Percentage monthly electricity
usage (in k Wh), fully loaded
reef aquarium.
Lighting
Protein Skimmer
Timer switches (basic equipment)
Calcium reactor
Extra T5 lamps
Moonlight
Current pumps
Extra timer switches
External filter
Household
Fig 2b.
Percentage monthly electricity
usage (in k Wh), lfully loaded reef
aquarium and household of three.
Aquarium total
Fig 2c.
Percentage monthly electricity
usage (in k Wh), fully loaded
reef aquarium and household
of three.
Lighting
Protein Skimmer
Timer switches (basic equipment)
Calcium reactor
Extra T5 lamps
Moonlight
Current pumps
Extra timer switches
External filter
Household Total
Calcium reactor: The calcium reactor provides stony
corals with calcium ions and carbonates by using circulatory pumps that consume between 10–65 watts depending on type and size. In the case of our hypothetical
153-gallon (560-liter) aquarium the pumps will consume 28 watts per hour, 24 hours a day. Calcium ions
and carbonates are indispensable in the maintenance of
fast-growing small-polyp stony corals. Lime water is generally not adequate for this purpose (Brockmann 2008).
Additional lighting: Additional lighting is used to produce better color rendition in stony corals. Consumption
is 60 watts, running time 10 hours a day. (These lights are
for aesthetic purposes, and can be omitted if necessary.)
Moonlight: This is where we enjoy the benefits of LED
lights. Consumption is 2 watts, running time 12 hours
a day. (Moonlights have proved particularly valuable in
aquaria with nervous fishes. They are not absolutely essential, but consume so little electricity that moonlight
figures minimally in terms of overall cost.)
Twin current pumps: The Tunze Stream 6125 current pump is replaced by two Tunze pumps with a lower
turnover (for example, Tunze Stream 6085, turnover
rate 2111 gallons ( 8,000 L) per hour; 14 watts apiece) in
order to produce variable current conditions. Running
time for each pump is around 14 hours a day. (The use of
two current pumps serves to create more natural conditions. A second current pump is not essential as long as
the circulation provided by a single pump is adequate.)
Timer switches: I’ve added four extra timer switches to control the two current pumps, the additional T5
lamps, and the moonlight; 2 watts per time switch, running time 24 hours a day. (These timers—or a controller—
are absolutely essential. Their electricity consumption is
inconsequentially small, as shown by Figure 2c.)
Adsorber filter: External filter for filtration over
phosphate adsorber and activated carbon; pump rated at
15 watts, running time 24 hours a day. (In my view an
external filter is essential for a coral-reef aquarium. It is a
