Cost of 1 watt per year in Ottawa = $0.64

[Nerine]

gotta say I'm glad I'm running freshwater

Our hydro bill is the same as it ever was even with this on/off peak crap
I think my 55 we figured it cost like $40 a year to run? or something crazy low like that!! I don't run heaters except in the one tank in the basement because of course it gets cold in there! but everyone else gets nadda!

time to start looking into alternate energy sources if you want to run a billion tanks when I have a fish room, I think I want it solar powered and heated! Big ideas...no $$

[Fishnut]

Oh yeah...no heaters rocks!!  I have lots of tanks and only 2 are heated.  Unfortunately the pump I use for the 180's sump filter isn't exactly energy friendly...it's 200 Watts and running all the time.  I was looking at a small solar power unit for the pond when the koi finally get their pond built!

[Fishnut]

Whats your point?  We all are in the hobby for the sake of it being a hobby.  With hobbies come expenses.  If you can't afford it, then don't get into it.  hehe

This is a good point that SO MANY people  don't seem to recognize.  I can't count the number of times when I talk to a hobbyist who complains about not having money while I watch their aquarium set-up that's worth thousands.  I had a neighbour like that.  The guy had thousands invested in a salt water tank, yet his house was falling down around him (it was given to him by his parents).  Then we found out that he had gone 10 years without paying his taxes, to the point where the house popped up on the city housing auctions for taxes owing to the tune of $34,000!  The place was a DUMP!  Some flipper bought it and gutted it.

[Fishnut]

Besides setting lightings on during off-peak, I am now setting heaters (yes, the big hydro suckers!) on during off-peaks as well.  Depending on the size of your tank and the sensitivity of your fish, this may or may not work for everyone.

As of now, my heaters are off between 11AM and 5PM each day during weekdays.  On weekends, it's on 24/7.   I am seeing a drop of 3 or 4 degrees during this period of time.  The fish should be able to handle this (they better learn to adapt like we do ).  Let's see how my hydro bill goes this month..

Joe will be doing a show and tell at the November meeting about how he conserves heat in his tanks.  He has no electricity running to his house and is solely running from solar electricity...and a generator for those weeks when the sun doesn't come out much.  He successfully keeps discus and other "tropical" fish through the winter!