hikes we've seen recently can be directly attributed to the liberals complete and utter idiocy in managing our provinces hydro system. Even as far back as when McGuinty first came to power, they decided to shut down all the coal-fired power plants in the province in favor of "green energy". Well that "green energy" initiative they so ingeniously concocted has been costing us Ontario taxpayers billions of dollars in lost funds that could have went to something more worthwhile like better healthcare or improved infrastructure that we so sorely lack. We shut down our coal power plants which were some of the most efficient and clean power plants in the world, while the Americans just across the lake continue to use theirs... But wait, there's more! What about those clean, environmentally friendly gas power plants they were supposed to build in Mississauga and Oakville? Oh yeah, well they changed their mind, even though construction already started because oh I don't know, they wanted to win those ridings in the election? And best of all, that small debacle ended up costing us taxpayers another cool billion dollars. But I get it, like Greg said we continue to bend over and take it because people are in general apathetic sheeple.


----------



## Bullet (Apr 19, 2014)

Well said Kooka


----------



## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

Perhaps this is the wrong place for a political discussion, and should be moved to the general part of the forum. Again, some forget the mess created by Mike Harris. Through 8 years of boom, the conservatives managed to increase the provincial debt, lower their credit rating, reduce services, download services to municipalities, turn over many parts to the private sector (besides selling the 407 and the MOT), and still left a deficit.
As I said earlier, voters need to hold the government accountable, and waiting until election day is too late. If you look at the federal conservatives, they are claiming a balanced budget, for the first time in 8 years, with a $1.4 billion surplus. However, they, in fact, ran a $600 million deficit, and took(stole?) $2 billion from the contingency fund. So, basically they have used $2 billion of your tax dollars to buy votes, just as they have been using your tax dollars for the last four or more years for campaign ads, (Job Plan Canada ring a bell?). For me, I look at Mike Duffy, Pamela Wallin, And Brazeau, and it tells me all I need to know about Harper. Not only does he surround himself with scumbags, he appoints them to cash for life positions.


----------



## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

I guess it's human nature to complain when the price of anything is raised. I am certainly not happy that my electricity bill will be going up.

However, it would be good to keep things in perspective. Canada enjoys one of the lowest electricity rates in the world. As globalization increases and third-world nations begin to consume more energy, the price of all gas and electricity is bound to rise. It doesn't matter what political party is in charge, you can't avoid that trend.


----------



## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

I think we all are annoyed with the increase in cost for electricity, because of the reasons for it. We are paying more than many places in the US, and way more than Quebec. When you add the rise in other living costs, such as food, because of the low value of our dollar, (due to failed economic policy spawned by the mind of the Master economist, Harper) it is getting more difficult to get by.


----------



## CanadaCorals.com (May 12, 2013)

The solution is simple.

http://www.teslamotors.com/powerwall


----------



## bluegularis (May 12, 2010)

it doesn't matter who is in power they all do a screw up job.

Basically conserve, use hydro when it is cheapest, no reason for fish lights to be on during the day, they can be on at night. Heat your room instead of the individual tanks it is cheaper.

I just get erked due to the Fed govmt, I now have to work till I am 67 before I can officially retire while all the cronies in Ottawa get a golden hand shake after two terms (8 years in parliament)and can get a life time pension and rob us blind in the process.


----------



## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

BillD said:


> I think we all are annoyed with the increase in cost for electricity, because of the reasons for it. We are paying more than many places in the US, and *way more than Quebec*. When you add the rise in other living costs, such as food, because of the low value of our dollar, (due to failed economic policy spawned by the mind of the Master economist, Harper) it is getting more difficult to get by.


That's because Quebec has a "national" hydroelectric program, paid for by provincial taxes. Quebec has one of the highest provincial tax rates.

All in all, my electricity bill is a small part of my living costs.


----------



## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

solarz said:


> All in all, my electricity bill is a small part of my living costs.


Good point. I wonder how communications bills (phone, cable, internet) compare with hydro bills for various people.


----------



## darkangel66n (May 15, 2013)

Mine is huge. $325 a month for electric only.


----------



## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

I am around $380 every 2 months except in June, July, and August, which adds about $100 a month for air.


----------



## Fragbox (Dec 14, 2011)

here is ours for April and it was a good month!! Winter months is much worse 
when I dont give discounts now you know why : (


----------



## mousey (Mar 28, 2011)

Things are still relatively cheap here. Just got back from Big Island Hawaii.. Was not prepared for the price of food!
We went on the cheap by renting homes VRBO. Did not eat out even once.my daughter and husband ate fish and chips one night but the rest of the time we ate in. Paid $10.00 for a gallon of milk, eggs$6.00, bread $8.69 a loaf.bottled water was over $6 for 24 bottles plus a $1.60 recycling fee and then 4% tax on everything even food.
I am on a special diet so basically can not eat out safely.however i did call one restaurant to see if they could accomodate me and yes they could. The cheapest dish they would do for me was $31! Needless to say we cooked a lot of pasta with some fish on occasion. Nothing local either-- alaskan salmon. 
Bananas are grown on the island but the stores carried ecuadorian fruit. Bananas were $1.79 per pound,and a small pineapple cost us over $6.00. Papaya, mangos, avocados, were per pound and more than we pay here in the gta.
Both homes we rented made it very clear that we were to be as thrifty as possible with hydro because of the high rates. We never found out what exactly they were but it seemed to be an issue. Since we were paying about $1000 a week we did not deny ourselves the heat on the cold side of the island nor a/ c on the hot side


----------



## mousey (Mar 28, 2011)

Found out that our rates are $.16 kwh. Hawaii is $.43 kwh


----------

