Aquarium electricity cost calculator
Enter each device's wattage and how many hours a day it runs, plus your electricity rate per unit. You get the units used and the cost in rupees per month and per year.
Result
₹248 a month
- Per year
- ₹3,013
- Units per month
- 31 kWh
- Units per day
- 1.03 kWh
| Device | Units a month | Cost a month |
|---|---|---|
| Filter | 7.2 | ₹58 |
| Light | 3.6 | ₹29 |
| Heater | 18 | ₹144 |
| Air pump | 2.2 | ₹17 |
Months are counted as 30 days. Your bill may add fixed charges and taxes.
Getting an accurate figure
- Use your own tariff. One unit on your bill is one kilowatt-hour (kWh). The ₹8 shown to start with is only an example; many tariffs charge more per unit as monthly use rises, so use the rate for your slab.
- Be honest about heater hours. It depends on the room and the season. Tropical fish need steady warmth, so check each species' range in the care guide; some fish, like those in the cold-water fish list, need no heater at all.
- Size the heater to the tank. About 1 watt per litre is a common rule of thumb. Work out your tank's volume with the aquarium volume calculator.
Planning a first tank? See setting up your first freshwater aquarium for the equipment you need.
Common questions
How do I work out what my aquarium costs to run?
Multiply each device's watts by the hours it runs a day and divide by 1,000 to get units (kWh) per day. Add them up, multiply by 30 for a month, then by the per-unit rate on your electricity bill.
Why does the heater run for fewer hours than the day?
A heater's thermostat switches it on only when the water drops below the set temperature. In a warm room it may barely run; in a cold room in winter it runs much longer. Adjust the hours to match your season.
Where do I find a device's wattage?
On the label, the box or the product listing, usually written as W. A 100 W heater draws 100 watts while it is heating.
What uses the most electricity in an aquarium?
Usually the heater, when it has to work hard. Filters and air pumps use little power but run all day, so they add up. LED lights are usually cheap to run.
More tools
Keep your tank's tests, water changes and costs together in AquaLog.