Monthly cost to keep your tank running

[MichaelB]

Unless you’re selling or winning…

Only until you get caught, and burst lmao. Temporary at best

Very few quit while they are ahead

 

[yosemiteclimber]

Yeah - this is something I took into consideration working on this latest upgrade (40g -> 150g plus 2 or 3 other little tanks). According to my math the cost will continuously increase over time as well as I add more livestock, equipment replacements/upgrades, etc... are added or needed... It's an interesting balance between finance, personal time, and hobby.

 

[PjFish]

Hmm $$$ a month….. but cost vs stress relief to keep me sane? lol
Fyi I switched out an older AC Eheim return pump 900gph to a DC VarioS-6 —-electric bill was $108 cheaper! Crazy the cost savings from AC to DC ! Just wana Bang your Head!!

 

[PjFish]

 

[CaseyP]

Hmm $$$ a month….. but cost vs stress relief to keep me sane? lol
Fyi I switched out an older AC Eheim return pump 900gph to a DC VarioS-6 —-electric bill was $108 cheaper! Crazy the cost savings from AC to DC ! Just wana Bang your Head!!

My justification for buying everything DC, it'll eventually save money. Return pumps, skimmer, carx, powerheads. Plus the silence is amazing. Loudest noise are my Kessil fans.

As for monthly cost. I know, but I don't want to know

 

[Kensington Reefer]

PG&E loves us!

 

[NickRoseSN1985]

I’m trying to reduce the amount of heating needed for the tanks. Would using acrylic covers help keep the heat in and reduce the amount of time the heaters are needed? If yes, what’s the thinnest I can go? Can I go less then 1/4” thickness?

 

[H2OPlayar]

*Laugh's while living in $0.18 vs $0.46 per kW hr*

*Cries when actually adding up the 5 tanks expenses*

Not expensive to actually run once things are set up. Food, water, and dosing isn't crazy expensive once all the equipment is bought.

I'm not counting livestock.

 

[richiev]

I’m trying to reduce the amount of heating needed for the tanks. Would using acrylic covers help keep the heat in and reduce the amount of time the heaters are needed? If yes, what’s the thinnest I can go? Can I go less then 1/4” thickness?

Good thought. If you're looking for prettiness, and care about warping, you should peruse all the various places that make covers and see what they do.

Regarding heating, the other thing I've seen people do is use the foam insulation panels. Maximal is cover them all the time and take off when you're looking. Minimal is cover any not visible panels and make sure the sump is fully enclosed.

I'm going to go ahead and do that myself on my frag tank! That thing is a money sink and while I've thought about this in the past, I haven't followed through with it. Thanks for the reminder!

 

[Coral reefer]

I’m trying to reduce the amount of heating needed for the tanks. Would using acrylic covers help keep the heat in and reduce the amount of time the heaters are needed? If yes, what’s the thinnest I can go? Can I go less then 1/4” thickness?

You don’t want acrylic. It will bow and be annoying. Use glass. 1/4” glass is fine and will keep heat in a lot due to less evaporation.

 

[NickRoseSN1985]

You don’t want acrylic. It will bow and be annoying. Use glass. 1/4” glass is fine and will keep heat in a lot due to less evaporation.

Where can I get 1/4” glass? Home Depot has glass but it’s 3/32”.

 

[MarcosDelgado0]

Where can I get 1/4” glass? Home Depot has glass but it’s 3/32”.

I would look up a local glass shop and get it through there. That way they can cut it to size for you as well and ask them about polishing the edges. I’ve bought glass sheets from Home Depot before and the edges are SHARP so I’d definitely look into polishing edges

 

[RandyC]

You don’t want acrylic. It will bow and be annoying. Use glass. 1/4” glass is fine and will keep heat in a lot due to less evaporation.

Cell cast acrylic will warp, polycarbonate will be okay.

 

[PjFish]

I’m trying to reduce the amount of heating needed for the tanks. Would using acrylic covers help keep the heat in and reduce the amount of time the heaters are needed? If yes, what’s the thinnest I can go? Can I go less then 1/4” thickness?

I use 1/4 inch glass panels ( local glass shop) to prevent jumpers, evaporation and splashing!! I was getting splashed by a begging tang on purpose when I or anyone walked up to the tank!! Like saltwater splashing up and out 5 feet all around tank and he was the fattest fish!! He would literally aim for you with tail lol.. Glass I don’t worry about hot lights causing issues since /warping will start occurring around 250F with polycarbonate.. Glass easy to clean hard to scratch and 1/5 cheaper…but heavy and allows less light transmission so need to turn up the lights more..Panels sit on euro braces and can’t be seen since their 3 inches down from rim and hidden by a 4 inch trim of black glass all around the top of tank..I leave a few inches on each end for ventilation..tempered is an option but I didn’t do it…Evaporation was cut down about 1/2 gallon a day footprint 6x2.You may get condensation water droplets covering the underside of panels but think it helps diffuse the light since there’s no way I can resolve that issue lol haven’t observed any growth issues. I did have to turn heater down 4 degrees after panels were on which wasn’t the reason just a bonus to answer your specific question.. Polycarbonate I believe has better thermal properties..

 

[PjFish]

I would look up a local glass shop and get it through there. That way they can cut it to size for you as well and ask them about polishing the edges. I’ve bought glass sheets from Home Depot before and the edges are SHARP so I’d definitely look into polishing edges

HD glass just breaks by looking at it!!

 

[Darkxerox]

*Laugh's while living in $0.18 vs $0.46 per kW hr*

*Cries when actually adding up the 5 tanks expenses*

Not expensive to actually run once things are set up. Food, water, and dosing isn't crazy expensive once all the equipment is bought.

I'm not counting livestock.

Won't be that cheap when Lake Mead dries up again!

 

[H2OPlayar]

Won't be that cheap when Lake Mead dries up again!

Vegas water pickups are lower than the rest of the dam pickup as of 2020, so the whole thing needs to go before we lose our water here! The fact that they needed to add that is telling...

Water is stupid cheap here (for now). It only cost me $500 to refill my 20k gallon pool.

 

[NickRoseSN1985]

I use 1/4 inch glass panels ( local glass shop) to prevent jumpers, evaporation and splashing!! I was getting splashed by a begging tang on purpose when I or anyone walked up to the tank!! Like saltwater splashing up and out 5 feet all around tank and he was the fattest fish!! He would literally aim for you with tail lol.. Glass I don’t worry about hot lights causing issues since /warping will start occurring around 250F with polycarbonate.. Glass easy to clean hard to scratch and 1/5 cheaper…but heavy and allows less light transmission so need to turn up the lights more..Panels sit on euro braces and can’t be seen since their 3 inches down from rim and hidden by a 4 inch trim of black glass all around the top of tank..I leave a few inches on each end for ventilation..tempered is an option but I didn’t do it…Evaporation was cut down about 1/2 gallon a day footprint 6x2.You may get condensation water droplets covering the underside of panels but think it helps diffuse the light since there’s no way I can resolve that issue lol haven’t observed any growth issues. I did have to turn heater down 4 degrees after panels were on which wasn’t the reason just a bonus to answer your specific question.. Polycarbonate I believe has better thermal properties..

Is there any particular glass I should ask for or just ask for regular glass?

 

[richiev]

I use 1/4 inch glass panels ( local glass shop) to prevent jumpers, evaporation and splashing!! I was getting splashed by a begging tang on purpose when I or anyone walked up to the tank!! Like saltwater splashing up and out 5 feet all around tank and he was the fattest fish!! He would literally aim for you with tail lol.. Glass I don’t worry about hot lights causing issues since /warping will start occurring around 250F with polycarbonate.. Glass easy to clean hard to scratch and 1/5 cheaper…but heavy and allows less light transmission so need to turn up the lights more..Panels sit on euro braces and can’t be seen since their 3 inches down from rim and hidden by a 4 inch trim of black glass all around the top of tank..I leave a few inches on each end for ventilation..tempered is an option but I didn’t do it…Evaporation was cut down about 1/2 gallon a day footprint 6x2.You may get condensation water droplets covering the underside of panels but think it helps diffuse the light since there’s no way I can resolve that issue lol haven’t observed any growth issues. I did have to turn heater down 4 degrees after panels were on which wasn’t the reason just a bonus to answer your specific question.. Polycarbonate I believe has better thermal properties..

HD glass just breaks by looking at it!!

where are you getting glass then?

 

[NickRoseSN1985]

@PjFish I went to a local glass store in Burlingame and this is what they quoted. By the way this is for my lowboy. I’ll be redefining the measurement to 15 5/16 x 23.

3 ea. 16 x 24 x 3/16" clear tempered glass with flat or pencil polish is $105 plus tax.