Newbie Woes

[jagdad]

I inherited a 300 gal saltwater reef/fish tank when I bought my house a year ago. It has been a great experience but the cost and time required are starting t get to me. It costs me about $200-$300 a month just to power the 3/4 hp pump, the areator pump, the chiller, and the lights!

I would like to keep the tank but just reduce my costs, like below $50-$75 a month. Any advice/suggestions are welcome. I figure I have to get rid of the Corals since they are the things that seem to need the most care and support equipment. I need advice on the animals as well.

It is a beautiful tank with 4 large candy canes, a Flower coral, a large Elegance coral, and some more I am not so sure of.

I am attaching some pics. I will post more later
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[mopar9012]

would you consider down sizing?

 

[jagdad]

The aquarium is built in and can be seen from the living room and the kitchen so I don't think I can downsize. The chiller is to keep the water temp at 75 degf. As I understand it, the corals need that. I do not know what an SPS is. Attached are some pics of the equipment.
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[stickx911]

many of us run our tanks at 80 degrees (give or take). Cut the chiller slowly to 80. like 1 degree every couple of days or weeks.

You have a pretty tank, and I'm sure you can find a way to just make it more economical without selling anything (livestock wise)

Just a thought:
If you have it so it tops itself off (which I'm sure it does). Once you get the temp adjusted to 80, you may try to put a big fan over your sump to come on with the lights, and you may be able to do without the chiller except in sumer maybe. A clip on fan or 2 use a lot less energy than a chiller.

 

[cooper]

I would gradually raise the temperature to about 78 -79 (although my tank works fine at 80 to 81), and your chiller may run less. I initially set my chiller at 78 and my power bill was like yours (almost) because my pumps keep my water at about 80 regardless of the time of year. Once I decided to let it run at 80, fans work just fine.

Also, if you have metal halide lights, you should consider replacing them with T5s or LED. If your tank is 48 inches, I have a Solaris (LED) that would work with these corals and fish and that I am willing to sell. Last summer, I upgraded to a 140 gal. in my condo and my a/c ran constantly because of the metal halides.

 

[coolsurf]

stickx911;373341 wrote: many of us run our tanks at 80 degrees (give or take). Cut the chiller slowly to 80. like 1 degree every couple of days or weeks.

You have a pretty tank, and I'm sure you can find a way to just make it more economical without selling anything (livestock wise)

Once you get the temp adjusted to 80, you may try to put a big fan over your sump to come on with the lights, and you may be able to do without the chiller except in sumer maybe...

This is a very accurate point. Even a reef tank can go above 80 degrees. I do not use a chiller and just run a fan blowing at my sump and it works great. A lot more cost efficient as well.

SPS are mainly hard corals. They require high light as well as most LPS. You may want to trade hard corals with some folks from ARC for some softies and run a less intense lighting. Other good points brought up by folks about replacing the pump with a more cost efficient one. There are always ways to help with cost but even as Ares said, it shouldn't run you that kind of money each month.

 

[stickx911]

You can also raise the light off the tank some to help with cooling.

If it would look ok, you can adjust the photo period (the time the lights come on). Reduce it so that all three bulbs are on only maybe 4 hours a day, and just the 2 outside ones 6-8 or maybe even just the center for a few hours before and after the other two come on.

 

[dakota9]

This is what I'd do to cut energy costs on a tank like that.

Any sps/light loving clams would have to go.

Cheap 48 watt LED fixtures on Ebay (you'd need one for every linear foot) They've gotten good reviews. Quality CF lighting might surfice if you move some inverts up the rock pile.

Cut down on the flow for your return pump. Most people run to high a return anyway, figure out the minimum you'd need, and purchase a quality pump accordingly if your current return isn't what you need.

Go with tunze for circulation pumps as they are one of the best energy wise. You don't need a lot of flow with softies and LPS, so that helps the energy bill right there.

Your tank is too cool actually!!!!!! What is the temp on that system with the chiller turned off? A constant 82 degrees would be fine, as long as it were constant.

The price of these purchases can be off set by selling the equipment you'd be replacing, as (sans LED lighting) you are actually downgrading.....

 

[jagdad]

Thanks for all the great advice! I will start raising the temps immediately.

I do have 3 big halide lamps. I think they are like 250 watts each as well as a couple of fluorescents, not counting the fluorescents on the algae tank in the basement. They are on a timer that mimics the seasons, so they are on longer in the summer. They have an exhaust fan on the hood.

Got to go for now but thanks again!

 

[seedless reefer]

From the pictures it doesnt look like a 300 gallon tank.

Pictures can be deceiving but if i had to guess I would say its a 150 tops.

 

[stickx911]

you may consider a reverse season schedule then. The longer the lights are on the more heat. More heat will help you more in the winter.

 

[cr500_af]

Seedless Reefer;373442 wrote: From the pictures it doesnt look like a 300 gallon tank.

Pictures can be deceiving but if i had to guess I would say its a 150 tops.

What he said.

 

[delloman]

Theres no way that thang uses $300 in power. Non tank related if you replace your house bolbs with compact fluresents you will see dermatic reduction in cost. By doing this at my house i was able to add 3 1000w lights with no increse in power.

 

[jagdad]

You guys guys are right. It isn't 300 gal.

Dimensions (of the water inside the tank) 64"L X 27"D X 40"W = 69,120 CU IN = 299.22 GAL :lol2: (Sorry, couldn't help myself) (I am not kidding about the dimensions though.)

As far as the power, you were closer than me. The best I can figure with everything I can think of, it works out to ~$160/mo. Its just that I've never had a bill over about $150 in a similar sized house in Georgia and my last 2 bills have been $350 and $390. After all that figuring, it looks like the $160/mo is at least in the ball park. It looks like I have some other efficiency work on the house to do.

If I get the temp up to 80 degf, will I be able to pretty much keep the chiller off? I will raise the lights up and put a fan over the sump if I need to as well.

Thanks again for the help.

jagdad

 

[fish scales2]

I think so. With the combination of decreasing photoperiod, raising the lights slightly if possible and the introduction of a couple of fans you should be just fine. I hope for you.

Chris

 

[smoothie]

Also check into to getting a timer for your hot water heater, insulating it, digital thermostat/ regulator for your ac, clean the coil off, and check you window and door seals. That alone will save you some bucks.