Lighting Electricity Cost

[mozymo]

I am trying to figure out my lighting situation for my new 120g (48"x24"x24") mixed reef I am starting.

I am deciding between MH, ATI Powermodule, and LED (aqua illumination).

The PowerModule would be 432W (8x54W 48")
The MH would be 596W (2x250W+2x48W reefbright led)
The LED would be 225W (3x75 36" AI modules)

At $0.12/kWh this is only $12.44, $17.16, $6.48 respectively for 8hrs a day for 30days a month.

This seems WAY too cheap. Am I forgetting something? Do the light units use approximately the same wattage as their bulbs or do the ballasts take significantly more wattage? Do the HQI MH have higher used wattage then their bulbs?

Thanks

[James77]

If you were to use HQI ballasts, the draw would be a bit higher, depending on the bulb. My Blue Wave 7 pulls about 600 watts from the wall using Phoenix bulbs.

Other than that, lighting is not typically a source of high electric costs. Heaters, chillers, and pumps do more $ damage because they run alot more time.

[mozymo]

Whats your total electricity cost per month for your tank?

[James77]

On my SPS, probably around $30-35 a month, between both of mine it it less than $40/month, and my electric rate is about $.14/kwh. I use a low wattage skimmer and Tunzes for flow, and a velocity pump which adds its heat to the water- my heaters almost never come on. I run the halides for 5 hours a day, and the VHO about 5 hours a day.

[tmgrash]

If your comparing cost, dont forget about bulb replacement. Thats where the real money comes in, and the ai leds wont need any for probably longer than your tank will be up.

[mozymo]

The bulb replacement between MH and T5 seem to be very similar (8 ~$20 T5 vs 2 ~$80 MH). The startup cost of the powermodule vs 2x250MH+2 reefbrights to supplement seems to be very similar. The electricity use seems to only differ by about $5 and the bulb replacement seems comparable as well.

Am I missing something? It seems that all costs considered the T5 and MH systems are only separated by a few bucks a month.

[James77]

If your comparing cost, dont forget about bulb replacement. Thats where the real money comes in, and the ai leds wont need any for probably longer than your tank will be up.


True if they last as long as they are advertised. Im not quite sold on that area.

[James77]

.

Am I missing something? It seems that all costs considered the T5 and MH systems are only separated by a few bucks a month.

Nope, the electric savings of T5s over halides are a little over hyped. I had switched to T5s for the electric saving, but went back to halides because the extra $5-10 a month more for halides is worth it just for their appearance alone.


If you are constantly running a chiller, T5s can reduce the amount the chiller runs, so that can add up to savings. Halides are easily cooled with fans, and I have never needed a chiller, even with temps in the 100 degree area outside.

[mozymo]

I have been told that HQIs run at much higher wattage (a 250W HQI run at ~400W).
Is this true?

Either way, I am astonished at how cheap the electricity is going to be. I was told it will be between $150-200 a month for a 120g tank. I am not seeing how that is possible even if you include 4 Koralia 4s (4x12W), the ATB 840 (20W), and the Eheim 1262 return (80W) - at $0.12 /kWhr this is only $12.79 to run all of them 24-7. This brings the total to $30-$35 permonth for the whole tank.

Only if my heaters and/or chiller are on constantly can I figure out how to get up to the $150 mark people were quoting.

Am I missing something?

[James77]

I have been told that HQIs run at much higher wattage (a 250W HQI run at ~400W).
Is this true?

Either way, I am astonished at how cheap the electricity is going to be. I was told it will be between $150-200 a month for a 120g tank. I am not seeing how that is possible even if you include 4 Koralia 4s (4x12W), the ATB 840 (20W), and the Eheim 1262 return (80W) - at $0.12 /kWhr this is only $12.79 to run all of them 24-7. This brings the total to $30-$35 permonth for the whole tank.

Only if my heaters and/or chiller are on constantly can I figure out how to get up to the $150 mark people were quoting.

Am I missing something?

What wattage a HQI ballast will draw from the wall will vary on which bulb is being used, but it will not be 400w. The Radium will have the ballast draw ~330 watts, ~275 of which will go to the bulb.

You are using efficient pumps for your return and flow, one reason why there is not much electric use. If you can strike a balance between warm/cool where neither your heater or chiller is on much at all, then you will have little electrci use. If your tank runs hot(unlikely if you have AC), try and use fans to help cool it. If your heater runs alot, maybe consider insulating the sump or return lines, or use a coanopy to trap more heat.

Other than that, you are missing nothing :).

[James77]

Do you have tiered electric rates in your area of California? If so, a tank could bump you into a more expensive bracket.

[mozymo]

James,

good call! I am on a tiered electricity rate here so adding the fish tank bumps me up to tier 3 and 4 which are double and quadruple the base rate! Ouch!

The pump, skimmer, and power heads running 24-7 and the heaters running ~an hour a day add 120kWh a month.

The 596W MH+led combo on 10hrs a day adds ~180 kWh.
The 432 Powermodule on 10 hrs a day adds ~131 kWh.
The 3x75W AI LED on 10 hrs a day adds ~70kWh.

With the price tiers that becomes a $50 difference a month in the summer and a $20 difference in the winter between LEDs and MH. This is not even considering a chiller. LED is all of a sudden price competitive with MH on a relatively short time scale (~1.5yrs)

Maybe it is worth it to pay the $1700 now to get the LEDs.

Now the question arises are they actually as good as MH? Has anyone who has been successful with SPSs (tank older than a couple years) switched to AI LEDs and had continued success (>1yr)?