Reef Winterizing: Tweaking your tank to save money during the cold?

Do you have a plan to "winterize" your reef tank?

  • YES (tell us what in the thread)

    Votes: 27 9.7%
  • NO and I will not

    Votes: 195 69.9%
  • I will think about it now

    Votes: 49 17.6%
  • Other (please explain)

    Votes: 8 2.9%

  • Total voters
    279

blaxsun

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Basement systems are no good in the north. Keep em on the main lvl.
I’ve got great airflow in my basement. Fish are happy and there’s way less dog hair! Besides, my blue heeler has a “super-bark” - and she’d scare the crap out of the fish every time someone walked by the house…
 

hoytoyed

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I’ve got great airflow in my basement. Fish are happy and there’s way less dog hair! Besides, my blue heeler has a “super-bark” - and she’d scare the crap out of the fish every time someone walked by the house…
My fish have learned to live with the dog hair. I have an Australian Shepherd and she has a cloud of hair drifting with her everywhere she goes. I have to vacuum the screen top.
 

Mr Cypher

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When you live out in the desert like me and it doesn't drop below 80 during the day its no worries lol just a little heating at night and all good, now when its 130 outside that is a little different....
 

rtparty

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Nope. My basement doesn't care the temp outside. It stays between 64-70 with the majority of time being 66-68F. Nothing changes for me or my tanks.

The one big issue is furnace going out. That would require some creative thinking to keep the tanks warm enough.
 

Nemo&Friends

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Installed solar panels 2 years ago and save 75% of electricity cost. Keep house at 69F so Tanks help me save money by warming me up.
 

MnFish1

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1. What are some things you can do to help bring down the cost of your aquarium during the cold months?

I don't think there are any (aside from buying more energy efficient devices in the first place). Here the problem is in the summer - its way too hot - and the air conditioner is on. In the winter - its way too cold - and the heat is on - overall between my wife and my arguing about the temperature lol - the indoor temp is about the same. In fact - our heat costs far less that our air-conditioning - so - winter is less expensive.
2. Do you have a plan in place to reduce cost or do you just absorb it and leave everything like it is?
Leave it like it is
 

Sleeping Giant

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I live in Northern Canada where the temperature drops to -40 celsius/Fahrenheit for a good couple of months. I do nothing different.
 

Auquanut

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In the summer, I tend to keep the cabinet doors open to help dissipate heat. In the winter, I close them to hold heat in.
 

ZoWhat

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I think a lot of you are in for a real surprise, when in some areas of the Country, your utility bill is going to double.

Only question is if that's enough to get you to move past "doing nothing" (?)

Your house, your tank, your money...

My plan that I've already implemented:

* (non reef related) reduced my water heater to the lowest setting, where the hottest water i can get is 120°

* (non reef related) set my furnace for Winter at 66° (not 68 or 70 like in years past)

* thru Apex, moving down from 78° stable to 76° stable. Sacrificing coral growth in warmer tank temps to keep electric bill down

(Making my house 66° and the tank at 76° .... a 10° difference my heaters will have to make up)

* my light schedule will stay untouched but using all LED anyways

* my sump is in the basement and I use a Reeflo barracuda return pump that draws about 350 watts. Absolutely my biggest energy consumer. Thinking about using Apex to shut it down for 12hrs during light peaks during the day (10am to 10pm) and just run my one Vortech in tank for water movement at the waterline

Via Apex I can already see I went from about 7amps down to 4amp daily avg from these adjustments I've made
 
Last edited:

WallyB

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Assuming you don't live in the tropics.

You heat the house for Human Comfort and usually during winter your home is warmer than when you run AC in the summer. Tank is in your home (not outdoors)

So if anything, your tank can rise in temperature (due to house temp) during winter (if you have home heat working).

If this question is about Total Energy Bill (heating + running tank), there isn't much you can do except things like making the switch from (MH/T5 lighting, to LED) or (AC to DC pumps). That doesn't apply to just winter.
 

LPS Bum

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Not sure why you'd need to winterize your reef aquarium. I find it's actually less expensive to run my tanks in the winter than in the summer. Always cheaper to heat water than cool it, and nothing else really changes.
 

CelestialCorals

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I will be getting a generator ASAP so hopefully we don’t have another crazy snow storm here in Texas in case we lose power again for several days at a time. I’m no longer in an apartment but a house now, so I have room for one this time. I’m already seeing articles that this year will be the craziest weather everyone all over will experience.
 

Sharkbait1971

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This thread by @zoa what inspired our QOTD today!

winter is coming GIF


So yes winter is coming and is already here for some of you and with that comes higher energy bills. Of course lights, pumps, heaters and all of our aquarium equipment add to the mounting increase is costs so what can we do about it? What do you do about it? Let's talk about it!

1. What are some things you can do to help bring down the cost of your aquarium during the cold months?

2. Do you have a plan in place to reduce cost or do you just absorb it and leave everything like it is?

reef winterizing.jpg
No chiller needed, as I live in Florida and slowly changing my equipment to DC pumps and wave makers, Dc skimmer, and lower the time the LED’s run. I hope this help lower my electric bill.
 

jacalhou

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No, nothing here with the exception of ensuring heater works well, as windows will be open a lot more. In FL, I never expect many changes except for storms.
 
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