power saving ?

[jacobus]

i have a huge problem .. my dad's complaining that we are using too much power ... is there any way i could cut down on the amt of electricity i use on the tank ? its a 50 gallon wannabe reef tank with tubeworms and anemones no corals and macroalgae ..

 

[mogurnda]

First thing to do is look at your usage. Things like pumps have the wattage written somewhere on the outside, and you probably know the wattage of your lights and heater. Then multiply the wattage of each by the number of hours it's in use. That should help you figure out who is drawing the most power.

Some thoughts:
-In Singapore I wouldn't expect that the heater is a big user.
-If you are not keeping photosynthetic corals, you might be able to drop the wattage of your lights.
-If you are using several powerheads for current, you could use a single pump running a closed loop with multiple outlets.

 

[jacobus]

well i dont have corals ... ummm but i have anemones ... and i was told once i did not have enough current ... im interested in using the closed loop thingy ... my tank is an overflow type with a 2500L/hr return pump ... is it possible ?

 

[mogurnda]

Forgot about the anemones.

You can always add a closed loop. In principle, it's just an external pump taking water from the tank and directing it to outlets around the tank. It would not replace the overflow and return, but I find it nicer than using powerheads for circulation. Less clutter, less heat in the tank, less electicity.

 

[jacobus]

how do i go about doing it ? can i use my return pump for this ? coz i only have one extra powerhead.

 

[Crown Royal]

For your 50 gallon another option are a couple of Tunze Stream 6060s. You'll get a total of over 3,000 (yes 3,000) gph and only use 22 watts total.

To give you an idea of how efficient this is, a Mag24 pump (2,400 gph) sucks up 254 watts.

This most efficient lights are high output T5 units with individual reflectors.