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kill_a_watt

kill_a_watt

didnt u know?
Dec 24, 2005
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New Zealand
hi guys i have a 30g with a 13w light and have just found out i cannont use a 23w extra lamp for it casue my parent think im using to much electricity :pc: :pc: :pc: i was really hoping to grow some plants but i guess i have no choice but to get plastic plants

but! :eek: i have read that java ferns dont need much light to survive and just hoping if someone could answer this .. if java ferns would be suitable for my 30g tank ? if not what sort of tank only needs this amount of light.
 
if u can :thm: it would be great if you could tell me some plants that are sutiable for only 13w in a 30g :help:
 
Sorry, I think you will need 30 watts of light to grow even the low-light plants. I don't think 13 watts will cut it. (I think you might be able to grow some algae with 13 watts though, just kidding).

Maybe you can convince your parents by explaining that fluorescent lighting (you are using fluorescent lighting right?) uses less electricity than regular household lightbulbs.
 
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But plastic plants dont grow. At least they dont need trimming like my tank... (My cabomba grew 3 inches overnight :eek: )
 
A 23W lamp isn't going to up an electricity bill that much... 23W @ 8 hours a day is only about 67kWh for a whole year... where I live that's less than $10 a year!! Unscrew a 60W bulb somewhere in the house and you'll save money running the 23W lamp!
 
java fern will be fine. i only have 25watts for my 30gallon and java fern isn't dead. hornwort aint dead either.
 
With all my tanks and lighting I have running I just pay my parents $5 a month and that covers the extra cost. Im sure if you pay your parents $5 a month for electric, then you could run about 90 watts on that tank without any fuss.
 
I don't know what the rates are where you live but my electricity costs 8.5 cents per killowatt hour

23w/1000= .023kWh

.023 x 12hrs/day x 30 days/month = 8.28kwh/month

8.5 cents x 8.28 kwh/month = 70 cents/month to run that lamp. Your parents should be able to afford that.

(assmuming you have it on 12 hours every day.) Find an old electric bill, see how much your electricity per kWh and multiply it by 8.28 to get your actual cost. Maybe that will convince your parents that lamp is ok.
 
This is good advise. If you make a case for your parents, with concrete numbers, instead of "but I want it" they will be totally impressed. Do you get allowance? You could offer to give up what ever the amt is to pay for the electric usage. A totally responsible approach.
 
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