POLL: how much do you spend on your tank????

[Josh23]

Just interested to see how much everyone spends per month on their tanks per month.
(include all maintance costs, energy costs, and additional animals)
Dont include the purchases of equipment.

Please also specify type of lighting and number if lights and tank size.

Just thought it might be interesting to see.
Josh

[EmilyB]

I'd tell you but it hurts too much to think about it for more than a few seconds.... :shock:

[Aquattro]

ow!!!! you're right!!!

[rossb]

The answer is simple...all of it...forever

[ranz]

Just interested to see how much everyone spends per month on their tanks
per month.
Just thought it might be interesting to see.
Josh



Josh did my wife ask you to ask this question, are you going to bribe me later, hold my fish for ransom?
Tough question, on an average $130

Ranzreefer

[Canadian Man]

about 1000w of light total for about 12 hours a day
2 lg 4 pumps at a few amps
other pumps 3 amps

In electricity alone i have to say about $100.00 a month
other stuff on average I would say if I am spreading it out from a year over 12 months probably 150 to 200 a month on other stuff.

So last year probably $ 250 to $300 per month.
This is taking in acount that i purchased new lights and made a reactor.

ohhhhh :cry: too much.
But it sure ****es off my wife sometimes and it give amazment everytime I walk by my tank.

[mutabaruka]

8) I enjoy my tank far too much too even think about that. It would probably take away from the enjoyment. Besides, I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't entertain, I don't eat, I don't go to movies, I don't have friends .......

[rossb]

OK I have just started my marine tank, but I have 2 fresh water tanks and a pond. For the fresh water tanks (90g - 50g) I have 2X40 W flourescent. The indoor pond has a 1000W Mh and a 150 W heat light (for a turtle). It is about 30 bucks a month for food (and I only have fantails and comets) and ...well my electric and water bill is 280 a month.

I just added my marine tank and it has 2X110 W VHO, 2X40 W coralife, 2X30 W actinic and a new 175 W Mh (thanks to Bob). It has a 600 and 2 900 GPH pump and some small power heads.

Fortunately like mutaburka I don't smoke, entertain infrequently, eat far too much and I do drink like a fish...well actually a lot more as my fish don't drink.

If I'd know it was going to be this expensive...I might have had kids ...

no I'd stil rather the tank

[Delphinus]

I even let myself get into debt over it, which REALLY annoys my wife.

I figure the halides are about $10-15 per month per bulb. The pumps are, what I think, the biggest consumer of electricity. My hydro bill is around $200-250 per month but that's not just the tanks. Two many hobbies, too many hobbies, funny how everything consumes electricity to get anywhere. What I REALLY need is a greenhouse ... ow ... there goes $20 grand...

Expect to pay a lot, espescially when setting up. Definitely, don't do things the way I do them (patch this, band-aid that). Have a plan, and be sure about the plan, before starting anything. Otherwise you find yourself constantly spending $200 on this or that. I just bought a $200 pump. With what money, I don't know. But hey I -needed- that pump so I can have a sump return on my 72g, which, one day, maybe even in 2002, I might actually put water into it. AARRRGGHGH!!!!

Um .... what were we talking about again

[reefburnaby]

Hi,

At $0.05 a kWh,

60W for pumps (24/7) - $2 a month.
Overdrive T8 and HO or 170W for lamps (8 hours / per day) - $2 a month
150W heater (probably 4 hours a day) - $1 a month

Food, about $2 a month.
Salt and RO/DI...$8 a month.
Other additives (Ca media, CO2, carbon) and test kits ...$5 month.

So, that's about $20 a month for a fairly simple 90 Gal soft coral reef. Of course, that's just to keep the tank running. Add the cost of purchasing corals and other neat gizmos, and it can be an easy $100 a month habit.

- Victor.

[ldzielak]

Much cheaper than when I lived in Van, no longer do I spend 100$ each weekend in J&L or others.

I figured my Electrical bill is $35/month for the 120g and 33g(soon to be 72g). Lights are $500/year. Reactor is 100/year for media and CO2. RODI is about $100/year, Salt is $80/year and maybe 120/year for test kits.

Lee

[TANGOMAN]

Before the girlfriend and I decided to live in sin 8) and buy a house I kinda' lived like a gypsy. Moving every 12- 18 months. I mean why not, with two tanks and seven truckloads of aquarium crap in the basement ("yes dear, I NEED all this stuff..."). Anyway, ya' shoulda' seen the roommates faces when the utility bill rolled in a month after I did !!! :shock: I didn't care, I'd pay the difference. Admittedly, I do a lot of the things mutabaruka earlier "claims" :wink: he(?) doesn't... I can't afford to but like many said, I get too much enjoyment (usually) from this to ever do without it.
I'm very fortunate, the "mrs." NEVER complains about the electrical costs associated with this because I too would get ****ed off as she often marvels at the beauty of our living pictures...
Unlike Tony, I appear to have lost track of what the He!! we're talkin' about here...
Probably close to $200.00/mos. :shock:
We are planning on doing the "pond thing" next year and the mrs. wants box fish and sea horses' too so unfotunately :wink: a third tank is in our plans...$400.00/mos in a couple of years is a nice thought...

[sumpfinfishe]

Well I run three 36* NO's so including bulbs, electricity, salt, food, filter media, and additives my answer would have to be about $35 a month. This number is low as I only have a 27gl reef, which is fully stocked.

[spikehs]

does anyone know how much a 175 pfo ballast uses (i have the tripple version)

[Dez]

Well, with a

150 Gallon with 2 x 400 Watt Radiums, 4 x 55W PC's on the main tank. 2 x 55 watt PC's on the refugium, 3 x 30 watt NO's. 4 powerheads, skimmer pump, return pump....

54 Gallon with 2 x 30w NO's, 55 watt PC's on the main tank, 2 x 13 w PC's on the refugium... skimmer pump, return pump....

180 Gallon with 2 x 165 watt VHO's, 110 watt vho, 175 watt metal halide on the main tank, 55 watt pc on the refugium, 2 quiet one's for return pumps...

I'm pretty lucky, cuz my electric/water bill hardly ever goes over $110.

Oh and I just started running a dehumidifier about 16 hrs a day...

Not bad...

My frags help support the hobby.....

[stephane]

130 gallon

3x radium 400 watt,3x vho 140 watt superactinic,mag 18,litle giant 3md,4x power head

40$x month electricity
30$x month food,water change bulb change

70$ a month