Calculate estimated daily, monthly, and yearly electricity costs for your aquarium equipment including heaters, lights, and filters.
Enter the wattage and daily usage hours for each piece of equipment. The electricity rate should be your base cost per kWh.
Heater actual run time varies based on the difference between set temperature and room temperature. In winter, 8-12 hours is a common estimate.
Calculated costs are estimates. Actual bills may vary depending on tiered pricing structures in your local area.
The calculator multiplies wattage × hours × electricity rate. Heaters cycle on and off, so actual heater runtime can vary 30–70% of the day depending on room temperature. Lights and pumps typically run at full wattage when on, so those numbers are accurate.
Look at the device label, the manual, or the manufacturer's website. Heater wattage is usually printed on the body. For LED lights, use the system input wattage, not the LED output. Pumps list both input wattage and flow rate.
Heaters only run when water drops below the set point. In winter (cold room), the heater may run 60–80% of the day. In summer it may run only 10–20%. Use the high estimate for winter budgeting and the low estimate for annual averages.
No. 6–10 hours per day is standard for both fish-only and planted tanks. Longer photoperiods promote algae and waste energy. A timer is the easiest way to enforce a consistent schedule.
A typical 75 gal community tank with a 200 W heater (cycling 30%), 30 W LED light (8 hr/day), and a 20 W canister filter (24/7) draws roughly 2.7 kWh/day. At $0.15/kWh that is about $12 per month.