Energy Usage? And stands..

[SweetCarolin237]

Hi all -
I'm new to the forum and relatively new to fishkeeping! I had a pair of goldfish as a teenager but that's it. I'm looking to get back into the hobby and considering a 55 or 75 gallon African cichlid tank with a canister filter, and of course, lights and heaters. My roommates are somewhat concerned about energy usage - do you all have any guidance on this? My preliminary research seems to indicate it won't be out of control pricewise but I'd love to get some input from you all.

Also, I'm wondering about stands...the ones at Petco and Petsmart seem too flimsy for a tank of the size I'd like. Does anyone have experience with these? I may also consider building a stand, but my carpentry skills can definitely be characterized as 'novice' and I'm not sure I want to trust a 900 pound tank to my skill level. Any guidance would be helpful. Thanks!!

Caroline

 

[Rare]

To get an idea look for the watts of each unit you are planning to get & then see what your electric company is charging & do the math. The best other way is to buy a simple device that is about $20-$30 like " to kill a watt" and you plug in the numbers of what electric company is charging and it will tell you how many watts you are using, how many watts a day, a week, a month & a year & how much as well for a day, week, month & year. Not the answer you wanted but the best bet to let them have a peace of mind at the end and to be fair. Let the unit run for a week & you will have a good idea once you get your aquarium.