Electricity bill

[That Fish kid]

I recently have been bugging my dad for a pond and he said the electricity bill is already high enough. Does anyone else have high electricity
bills from their tanks?

 

[PolyptRus]

I recently have been bugging my dad for a pond and he said the electricity bill is already high enough. Does anyone else have high electricity
bills from their tanks?

Tanks don't generally run alot of electricity as far as i know. The filters, lights, pumps, heaters etc.... Are all built to run on as low energy as possible because they have to be constantly running. A friend of mine owns a bunch of big tanks over 125 gal id say atleast 3 and on top of that they bought a pet store set up and put it in there garage. They told me aquarium don't run alot of energy they actually went and bought a single solar panel and it runs the whole set up.

 

[HUKIT]

My electric bill due to the fish tanks averages around $200-225 each month. With over 3000 watts in heaters, 3 Fluval FX'5's, a large Alita AL40 air pump running 25 sponge filters, 10 Aquaclear 70's, a Quiet One 8000 return pump, dozens of T5HO fixtures, not to mention the cost of weekly 50% water changes using changing over 750g per week(I'm on a well so I've got a well pump and sump pump running) I can assure you it's not cheap. So yes this hobby gets expensive quickly, thank the good man upstairs for a understanding wife!

 

[That Fish kid]

$300! my dad said the last one was $200. How much do you think a pond could add to this?

 

[Sharpchick]

$300! my dad said the last one was $200. How much do you think a pond could add to this?

I won't know the answer to that question for my bill until I get my bog filter built for my pond in a few weeks and get everything up and running.

I did just go back and review my Entergy account for the last 12 months.

One year ago, I had two tanks - a 29 gallon goldfish tank, with 3 filters, 1 heater and stock flourescent T8 lights and a 10 gallon with one filter, a heater, and stock fourescent lights. My bill that month was $96.

Round the clock air conditioning season started for me in April, 2012. My bill for that month was $107; the next month, $109, and then we hit June, July and August, and had the hottest August in Arkansas since record keeping began in 1889. My August bill was $138.

In January of this year, I started a 20 gallon planted tank with 2 filters, 1 heater and two el cheapo work lights from Lowes with 13 watt CFL bulbs. I also removed the stock lights from the 29 and the 10, and added work lights with 23 watt CFLs on the 29, and 1 work light with a 13 watt CFL on the 10. My bill, which included a rate increase from Entergy, was $99 in February.

I now am running three additional tanks - two 4 gallon nanos with stock LED lights, and a new 10 gallon with 1 filter, 1 heater and a work light. I just paid my bill due in April, and it was $98.

So I'd say my 6 tanks have had a negligible effect on my electricity bill. I do not use an electric clothes dryer - I hang my clothes and have been doing so for the last 2 1/2 years. That dropped my electricity bill by 30% immediately.

But that's just my own situation...

 

[That Fish kid]

Your bill is pretty low! I guess it also depends on how many people are in the house. I hope I can convince my dad to let me have a pond. Is it possible?

 

[Sharpchick]

Your bill is pretty low! I guess it also depends on how many people are in the house. I hope I can convince my dad to let me have a pond. Is it possible?

You're right about the number of people in the house. I'm the only two legged mammal in mine. I work M-F.

But I also think there's a lot of mistaken assumptions about aquarium heaters and energy usage. Yes, they are plugged in all the time in most temperate climates. But they aren't heating 24/7.

If you want to save some money on your electric bill, flip the breaker off to your electric water heater while you're gone for the day....

I hope you can get your pond.

 

[That Fish kid]

:Quote:If you want to save some money on your electric bill, flip the breaker off to your electric water heater while you're gone for the day....

I've never thought of that!

 

[PolyptRus]

Save energy during warm days by unplugging your heater in the summer i never use heaters. Also keeping a timer on your lights can help or just do what i do keep them on for a few hours than turn them off for a few hours helps to keep algae away too

 

[marsh]

Just my opinion, sorry to be blunt: the pond would raise his bill a bit but he is most likely using the electric bill as a general reason, because ponds are a pain to build and maintain and if he owns his home he doesn't want to risk hurting it's value if you(or anybody) does a poor job or abandons the project halfway.

My bill is also in California and runs over $200, up to $400 if we run the hot tub or space heaters in winter. We make wood fires because heaters cost a pretty penny to run! Two person household, many lights and tech gear on all the time besides 4 tanks..

The bill of a whole pond build is many many times what he would pay in higher utilities. good luck with that one yo.

edit: here is a tip from my parents: in our state now homeowners can simply "lease" solar panels, which alleviates the risk of having to pay maintenance costs or roofing repair costs.if you bought them outright.

I can ask the actual company name they used depending on where you're at. Bay Area?

 

[That Fish kid]

Just my opinion, sorry to be blunt: the pond would raise his bill a bit but he is most likely using the electric bill as a general reason, because ponds are a pain to build and maintain and if he owns his home he doesn't want to risk hurting it's value if you(or anybody) does a poor job or abandons the project halfway.

My bill is also in California and runs over $200, up to $400 if we run the hot tub or space heaters in winter. We make wood fires because heaters cost a pretty penny to run! Two person household, many lights and tech gear on all the time besides 4 tanks..

The bill of a whole pond build is many many times what he would pay in higher utilities. good luck with that one yo.

edit: here is a tip from my parents: in our state now homeowners can simply "lease" solar panels, which alleviates the risk of having to pay maintenance costs or roofing repair costs.if you bought them outright.

I can ask the actual company name they used depending on where you're at. Bay Area?

Don't worry I don't mind. It would be an above ground pond so it probably wont take away from the property value, right? Your right, he probably
doesnt want another thing to maintain.

Even though I'm only 14 I could probably do it myself. I think I'll use one of those galvanized troughs, maybe with a liner if it's unable to hold up. I've been reading up on filtration, plants, fish.

I still don't understand what the difference between a gravity fed pond and I can't remember the other kind.

:edit: I'm not sure if I understand your last question but I live in the Bay Area.

 

[marsh]

Well that might work. Find deals on Craigslist for used pools, pumps and supplies. The solar panels are just a good deal right now with competition in our area. But they won't cover $400! Unless he has a massive roof!

Does your dad like other family pets? Work the angle that fish have super huge personalities so he gets intrigued. Koi are a nice hobby

Hey btw this pond and aquarium store just went out of business in the South Bay. It was called dolphin pet village. They are still selling lots of stuff from their Facebook page. They had everything except the above ground pool, but lots of fitted tub ponds and various liners on rolls.

The owner is a lady named Brenda and she is a big A's fan. I bought sooooo much stuff before they closed a few months ago and got 50% off or more. I'm going back for corals as she had the best in town

 

[That Fish kid]

Yeah my dad actually loves fish. Hes the one who got me started when I saw his discus. We now have a dog, 2 cats, a hamster, three tanks, one of which is his 250g tanganyikan tank. So we like animals. He's had ponds when before I was born and loved them. So I think it's a matter of using the right phrasing to convince him.

I hope to have water lilies and lots of plants, but I don't know much about them.

Our house is pretty big, and my mom always bugs my dad for solar panels. Is there a way to buy a small one just for the pond?

Edit- Dolphin pet village? Where's that? I'll have to check it out!

 

[PockX]

My tanks raised my bill up about $20-30 a month extra.

 

[Reefer4eva]

I switched from metal halide to led's and now my chiller goes on once a day rather than 3 times an hour...my electric bill is now 58 dollars cheaper since I put the new lights on

 

[marsh]

Yes, learn all the koi names like Chagoi and Kohaku (only two I can recall ATM) and design pond plans with colored pencil diagrams. Lots of Latin plant names to seem professional.

I never got my fantasy pond so I hope you do! I got a horse instead which was what I was really obsessed with at the time! Thanks Ma! Now I have a big garden I don't even want to weed let alone dig into. jk I love to garden, ad under the tall grass I think I see a big hole. We just moved in so when I clear cut the yard if there is a big gap like I think there is I'm filling it up! Or gettin a goat

 

[That Fish kid]

I switched from metal halide to led's and now my chiller goes on once a day rather than 3 times an hour...my electric bill is now 58 dollars cheaper since I put the new lights on

Wow that's great!

 

[That Fish kid]

My tanks raised my bill up about $20-30 a month extra.

Not too bad!

 

[That Fish kid]

Yes, learn all the koi names like Chagoi and Kohaku (only two I can recall ATM) and design pond plans with colored pencil diagrams. Lots of Latin plant names to seem professional.

I never got my fantasy pond so I hope you do! I got a horse instead which was what I was really obsessed with at the time! Thanks Ma! Now I have a big garden I don't even want to weed let alone dig into. jk I love to garden, ad under the tall grass I think I see a big hole. We just moved in so when I clear cut the yard if there is a big gap like I think there is I'm filling it up! Or gettin a goat

I love horses, your very lucky.

I looked at the Dolphin Pet Village Facebook page and I'm not sure if their still selling stuff or not. Are they? Looks like it was a great store!

 

[54seaweed]

never really noticed a jump with my tanks only when the green house heater is running in winter