Reef Central Online Community

Go Back   Reef Central Online Community > General Interest Forums > Reef Discussion
Blogs FAQ Calendar

Notices

User Tag List

Reply
Thread Tools
Unread 03/16/2018, 05:56 AM   #1
Broly_PT
Registered Member
 
Broly_PT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 102
T5 Led Bulb

Hello my friends

Im in a point that i cant keep my aquarium because the eletricity bill.

I have 8x80 ATI bulb, that i need to reduce the consumption, or my tank will be disable.

I know that brands like E5 sells this bulbs, but the cost of each bulb is high and the reviews that im reading from many forums is not very good.

I see the that other brands are selling bulbs, "sera" for example.
Phillips are starting in this world but i think they dont have bulbs yet.

Any one know other brands ?

My aquarofilia


regards



Broly_PT is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03/16/2018, 06:37 AM   #2
mcgyvr
Registered Member
 
mcgyvr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 20,050
Is an extra few dollars a month really this big of an issue?
Surely it can't be..
You are really only talking like $20 a month..

No offense but if $20 a month is make it or break it then maybe you should sell off your coral/equipment and get out of your money problems.. You likely have hundreds if not thousands of dollars of coral/equipment in there..

If you really need to save money then get out of T5 lighting..
I'm not sure of your tank size from here.. but
You can pick up 4 x Chinese black box LEDS for under $400..
But you are still looking at using oh lets approximate about 400W there so
Now your $20 electricity bill is $12..
So you save $8 a month..
You are looking at maybe ~1.5-2 years before you even break even and start actually saving money..


__________________
Who me?
mcgyvr is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03/16/2018, 06:52 AM   #3
RobZilla04
Registered Member
 
RobZilla04's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: St. Augustine, FL
Posts: 1,857
^ Math

On the plus side the one time cost of going full LED is the elimination of buying replacement blubs every 8-12 months. Eight bulbs @ $30/ea = $240ish. That's two of the four LED fixtures. Sell the existing T5HO fixture for another couple hundred and you've just paid for the LED swap straight out.

I completely agree with McG, if the driving factor is energy cost/savings, you're already on the dead end road.


__________________
90g Mixed Reef
RobZilla04 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03/16/2018, 06:57 AM   #4
mcgyvr
Registered Member
 
mcgyvr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 20,050
Don't eat lunch once a week.. $5 x 4 = $20..Problem solved...
Savings = instant

added benefit = potential weight loss/longer life,etc...


__________________
Who me?
mcgyvr is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03/16/2018, 07:34 AM   #5
Watchm@n
Registered Member
 
Watchm@n's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 129
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcgyvr View Post
Don't eat lunch once a week.. $5 x 4 = $20..Problem solved...
Savings = instant

added benefit = potential weight loss/longer life,etc...
^^
Best advice ever

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk


Watchm@n is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03/16/2018, 07:39 AM   #6
Watchm@n
Registered Member
 
Watchm@n's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 129
Quote:
Originally Posted by Broly_PT View Post
Hello my friends

Im in a point that i cant keep my aquarium because the eletricity bill.

I have 8x80 ATI bulb, that i need to reduce the consumption, or my tank will be disable.

I know that brands like E5 sells this bulbs, but the cost of each bulb is high and the reviews that im reading from many forums is not very good.

I see the that other brands are selling bulbs, "sera" for example.
Phillips are starting in this world but i think they dont have bulbs yet.

Any one know other brands ?

My aquarofilia


regards
I have been using 3x E5 bluepop in my ati 6 bulb fixture for about a year and a half with no issues.... Bulbs cost about 8 a piece but they claim 8 year lifespan...

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk


Watchm@n is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03/16/2018, 10:03 AM   #7
alton
Registered Member
 
alton's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Zuehl, Texas
Posts: 4,460
I love my T8 LEDS, but I believe the T5HO leds created too much heat and melted in some cases, and were discontinued by many suppliers? To save energy run half your lamps all day, with only running all 8 for 4 hours.


alton is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03/17/2018, 03:57 AM   #8
Broly_PT
Registered Member
 
Broly_PT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 102
hello all, and tnkx for all the answers

My eletricity bill is 240$, and for me is to much... i only receive 800$ a month

I think 4 led fixtures is not enough.

My tank have 250GAL, 66x39x23 inch.

The fixtures you say is marsqua ?

regards


Broly_PT is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03/17/2018, 07:16 AM   #9
mcgyvr
Registered Member
 
mcgyvr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 20,050
Quote:
Originally Posted by Broly_PT View Post
My eletricity bill is 240$, and for me is to much...
And only $20 of that is your T5 fixture..
Assuming running it 8 hours a day (all you need)

And.. again more math for you...
Your 8 x 80W fixture is using 640watts..
Each of those Marsaqua,etc... type LED fixtures can be 100-165W..
4 of them is at least 400W... 6 of them is 600watts..
Your energy bill will NOT go down unless you reduce the wattage used...
The only savings there would be the savings in bulb replacement costs..


__________________
Who me?
mcgyvr is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03/18/2018, 05:29 PM   #10
rhinonm
Registered Member
 
rhinonm's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Rio Rancho NM USA
Posts: 302
Quote:
Originally Posted by Watchm@n View Post
I have been using 3x E5 bluepop in my ati 6 bulb fixture for about a year and a half with no issues.... Bulbs cost about 8 a piece but they claim 8 year lifespan...

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
I have been using 4x E5 Bluepop in my ATI fixture for 1.5 years too and no issues.


__________________
180g 60x35x20 Rimless, 48" Sunpower, 5000 SRO Skimmer, 40" Advanced Acrylics Sump

Current Tank Info: 200g SPS
rhinonm is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03/19/2018, 04:05 AM   #11
Broly_PT
Registered Member
 
Broly_PT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 102
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcgyvr View Post
And only $20 of that is your T5 fixture..
Assuming running it 8 hours a day (all you need)

And.. again more math for you...
Your 8 x 80W fixture is using 640watts..
Each of those Marsaqua,etc... type LED fixtures can be 100-165W..
4 of them is at least 400W... 6 of them is 600watts..
Your energy bill will NOT go down unless you reduce the wattage used...
The only savings there would be the savings in bulb replacement costs..
Hello

I have tested the marsaqua consumption, and at all channels at 100% only consume around 120w, if i reduce the white channel, the consumption drops to 80/95w


Broly_PT is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03/19/2018, 04:07 AM   #12
Broly_PT
Registered Member
 
Broly_PT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 102
Quote:
Originally Posted by rhinonm View Post
I have been using 4x E5 Bluepop in my ATI fixture for 1.5 years too and no issues.

Hii

Do you have measured the PAR? of the them??

I have read people saying that the PAR measures have dropped after some time.

regards


Broly_PT is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03/19/2018, 04:39 AM   #13
mcgyvr
Registered Member
 
mcgyvr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 20,050
Quote:
Originally Posted by Broly_PT View Post
Hello

I have tested the marsaqua consumption, and at all channels at 100% only consume around 120w, if i reduce the white channel, the consumption drops to 80/95w
Oh... pardon me..
6 x 95 = 570... not 6 x 100 = 600
Sorry for rounding..


__________________
Who me?
mcgyvr is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03/19/2018, 04:51 AM   #14
Broly_PT
Registered Member
 
Broly_PT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 102
hahaha lol

You have reason, so in your opinion, i have no chance to reduce the bill unless i reduce the size of the aquarium or something like that?

regards


Broly_PT is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03/19/2018, 05:04 AM   #15
mcgyvr
Registered Member
 
mcgyvr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 20,050
Quote:
Originally Posted by Broly_PT View Post
hahaha lol

You have reason, so in your opinion, i have no chance to reduce the bill unless i reduce the size of the aquarium or something like that?

regards
yes for the most part..

You can reduce the amount you spend on lighting your aquarium but its going to be a few years before you realize any savings as its going to cost you money to get to the point where you can save money..
The savings likely won't be in your electricity bill though but in the fact that if you switch to LED you won't have the reoccurring cost of T5 bulb replacements..


__________________
Who me?
mcgyvr is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03/19/2018, 05:45 AM   #16
ClownNut
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 1,859
stay away from e5, output is half of the t5. i have a friend use that over his redsea tank. within a year both bulbs have most of the led burnout. and the electric usage is the same as t5 on an ati fixture.


__________________
Dont let me know where u lived if u have a nice pair of clownfish in ur tank!^_^
Clown kidnaper^_^

Current Tank Info: 300DD, SM200/RD3,ATI 60-8X80+4X75, 2 Sea Sweep & 4X6105 & 6208
ClownNut is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03/19/2018, 06:23 AM   #17
Kevin Guthrie
Registered Member
 
Kevin Guthrie's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 506
Some possible options which may or may not apply to your situation, hope one or two of these help but yeah, with a tank that size you get a big bill:

Get a Kill-a-watt meter to measure what is actually getting consumed by what piece of equipment. Concentrate on the biggest consumers but they all add up. Not all equipment use as much wattage as advertised in their specs.

Reduce heater cost: insulate the back of the tank, underside, and/or sump. Enclose the top in a hood. Use submersible pump(s) as much as possible. Move lighting ballasts away from the tank.

Reduce chiller cost: Open the top, open the sump, use external pumps, add fans.

Replace pumps and lights with more efficient models.


Kevin Guthrie is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:04 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Powered by Searchlight © 2024 Axivo Inc.
Use of this web site is subject to the terms and conditions described in the user agreement.
Reef CentralTM Reef Central, LLC. Copyright ©1999-2022
User Alert System provided by Advanced User Tagging v3.3.0 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.