Home › Appliances › Hobbies & Fitness › Aquarium (Heater, Filter, Light) › California

How Much Does It Cost to Run a Aquarium (Heater, Filter, Light) in California? (2026)

An aquarium's cost is mostly the heater, which cycles on and off to hold temperature, plus a filter pump running all day and lights on for 8 to 12 hours. A 100 litre tropical tank uses roughly 30 to 60 kWh a month.

A typical aquarium (heater, filter, light) (80 W) costs $0.028 per hour, or about $10.08 per month at 12 hours a day in California. Average running cost

Electricity price region Hours used per day

Wattage	Per hour	Per day	Per month	Per year
Low (30 W)	$0.010	$0.13	$3.78	$45.99
Typical (80 W)	$0.028	$0.34	$10.08	$122.64
High (300 W)	$0.10	$1.26	$37.80	$459.90

Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 12 h/day ≈ 350 kWh per year.

In California, with electricity at $0.35 per kWh (source: EIA Table 5.6.A, 2026-06), a typical aquarium (heater, filter, light) costs $0.028 per hour and about $122.64 per year at 12 hours a day. That is about 94% more than the US national average of $5.18 per month, because electricity in California costs $0.35 per kWh against $0.18 nationally. Each $1.00 of electricity buys roughly 35.7 hours of use.

How to lower the cost of running a aquarium (heater, filter, light)

Put the tank away from windows and drafts so the heater runs less.
Cover the tank. An open top loses heat through evaporation.
Use LED lighting on a timer for 8 hours rather than 12.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an aquarium cost to run per month?

A typical 100 litre heated tank uses 30 to 60 kWh a month. Pick your region above.

Which part of an aquarium uses the most electricity?

The heater in a cool room. In a warm room, the lights.

Does a bigger tank cost proportionally more?

Less than proportionally. Larger tanks hold temperature better per litre.

Cost by region

Related appliances

Use the generic electricity cost calculator →