Omg Electric Bill!

[Curiosity101]

Are there any UK companies that sell energy efficient aquarium lighting? The Bright Effects people are in the USA and my googling hasn't turned up much.

 

[Jdubz]

That's an awful lot of money!

There's no real need to have tank lights on all day. If you have live plants in them, then yes, they do need roughly about 6- 8 hours a day. But other than that you could get away with having the lights off all day and just put them on for a few hours in the evening.

Those energy saving bulbs seem really good - I shall have to enquire about those next time I'm in my LFS. Thanks!

Athena

I'm trying to grow some plants fast at the mo so they have been on quite alot, im going to cut them down to 6-7 hours a day plus the 4foot tank is in the kitchen by the back door so gets quite alot of light during the day..

Are there any UK companies that sell energy efficient aquarium lighting? The Bright Effects people are in the USA and my googling hasn't turned up much.

I'm going to look into getting some energy saving bulbs as i have 3x 42" 40w bulbs and 2x 18" 18w bulbs

 

[keenonfish]

Water bill Quick check inspired by "Watchdog" on the bbc. Check that if you're bill is in metric - that you are on a metric meter. Some people have been overcharged because ethey have been on a metric meter but been charged in imperial.

LOL doesn't apply to electricity I am afraid

 

[shelaghfishface]

in tesco i have seen a monitor ( looks like a cetral heating control) that calculates the amount of electricty you are using.. i mean its great, just a quick glance and you can run around turning things off to see whats running it up, put the lights on timers,

 

[saltynay]

Get yourself one of these <a href="http/www.kustompcs.co.uk/acatalog/info_1734.html" target="_blank">http/www.kustompcs.co.uk/acatalog/info_1734.html</a>, I know its an initial high cost but think of the long term advantage. I also highly recommend the shop they are brilliant and the owner (Graeme) is not your typical money grabbing store owner he is very impartial with my experiences of discussing which pc parts to buy from him. He also wrote an article on it which was published in various places but the original is <a href="http/www.kustompcs.co.uk/acatalog/Article_Wattson.html" target="_blank">http/www.kustompcs.co.uk/acatalog/Article_Wattson.html</a>

 

[TheBigEasy]

I have 3 tanks running at my house, and the bill only went up about $5-7 a month.

at our shop with 4 tanks running that are much bigger, it went up about $15.

 

[Amunet]

Our last electric bill was $177.... pretty much the same as it has been before we got our big tank. Might go up some more though since it's getting hot hear and the AC will be on all the time..... sigh.... I hate summer.

 

[oswoldy]

Mine comes out at £115 a year, thats guessing that the 150w heater is on for roughly 6 hours a day, I think thats a good over estimate.

Mike