# Hydro bill



## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

Since one tank is never enough for shrimp keeping, the utility bill adds up really quickly if you have multiple tanks.

I did some calculation, if you have multiple tanks, it might be a good time to stop reading this post and pretend you have never seen this.

My assumption:
Off peak rate is about 6.3c/kw, On peak is 11.3c/kw.
All other charges including paying our hydro one friends' retirement, is about 5c/kw.

So, here is what I got, please correct me if wrong, and this is before tax, and without adding in the fix cost that isn't affected by usage.

off peak per watt per hr/day:
1w * 30day * .12 = $0.0036

on peak per watt per hr/day:
1w * 30day * .17 = $0.0051

all day:
1w * 24hr * 30day & .15 (average) = 0.108

So, some real examples,

- a 10w filter, running 24/7, is about $1/month 
- a 50w heater, assuming 50% on to maintain the temp, is about $2.50/month.
- 30W lighting, 10hr/day, is about $1.10/month, if you set the time to all off peak.
- 20w lighting, 10hr/day, is about $1.60/month, if you set the time to all on peak.

Put into perspective more,
A 20G tank with a 10w filter, 30w light (only off peak), 5w air pump, 50w heater cost you $1 (filter) + $1.10 (lighting) + $0.5 (air pump) + $2.50 (heater) = $5.10/month (without heater is $2.60/month).

Now, I have 10 tanks..... that's ...hmm....shhhhhh, don't tell my wife lol


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

On the other hand, if you smoke 1 pack less per month, you can add two more tanks.... if you quit smoking all together, you can probably run 20+ tanks with the saving. Too bad for non-smokers though, because even if you keep being a non-smoker, you save nothing lol


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## Egonsgirl (Feb 28, 2012)

Randy,,,, you are sooooo cruel...lol Thanks for sharing the sad news. Actually I found the numbers kinda relieving. I would have thought it would cost more overall.


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## getochkn (Jul 10, 2011)

I pretend it's not there and it's always been that much that I've paid. lol.

I've been downsizing some tanks so it's easier when I have to move but when I move and setup a nice rack, power is going to be a big concern of mine. I'm thinking possibly HMF for all the filtration, then just need 1 air pump and can power 20+ tanks. Lighting is going to be the big one, I might bite the bullet an go LED lights for it to save money in the long run. I want to do a nice rack, and I'm good with electronics so wiring it and doing LED's a bit DIY style will probably save some money there though.


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Certainly no question that lighting and heating are the two big consumers.. and heat is somewhat dependent on the ambient temperatures. So is it cheaper to have the home heat high enough that no tank needs a heater, or set the home heat as low as you can tolerate it and heat any tank that needs more than that.

LEDS are cheaper to run, but they are not cheap to start with, whereas flourescent lighting basic fixtures are not very expensive. The metal Halides I've seen, while I've no experience with them, use high wattage bulbs and produce a lot of waste heat. 

I'd love to know the difference between running what I run just now, which is approximately 12 x 23 W compact flourescent bulbs and an equivalent light output in LEDS. My lights grow most of the plants I want to grow, but not very high light ones. As I understand it at this point, only certain, high end LEDS will adequately grow anything other than low light plants, so how much wattage do the LEDS that can grow good plants use ? Are they the same as the ones that produce ordinary home LED lighting ? They're still costly to buy compared to others, but the lifespan is supposed to be so much longer and the cost to run them so much less, they should pay for themselves at some point.

I know I have to be careful of the total wattage I have hooked up, but it's less the actual cost than the fact I have only one outlet to plug most of it into, so I have to keep the usage as low as possible to avoid overloading the circuit. So far, so good.. but if I add much more in the way of tanks, I'll have a problem.


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

The LED lights that have the same kind of output of, say, a 23w CFL is going to be very very expensive. I have a LED light that's probably like $70 for a small 10G tank.... it just can't compare with the 11w CFL for the tank beside it. I'll see the moss/plants in that tank in a few months.

Actually, even with a 30W light running 10hr/day, it's about $1.50 a month. I think that's not too too bad. For shrimp tanks < 20G, 30w should be plenty.

Jay, get a powerful enough air pump and you'll be looking at around 30w. By my calculation it will run you about $3.00 a month. Not too bad. Consider it will be able to run at least 30 to 40 sponge filter or lifters for HMF. Even if you get a 5w filter, 20 tanks will be 100w, that's $10.00/month. Last time I check, 5w doesn't get you anything for a filter.


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## getochkn (Jul 10, 2011)

I'm not sure what LED you have, but if they're not CREE or CREE knock-offs, they probably aren't that bright. I had the Marineland LED strip and paid like $140 for it and it sucked. 

I'll have to price it out. a 48" Dual T5 home depot special and 2 bulbs, that are 23w each, would be 46w and a 48" would fit over 4x20gals sideways, 16 tanks, 4 shop light fixtures at 46w, 184w for lighting and about $18 a month if I run them during the night, which I probably will off peak to keep it cheaper and cooler since this will probably be it's own shrimp room. All air powered filters, and it wouldn't cost that much I guess.


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

getochkn said:


> I'm not sure what LED you have, but if they're not CREE or CREE knock-offs, they probably aren't that bright. I had the Marineland LED strip and paid like $140 for it and it sucked.
> 
> I'll have to price it out. a 48" Dual T5 home depot special and 2 bulbs, that are 23w each, would be 46w and a 48" would fit over 4x20gals sideways, 16 tanks, 4 shop light fixtures at 46w, 184w for lighting and about $18 a month if I run them during the night, which I probably will off peak to keep it cheaper and cooler since this will probably be it's own shrimp room. All air powered filters, and it wouldn't cost that much I guess.


It all goes down to you have to pay to play. Plus, if you can sell one CRS per month per tank, you probably get the cost back. And I think paying $50 a month for this fine hobby is something I'm willing to do anyway.


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## getochkn (Jul 10, 2011)

randy said:


> It all goes down to you have to pay to play. Plus, if you can sell one CRS per month per tank, you probably get the cost back. And I think paying $50 a month for this fine hobby is something I'm willing to do anyway.


Oh for sure, $50 a month for the hobby is fine, even if I don't sell any. I watch my roomies go fishing all summer and by the time you add in gas, power to charge the boat battery, bait, timmies, line respooling, you're easily at $50 a month. I have friends that go out to the bar and spend twice that a week.


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

getochkn said:


> Oh for sure, $50 a month for the hobby is fine, even if I don't sell any. I watch my roomies go fishing all summer and by the time you add in gas, power to charge the boat battery, bait, timmies, line respooling, you're easily at $50 a month. I have friends that go out to the bar and spend twice that a week.


I fish too, and usually fish places 1.5-2 hrs away. Good thing is I usually get some money back from fishing so it's not too bad. Otherwise, just gas for one trip will cost me as much as all my tank utility cost for a month and more.


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## getochkn (Jul 10, 2011)

Where do you get money back, tournies or selling the fish?


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

getochkn said:


> Where do you get money back, tournies or selling the fish?


Selling the fish you catch is illegal in Canada, unless you have a commercial license. I do tourneys and get lucky often.


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## getochkn (Jul 10, 2011)

randy said:


> Selling the fish you catch is illegal in Canada, unless you have a commercial license. I do tourneys and get lucky often.


Whatdo you fish mostly? Are you into the carp tourneys?


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

getochkn said:


> Whatdo you fish mostly? Are you into the carp tourneys?


I used to do more carp tourneys but haven't done any in the last two years due to back problem. It puts too much pressure on my back reeling in 20lb+ carp ;-) I do mostly match fishing (European style) now. Similar to carp tourneys but shorter period (4 to 5 hrs) and in general you catch smaller fish.


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## getochkn (Jul 10, 2011)

randy said:


> I used to do more carp tourneys but haven't done any in the last two years due to back problem. It puts too much pressure on my back reeling in 20lb+ carp ;-) I do mostly match fishing (European style) now. Similar to carp tourneys but shorter period (4 to 5 hrs) and in general you catch smaller fish.


PM some info, my roomies would be interested. He's big in fishing, won a few small tourneys around here.


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## razoredge (Dec 31, 2011)

randy said:


> I fish too, and usually fish places 1.5-2 hrs away. Good thing is I usually get some money back from fishing so it's not too bad. Otherwise, just gas for one trip will cost me as much as all my tank utility cost for a month and more.


I love fishing!! I've gone as far as Timmons for a camping trip and caught pickeral / pike. My favorite is still bass. I enjoy them flying out of the water and spitting out the bait if it's not hooked properly. I want to get back to Salmon fishing but haven't ventured out on Lake Ontario I remember how fun it was fishing on the Fraser river in Vancouver when I was younger.


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## CRJ (Sep 7, 2012)

so my new tank with that pricing will average out to $36.72 per month. 

thats not terrible, i can live with that.


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## MananaP (Jul 6, 2012)

Best way i have done so far to reduce electric bill is by using sun blaster lighting which connect in series & invest on a good air pump that can run all your tank instead of having a canister filter on each tank. My next set-up(rack system) will be based on this & temp is controlled by room temperature which is run throughout the house & down to the basement.


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## Ryan.Wilton (Dec 12, 2012)

So... basically $55 to run 10 aquariums monthly? That's not horrible all things considered. If you think about it realistically. You spent probably that much extra on a yearly basis for just having your TV plugged in (even when not turned on).


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