Save a little bit of energy?

[Elyse]

I've been doing so many things around the house recently to save a bit of money and I had a thought about my aquarium that might be a little overboard...

Does anyone think it's possible to set an aquarium filter on a on/off timer and have it turn off for 10 minutes at a time every half hour or something to make even just a teeny dent on the energy bill?

It's just that I'm going around the house turning down the furans and water heater etc, while my own bedroom is a rainforest crowded with plants including an 8 foot tall by 5 foot wide tree, full spectrum lighting on a timer, tropical aquarium...space heater and humidifier for the tarantulas and feeder insects....=S

I have to do everything I can in this room or else I'm a hypocrite... =S

Peace,
Elyse

[brewmaster15]

Elyse,
The filter probably isn't contributing much to your electric bills relative to other things.. If you haven't done so already try wrapping your tank in foam board/insulation and making sure its not in a drafty spot...that will probably save you far more money. Technically you could set your filter up like that..and it would be fine as far as bacteria provided the system doesn't glitch on you, but I don't think its worth it.

-al

[tonytheboss1]

:bandana: Agree w/ Al. Not much savings on the filter but making sure the heaters don't have to constantly be firing could save a few sheckles. "T"

[MendoMan]

I think you run a huge risk of harming, if not killing, your bacteria bed. The bacteria need oxygen to live. Lights are a big user of power if you haven't already look into LEDs. A lot of the new equipment is designed to save power. Eheim makes some good filters that are easy on the power and very quite.

[nvladik]

You might be better off looking at drafts around the house and increase the ambient temp in the house to offset heater costs, but filter I agree, they don't draw that much power in the first place.

[CliffsDiscus]

Check with your utility company and ask for a different rate schedule, usually if you are using 1000kwh per month there might be a discount.
Using a timer is a catch a 22, the timer may be using more wattage then the filter???

Cliff

[donnacona]

Do what I did, I insulated my 77 gallon on both sides, bottom and the back with foam it is 1/4" thick on the sides and back, and 3/4" on the bottom got it at home depot, it helps a lot I keep my tank at 86 deg.
Stuart

[Elyse]

Thanks so much everyone!

Ya, I won't set the filter on a timer, I'll wrap my tank in foam board and there actually is a draft in the house from the floor baseboards that I can get fixed! Thanks!!