Energy Prices and Winter

[Colin_T]

24 over winter and increase it to 26-28C for a few months over summer.

 

[Stan510]

I read the biggest savings you can do is turn down the heat on the hot water heater.

As far as aquariums? Go with fish that can take colder water temperatures like White Clouds,Paradise Fish,Danios,Goldfish of course and plenty of others. I save by unplugging the heater on the 240 gallon in June. I won't plug it back in until near December. As it is.low 70's does a great job of fighting algae as near 80f does the opposite.

 

[CarissaT]

Not sure if it was already mentioned, but as a side point, glass is a better insulator than plastic or acrylic.

Also a well fitting hood makes a big difference in heat loss and water evaporation loss. Heat being generated anyway from the lights also gets better trapped and prevents the heater from having to come on as much while the lights are on.

Position makes a big difference too. The only place I can put my tank happens to be right in the draft from my heat pump, which right now is blasting cold air. I notice my tank heater being on far far more now. Once I can give up the a/c the heater won’t be on nearly as much.

For electric heat users, electronic thermostats can make a big difference not just inasmuch as having it programmable to be lower at certain times, but they are more sensitive and sustain a more stable temperature. Heating a room up let’s say to 75 then letting it drop down to 70 then heating it up to 75 again takes a lot more energy than keeping it between 72 and 73, besides being more comfortable. I am not sure how that compares to a heater thermostat in an aquarium, but I imagine there would be a similar principle. I use a separate thermostat for my tank heater and I tell it to come on when it reaches 79 and turn off when it reaches 80. I probably could reduce the gap even more. I hadn’t thought about the efficiency side of it until just this moment, I had bought it because i had a heater fail and boil all my fish once and I swore never again will I let that happen. But efficiency may be another benefit of having the external electronic thermostat.

 

[Stan510]

No,its acrylic that is the far better insulator.

 

[StevenF]

but I don't know how long the heater will be on per day.

'the best way to determine power consumption is to use a wattmeter. It plugs into the wall outlet and then you plug in a device such as an aquarium heater. You can measure the power consumed at that time or the the number of watts per hour You can also use it on your tank lights and filter,TV, computer and anything else your want. Aqauriumheater power is going to depend on your room temperatures size of the tank and other thing. But if you can keep the room temperature stable you can minimize heater power consumption.

For TV and computers you want to see zero power when the device is off. Unfortunately many older devices tend to consume the same amount of power regardless if they were on or off. These Vampire loads can caonsume a sap rising large amount of power over time. If you find one you can simply unplug it when it is not in use. or put in on a switched power strip.Regulations for newer equipment puts limits on how much power can be consumed when a device is off or in standby.

 

[CarissaT]

No,its acrylic that is the far better insulator.

I stand corrected. It depends a lot on the thickness, in standard windows glass is the better insulator but in aquariums acrylic is for some reason, maybe the type of acrylic or thickness comparison from glass to acrylic aquariums of the same size.

 

[werlyb23]

For those commenters that live in north america. UK natural gas prices have increased by a factor of 3 since russia invaded Ukraine. And the price is still increasing. Natural gas could cost 4 to 5 times more by next year.Since most of the electricity in the UK comes from natural gas electricity prices are also going up. Right now russia is still delivering some gas to wester europe. However if they close off the gas completely the situation could get dramatically worse.

In the US we don't import any natural gas from russia. So natural gas prices haven't changed. Only Gasoline prices have increased in the US. So please have sympathy for the European members of this forum.




Currently the biggest heat lose in any building is through air leaks in the walls and windows. Shrink wrapping the window helps out a lot. Even new windows can leak a lot of air and if there is a wide outside it can easily get through window seals. Doors are another area were air leaks are common. Also gaps around water pipes coming out of the wall should be sealed with a can of liquid foam sealant. Light fixtures on the walls is another area that should be checked.

Basically if you fell a draft you have a air leak that should be sealed. When I first moved into my current home the heater was on for 30 to 40 minutes, off for 15 and then it would turn on again. I had air getting through numbers leaks in the walls doors and windows. Today in the winter my heater comes on for 30 minutes and then it turns off for hours. A big savings and I didn't add any insulation to the walls. Just caulk and sealants. And the crazy thing about this I that I live in central california. were the winters are quit mild.

Use your head…this was done on purpose knowing this would happen.
World wide democrats

 

[emeraldking]

Yes, energy costs have drastically increased overhere as well. It's totally insane! That's gonna be fun when winter enters the country... We'll probably have to put on a winter jacket, boots and gloves in the house to keep the bill down.

 

[Fishmanic]

Yes, energy costs have drastically increased overhere as well. It's totally insane! That's gonna be fun when winter enters the country... We'll probably have to put on a winter jacket, boots and gloves in the house to keep the bill down.

add thermal underwear to your list to keep the heat in your body

 

[emeraldking]

add thermal underwear to your list to keep the heat in your body

Well, I don't have those...
Well, that means shopping...!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I live is South. Carolina, USA. I heat with natural gas and we've been notified of a large increase this winter. Up til now, it was the most affordable heat for winter.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The energy crisis isn't just in the UK. It is mainly caused by Russia invading the Ukraine and the lack of gas and oil coming out of those countries. Grain is another issue and has gone up significantly because of the war.

In most parts of Australia there is also an energy crisis caused by the war. This is because state governments let private companies control power, water and gas, and they put all the gas and oil on the world market for overseas companies. They didn't bother to keep anything in reserve for their own states. This means they now have to buy oil, coal and gas back in from the open market and the price of it has skyrocketed due to the war. Most places over east have seen their power and gas bills triple since the pandemic started and it's expected to go higher and not be fixed for about 5-7 years.

Currently over east they have rolling blackouts (it's winter here and there is snow in some areas) and people literally can't afford to buy food, fuel or pay bills because many were laid off due to the pandemic, and because pay packets haven't increased in 9 years thanks to the previous federal government. The problem has been made worse by the oil and gas companies refusing to buy in oil and gas from the world market saying it's not profitable for them. So now the state governments are in talks to try and get gas and oil brought back into the country.

In Western Australia, our state governments put some gas and oil on the world market but kept a reserve specifically for the state. So whilst other states have screwed themselves by letting greedy private companies take control of power, water and gas supplies, the WA government kept control of it and only sold what it could spare and the rest remains in the state.

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Plants don't grow or take up nutrients when there is no light. So if you have a blackout, the plants won't be using any ammonia and won't be producing oxygen unless you can provide them with a sufficient light source.

"Wardley's Ammogon" or Zeolite (same stuff) will remove ammonia from water and can be recharged in salt water. If you have lots of power failures, then maybe get some and keep it handy in a box filter. Then put it in the aquarium during power failures and run the box filter from a battery operated air pump. Use rechargeable batteries that can be charged during off peak times when you have power.

Feeding the fish less will reduce ammonia production in the aquarium and if you know there will be a power failure on a particular day, don't feed the fish the day before. Or feed them in the morning on the day before the power failure so the filter has time to remove any ammonia produced over the next 12 hours.

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The best way to save money on heating aquariums is to have all the aquariums in the same room and have the room insulated with the door shut. Have electronic devices like televisions, computers, fridges, in the room and they also help to warm it up. This is the opposite to trying to keep a fish room cool so don't get them confused.

Insulating each aquarium with 1-2 inch thick polystyrene foam sheets can help reduce heat loss. You can use thicker foam if you like (say 2-4 inch thick). You should insulate the base of the tank, along with the back and 2 sides. Have a coverglass on the tank to trap heat inside. Thicker coverglass (4, 5 or 6mm thick) work better than thin glass (2 or 3mm thick). If there is going to be a long power failure, put another piece of foam on the front of the tank and a blanket or foam on top. Basically make the aquarium an esky (cooler for the US people).

have aquariums near inside walls and not next to outside/ external walls. The external walls of buildings can radiate cold into a room and make the aquarium cool down faster. Having aquariums next to internal walls (walls that divide rooms) means the walls won't be radiating cold air onto the back of the tank.

Normal aquarium heaters are fine to use if you only have a few tanks. If you have a lot of tanks, heating an insulated room is often cheaper.

Most tropical fish can live in water that is 18C or above. Many can even live in 14-16C water for a few months. However, these are usually the bottom end of the temperature ranges and it's preferable if the water temperature drops slowly over months, not overnight. But having said that, a lot of people (including myself) have had heaters malfunction (usually after a water change) and woken up to a cold tank. When we warm the water up, most of the fish survive. So if the water temperature does drop to 18-22C, don't panic. The fish will usually be fine.

In the UK and northern USA, most houses are well insulated and the aquarium's water temperature shouldn't drop any faster than the house temperature. In fact it should drop slower because water holds temperature better than air does. So as long as the house temp is above 18C, the tank's water temp should be the same.

Bigger tanks will hold temperature better than smaller tanks so whilst it might seem more expensive to run a bigger tank, it might be safer for the fish in the larger water mass if you have lots of power failures. Whilst people might be downgrading their tanks, a well insulated big tank with lights over the middle, might not cost anymore to run than a smaller uninsulated tank with the same light covering the entire tank. And the temperature of the bigger tank will not drop as quickly as the smaller tank due to the mass.

I used to have my aquarium heaters set on 18C in winter and turned them off when the water went above 20C. The fish were fine and lived in 30C+ during summer and 18C over winter. This winter temperature is fine for most fish but discus won't like it.

Welcome to the same in USA; capitalism with a capital C. Everything is owned by corporations and conglomerates. We’re at their mercy (they have none).

 

[Fishmanic]

You can always burn dollar bills in your fireplace to keep warm. Inflation is so high that the dollar bill is becoming worthless.

 

[Deleted member 149562]

Duvets....I used to go through them very fast cos no matter how high the TOG rating, they always lost their puffiness and warmth after a few months.

So about 6 years ago now I decided enough was enough and I would invest in a proper 18 TOG king size duvet, a Dacron one....I am still using it, although it does have to be said that it has not been cold enough to use overnight yet for a full night. It is as puffed up as it was when it arrived and oh so very very snuggly

Cost is high but when you consider that I have spent around £40 every 6 months prior to getting one of these, it is an absolute bargain

Winter Warm Duvets - 15 Tog or 18 Tog

Selection of 15 Tog and 18 Tog Duvets - in all sizes

theduvetstore.co.uk

Blankets....cellular type (as used in hospitals etc). Due to it not being cold enough to use the duvet very much (it gets folded down on the bed at night), I have two cellular cotton open weave blankets with a top sheet. Incredibly warm in winter, cool in summer thanks to their open weave allowing heat out in summper and air circulation in winter. I bought two of them in super king size 3 years ago and both are as good as new and as per the duvet, very very snuggly

If its a wee bit chilly in the evenings after dinner, I take myself off to bed and cuddle down into the blankets or duvet....no heating on as usual so no wasted heating costs....warm and snug as a bug under a seriously warm duvet heated by me (and my running costs are very light)

 

[GaryE]

I've learned that the farther south you live (to a point), the colder you are in winter. If I go out on a windy -25 days, it's cold. I throw on the right clothing, and it's okay. I'd prefer less cold, but my clothes are insulated, and so is my house.
Last night it was 13, windy and foggy. I closed the fishroom windows, except for a slow fan in one window. It was 23 degrees in there, higher than the 19-22 I want. When I went out this morning, the room was at 22. The heat was off and the lights were off - the only heat source is the air pump, and that is very little in a 9m by 4m room. But I have high grade wall insulation, no unsealed entry points, 2 tight doors and a metre of insulation over the ceiling. I think that's the direction UK members may need if ocean current change from climate change makes your winters more like ours.
I read fish friends in the balmy Carolinas freezing in winter, and I figure it's the construction differences doing that.

When I think back to growing up on the wrong side of the tracks here, houses were less well built and less insulated, and you often rented a flat with no central heating. You'd have one gas or oil heater in the hallway, and would wear warmer clothes indoors. Fishkeepers liked to concentrate their tanks in one warm room, and often had shrink wrapped window frames and insulation around the door of the room.
There were policies brought in in the 90s that made it affordable, indeed profitable, for landlords to add electric baseboard heating and insulation to old flats. That cut down on fires, and made a lot of those old freezing places fairly decent to live in. But you still have a radically different indoor clothes all winter.

I have never felt cold and damp like I did in England in the winter. The same for Ireland. Insulation rules, and the investment pays off if you can make it.