Aquarium-related electricity costs

[saltydog]

A while ago I remember someone in this forum asking whether any one had done any calculations with respect to the electricity costs of operating an aquarium. I decided to look into it. Here is what I have to report.

To calculate the cost of running a tank (or a fish-room) one first determines the number of watts used by all of the plugged accessories such as lights, air pumps, water pumps, filters, etc. (Power consumed by an electrical appliance is required by law to be permanently affixed to the appliance, even a light bulb). To calculate watts per hour multiply each appliance by the number of hours on average which each is 'on' during a 24-hour period (easier for a light than a heater). Now sum your numbers for each appliance & divide the total by 24. This is your average hourly power consumption.  Divide the result by 1000 to calculate kilowatt hours. Multiply this by the cost per kilowatt hour which you are charged by your supplier.

Presently, in Ontario, you might think that you should multiply this number by 4.3 cents which is the electrical rate per kilowatt hour of generated power which the Ontario government has presently "capped". However, additionally, a "transmission charge", a "wholesale market" charge, a "debt retirement charge" and a "delivery charge" are levied & these are all tied to your total power consumption so you must figure these into the equation as well.  You then adjust this figure by multiplying by approximately 1.035 as you are charged for power "loss" through the delivery system (probably including illegal taps like marijuana "grow operations"). Then add GST. For myself, as a resident of Ottawa who purchases power from Ottawa Hydro, my overall multiplier is currently 8.5819564 cents per kilowatt hour after all of these escalating charges & GST are factored in. (Actual cost is probably more like 10 cents per kilowatt hour. Currently the shortfall is being cover by the Ontario provincial government & charged back to us through taxes & deficit spending.)

If you make the effort to do these calculations then keep your results. Hydro costs are expected to rise a couple of times during the next while & you may wish to recalculate your costs at another time.

By the way, I have noticed that no electricity rate (either 'generated' at source or 'delivered' to your residence) is shown on Ottawa Hydro's bimonthly bill to customers. What is more, if one requests a schedule of rates one must still calculate the 'overall rate' (multiplier) for oneself. It is not provided, not even on their website. Hmm...something fishy is going on here! Hardly seems like one is being encouraged to conserve electricity when one is not readily provided with the cost of this electricity. By the way, if you bother to perform a cost calculation for your aquatic hobby & become concerned about the costs, here are a couple of suggestions:
 1.  Insulate the bottom & back of your tanks with styrofoam & keep  a lid on them. This will reduce heat-loss from the water which you are paying to heat.
 2.  Replace any antiquated fridges, washing machines, & dishwashers with newer energy-efficient models. I am in the process of doing this & expect to save a couple of hundred dollars per year as a result. Visit the Natural Resources Canada site for more information:
http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca

[dpatte]

so what kind of total costs per day did you get for some typical tanks?

[saltydog]

I was afraid someone was going to ask me that! You'll have to do the math yourself & post it. Most of my tanks are atypical ie. large & running off central filters in the basement. My concern was mostly the cost of running individual circulation pumps of various sizes & brands which can work effectively at 14'-16' of head. Over the long-term it pays to buy the more energy-efficient models such as Dolphin Ampmaster.  However, these need larger diameter plumbing to realize the savings. As well, one also has to factor in the repair & upkeep of various designs. Eg. Iwaki's almost never need servicing.

[Marc]

I think of the hardest things about calculating electricity costs is trying to estimate how much your heaters are running.

I believe that heaters use a lot of electricity but we don't really know how many minutes during an hour it is running and, in my home, the furnace's thermostat is set lower  at night and weekdays than evenings so heater use varies of the course of the day as the temperature varies.