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08-12-2003, 01:52 PM
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#1
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SLASH Member
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: St Louis, MO
Posts: 384
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what have you done to cut costs?
what have the rest of you done to cut costs in your electric bill
my roommate and I are struggling to keep a budgetable bill with our tanks
any suggestions?
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08-12-2003, 02:00 PM
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#2
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: NYC
Posts: 290
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Being an electrician I tapped off the neighbors pole  Shhhhhhhh.
Serious though I dont know if there is much ya can do. Find out what type of light your guys need and give them that, dont over light? Keep the room cool so the chiller doesnt go on much? Replace old gear.
It's an expence that sadly goes with the program.
__________________
Give a man a fish he eats for a day, Teach him to fish and he sits in a boat all day and drinks beer!
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08-12-2003, 02:09 PM
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#3
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ROOTS...ROCKS...REGGAE
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: south suburbs of Chicago,Il USA
Posts: 1,214
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There are a few of things you can do but most have to be done when buying and setting up the tank. For example, return pumps. Not all are made the same. Some, like the bigger MAG pumps are energy hogs. I have a MAG 12 that uses as much electricity as my Dolphin that moves 3 x the water.
Another energy hog that most people don't think about is the skimmer. Many are using high gph(high wattage=$$) pumps to drive the skimmer. Since a skimmer runs 24/7 this can add up. I went with a needle wheel skimmer that uses 2 -35 watt pumps instead of a skimmer that requires 10X plus that. |
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08-12-2003, 03:22 PM
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#4
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Wilmington, NC
Posts: 168
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If you have your own RO machine feed the waste water into the washing machine. It'll help a little.
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08-12-2003, 03:27 PM
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#5
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Minnetonka, MN
Posts: 184
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Quote:
Originally posted by laddy00
If you have your own RO machine feed the waste water into the washing machine. It'll help a little.
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so, just how does this help cut the electric bill  JK
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08-12-2003, 03:36 PM
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#6
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Big Fishy
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Vancouver, WA
Posts: 585
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kicked the kids out, gave the dog away, sold the car...
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08-12-2003, 03:37 PM
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#7
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It can be rebuilt.
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Pittsboro, NC
Posts: 19,158
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you can replace all of the lights in the house with PC flourescents. this helped out alot with us. we have 12 main lights in the house that we would keep on. they are 65w apiece. the PC versions are 14w apiece.
G~
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Think Tanker
Friends Don't Let Friends Use Refugiums!
Reef Knowledge Impaired
"J" crowd member.
My Build Thread
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08-12-2003, 03:39 PM
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#8
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Brooklyn Center, MN
Posts: 134
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Solartube
Somebody here uses solar tubes (skylights) as a replacement for MH, this could reduce your bill. Especially if you factor in replacement bulb cost. Probably have to supplement to create optimal color, but worth a search.
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08-12-2003, 03:42 PM
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#9
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Guest
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Quote:
Originally posted by squid
kicked the kids out, gave the dog away, sold the car...
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lol....... but serously you had to sell the car too!
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08-12-2003, 03:54 PM
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#10
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Big Fishy
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Vancouver, WA
Posts: 585
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Clint, it was electric garage door LOL
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08-12-2003, 04:03 PM
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#11
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Wilmington, NC
Posts: 168
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Quote:
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so, just how does this help cut the electric bill JK
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Well it doesn't but the thread is entitled what have you done to cut costs? So if you pay for water it might help out a little.
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08-12-2003, 04:14 PM
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#12
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SLASH Member
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: St Louis, MO
Posts: 384
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yeah, we dont' have to pay for water
but thanks for the suggestions so far, I've cut all of my tanks down to an 8 hour photoperiod, 6 for the MH
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08-12-2003, 05:22 PM
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#13
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Big Fishy
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Vancouver, WA
Posts: 585
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One thing that might help. The electric company charges what is called "peak" usage. This means that if your lights come on all at once, stagger them. I see you say 8 hr photoperiod, 6 for MH. If you have more than one of any of these, have each bulb come on about 5 mintues or so apart. We did this at the shop and it really helped out a lot. For some this is not a problem, for others it's a point, but it can cut down somewhat on the electric bill
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08-12-2003, 06:32 PM
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#14
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shark bait
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: south of the north pole
Posts: 778
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__________________
Remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday. -- Dale Carnegie
Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.
-- Terry Pratchett
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08-12-2003, 06:46 PM
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#15
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SF
Posts: 61
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a little outside the box...
sometimes you just can't cut down the electricity bill for the tank, so what i try to do is cut corners in other ways. one thing i do is substitute a Kent SuperBuffer with Baking soda (79 cents) and mrs. wages instead of kalk. these substitutions alone save me at least $30 a month.
oh yeah, keeping your pumps and powerheads clean are supposed to help them run more efficiently... not sure if or how that would affect its overall electrical consumption.
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how about running only a one aquarium 
