[Hingeback]

Hi

This is first post, hope you can help.

Just got electric bill and wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Knew bill would be high but increase in charges have pushed it out of proportion.

Need to reduce wattage.

My tank is aqua medic 180 running

3 x aqua medic 2500L pumps (114 watts ) 2 are circ pumps and 1 returning water from back filter

3500L pump running aquamedic skimmer 54 watts

3500L aquamedic for sump 54 watts

7000L tunze stream ( 15 w )

going to replace 2 circ pumps with 2 tunze nano streams 4500L each 8 w each and maybe add a 3rd if this is not too much flow ( need opinion ). without skimmer pump the total would be 26500L per hour

Need to replace skimmer pump or whole skimmer, the aqua medic returning water from filter and sump pump any ideas on cost effective pumps

I know its going to be expensive but long term believe me its going to save a lot.

Will post lighting question in appropriate forum

Thanks in advance

Hingeback

[Poseidon]

I am not real good with L/h but I believe as long as your substrate stays on the bottom, it is not to much flow!

I am also considering reducing my watt draw on pumps, so far the most efficient pumps are indeed the tunzes! For a return pump, the "Red Dragons" are the BEST by far, but they are VERY pricey. Here is a link to one from one of our sponsors, and as far as I know the only place that sells them in the states...

Red Dragon

Hopefully you can take advantage of those money savers!

[Hingeback]

Thanks for reply

Just wondering what electricity supply prices are like in the U.S, to run a 100 watt appliance here in the UK for 12 hours a day for a year would cost £50 ( $90 ).

My supply company are wanting me to pay £200 ( $380 ) a month. Obviously this is not all my tank but I have to make savings as well.

Hingeback

[Poseidon]

I have had bills like that! (Including Natural Gas for heat though.) An average month is between 180-200 though. Usually the electric portion of my bill is around $150. I figure my tank costs $50-60 per month to run, but that is just an estimate on my part.

Here is a run down of my equipment:

2x250W Metal halides (9 Hours a day)
1 110W VHO Actinic (10 hours)
1 Iwaki 70RLT 345W (24 hours)
1 Tunze 6060 11W (YAY)
2 heaters (500W total) unknown how often they kick on
1 Chiller (650W when operating, thankfully only runs 2-3 hours in the summer a day)
1 57W UV (24 hours)
2 100W heaters in salt and fresh water resovoirs
Misc other little things, Refugium light, mixing pumps, etc...

See why I don't what to KNOW exactly how much I Pay???

I would really like to reduce the draw from my return pump, but then I would probably end up with 2 smaller pumps, that will draw nearly as much wattage anyway.