Energy Costs

omard · 06-02-2008, 08:04 AM

With skyrocketing energy costs, power to run our tanks takes on a much more critical factor on maintaining or startup up our energy hog systems.

Certainly plays a great role in any decision I may have had about increasing system size in future.

Unfortunately, like cars, downsizing becomes a very real possible requirement for many.

Going to be a killer for LFS's - greatly increasing their costs of doing business...not good for any of us...

God help those with home mega tanks.

Before I have to stop feeding my children completely to support my SW addiction, what idea's can we come up with to save on power costs...

Some initial thoughts I have are,

Keeping ave. temp at minimal level 75/76 degrees...?...lower?

Reducing light periods to minimum...(not set for "maximum growth" but minimum for safe survival)...

Stocking tank with lower light requiring species.

Insulating tank/sump areas somehow...? (covering tank with something when lights off at night? - insulating blanket, Styrofoam???)

Maximizing existing light efficiency...increase frequency of bulb replacement, making crystal clear water a priority, switching to less energy intensive lighting systems...ummm, what else?

Frizza · 06-02-2008, 08:13 AM

I think lighting has to be the most expensive thing to run on a tank. Hopefully LED's will eventually be the way forward and be more cost effective. There are new products coming out all of the time but it still remains to be seen whether it is a viable alternative, I have no doubt in a year or two that it will be.

Of course having lots of pumps wont help either. Buying a larger pump that can operate more than one piece of equipment would be a good idea, as long as the watts aren't greater than the smaller individual pumps!

Only having your electrical items on when you need it, stuff like ph monitors.

Can't really think of anything else!

Bogie · 06-02-2008, 08:29 AM

Since my skimmer is HOB, the pump is in the display tank. Well that 500 gph pump heats up the tank during the day. Since my skimmer is oversized for my tank, I'm planning on running my skimmer only at night. I've also propped up the tank lids to help cool the tank during the day (I don't have a chiller yet, but I may need one this summer.) I may switch to eggcrate covers and just deal with topping off the tank with fresh water every few days. I'll cut back on the actinic and daylight lights by one hour a day (turn on half hour later, and turn off half hour earlier) to help keep the tank cooler as well.

Iraf · 06-02-2008, 08:37 AM

I'm hoping some more competition comes up in the LED lites and some more reviews are done for them to say how they work with each type of coral/clam over time they haven't been marketed long enough to make me comfortable with them just yet

But the idea of using 10% of the power of MH's or whatever the exact number is and having a 5yr bulb lifetime is pretty nice

Phayes · 06-02-2008, 02:46 PM

Yeah, I think the LED systems will be the mainstream lighting technique near in the future. Unfortunately, until there is hard competition within this market, it may be several more years before we start seeing these systems for less than 2,000. But definitely love the idea of them. Not just for decreased energy costs, but the way they mimic the actual solar cycle.

Tangster · 06-02-2008, 02:51 PM

Our coral tanks cost 3,500 a month to light up .. And a local buddy here pays about 2,300 a month for his LFS and I know the shop in Richmond runs ipwards of 5,000 a month and 6,800 on the avareage summer months . Thats why I changed out all the lights and pump at the shops to 240V and the same here at home..

Iraf · 06-02-2008, 09:16 PM

yeah i've been reading that 220/240 uses far less power and has a longer life cycle, I'm going to probably look at that for my next build for sure I think atleast for all the pumps, ect

Matt Rogers · 06-02-2008, 09:31 PM

You could go the Goemans' route... wind and solar:

Air-X Marine Wind Turbines

It's kind of the hybrid argument right now though as they are both expensive investments initially.

Iraf · 06-02-2008, 09:51 PM

solar isnt a bad option depending on where you live, here in oklahoma with the weather issues we have it's not an option for me which sucks cause I'd love to set it up, the biggest issue I ran into was to get a decent amount of consistent wattage from it you end up with a roof totally covered in solar panals

example of the weather, yesterday we had softball sized hail accompanied by 80mph wind gusts

BlackJack · 06-02-2008, 10:06 PM

The new style urban helical wind generators are growing rapidly in popularity, especially since they can generate decent power in very little wind, plus they are compact and generate power no matter what direction the wind is blowing.

I would say an in-ground thermal transfer unit might also be a viable alternative to running a chiller as well.

Magnetic drive powerheads would keep the heat on the outside of the tank and reduced resistance would use less wattage.

Insulate all non-visible surfaces with 1" thick styrofoam sheeting, and create a more aesthetical covering for the visible surfaces by covering with a nice vinyl material (like a hot-tub cover) and just put in place when not viewing (bedtime).

Insulate tubing and piping throughout the system.

Reduce amount of time high-powered lighting is on (say, by one or two hours per day).