Electric cost for reef tank?

[Cloud1921]

My 120 ran me between $80-$100 per month with 400w halides, a chiller that never turned on, Bubble master skimmer, Eheim return pump, and 2 tunze 6100's.

I repeat, MY CHILLER NEVER TURNED ON WITH 400W HALIDES. If you run efficient pumps and have a well vented canopy, you won't get much heat from your lighting.
When I was running 250w halides with larger external pumps my chiller was on all the time.

Rich,
out of curiosity, what temp did you run your tank at?

 

[georgelc86]

MY bill is up to $100 per month compared to $45 bucks prior to me setting up all my tanks.

55 SW 130watt PC
20 FW standard 25 watt flourescent
Eclipse 12 FW with original PC hood

 

[jackson6745]

Rich,
out of curiosity, what temp did you run your tank at?

79-81F

 

[cybermeez]

Mine reef tank uses about 400 kWh each month, meaning $55 at my current rates. In the winter it accounts for about 1/2 my electric bill. In the summer I use a fan rather than a chiller so it doesn't really change. I do use AC to keep the apartment cool, but that for me and the cats not the reef.

It's the dual Mag 12 pumps and the pair of 250w metal halide ballasts that gobble up most of the power the tank uses. Each uses about the same number of kWh but the pumps are on 24hrs a day and the lights only for 10.