lighting · 30W typical
Running a aquarium light costs about $1.19/month.
That's the typical aquarium light at 30W, run 8 hours a day at the US-average rate of 16.5¢/kWh. Change any of those and the number moves — use the calculator below to see yours.
Estimated cost
Full-power draw for 8 hours at 16.5¢/kWh.
How you use it
Cost shifts with how long it's on.
The same aquarium light can cost very different amounts depending on usage patterns. Three common scenarios, at the US-average rate.
planted tank
$1.19
per month
photosynthesis cycle
fish-only tank
$0.89
per month
viewing hours
Where you live
$2.15 spread between the cheapest and priciest states.
Same appliance, same hours of use, different zip code — the monthly cost varies this much.
| State | Rate | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 41.2¢ | $2.97 | $36.09 |
| California | 31.4¢ | $2.26 | $27.51 |
| Massachusetts | 30.8¢ | $2.22 | $26.98 |
| Connecticut | 28.7¢ | $2.07 | $25.14 |
| Rhode Island | 27.9¢ | $2.01 | $24.44 |
| New Hampshire | 24.6¢ | $1.77 | $21.55 |
| Alaska | 24.3¢ | $1.75 | $21.29 |
| New York | 22.3¢ | $1.61 | $19.53 |
| Maine | 22.1¢ | $1.59 | $19.36 |
| Vermont | 21.5¢ | $1.55 | $18.83 |
| Michigan | 19.3¢ | $1.39 | $16.91 |
| New Jersey | 19.1¢ | $1.38 | $16.73 |
| Maryland | 18.4¢ | $1.32 | $16.12 |
| Pennsylvania | 18.1¢ | $1.30 | $15.86 |
| District of Columbia | 17.8¢ | $1.28 | $15.59 |
| Wisconsin | 17.4¢ | $1.25 | $15.24 |
| Delaware | 17.2¢ | $1.24 | $15.07 |
| Illinois | 16.9¢ | $1.22 | $14.80 |
| Ohio | 16.6¢ | $1.20 | $14.54 |
| Nevada | 16.3¢ | $1.17 | $14.28 |
| Indiana | 15.8¢ | $1.14 | $13.84 |
| Virginia | 15.7¢ | $1.13 | $13.75 |
| Minnesota | 15.6¢ | $1.12 | $13.67 |
| Colorado | 15.4¢ | $1.11 | $13.49 |
| Alabama | 15.2¢ | $1.09 | $13.32 |
| West Virginia | 15.2¢ | $1.09 | $13.32 |
| Florida | 15.1¢ | $1.09 | $13.23 |
| New Mexico | 14.8¢ | $1.07 | $12.96 |
| Texas | 14.8¢ | $1.07 | $12.96 |
| Arizona | 14.7¢ | $1.06 | $12.88 |
| South Carolina | 14.7¢ | $1.06 | $12.88 |
| Kansas | 14.6¢ | $1.05 | $12.79 |
| Georgia | 14.2¢ | $1.02 | $12.44 |
| Iowa | 14.1¢ | $1.02 | $12.35 |
| North Carolina | 13.9¢ | $1.00 | $12.18 |
| Missouri | 13.6¢ | $0.98 | $11.91 |
| Oregon | 13.4¢ | $0.96 | $11.74 |
| Tennessee | 13.3¢ | $0.96 | $11.65 |
| Kentucky | 13.2¢ | $0.95 | $11.56 |
| Mississippi | 13.1¢ | $0.94 | $11.48 |
| Oklahoma | 13.1¢ | $0.94 | $11.48 |
| South Dakota | 12.7¢ | $0.91 | $11.13 |
| Montana | 12.4¢ | $0.89 | $10.86 |
| Nebraska | 12.2¢ | $0.88 | $10.69 |
| Arkansas | 12.1¢ | $0.87 | $10.60 |
| Washington | 12.1¢ | $0.87 | $10.60 |
| Louisiana | 11.9¢ | $0.86 | $10.42 |
| Wyoming | 11.6¢ | $0.84 | $10.16 |
| North Dakota | 11.5¢ | $0.83 | $10.07 |
| Utah | 11.4¢ | $0.82 | $9.99 |
| Idaho | 11.3¢ | $0.81 | $9.90 |
Efficient vs. inefficient
A $67.45/year difference across the wattage range.
Swapping a high-draw model for an efficient one pays for itself. Here's what that looks like annually at typical usage.
Most efficient
10W
$0.40 per month
$4.82 per year
Typical
30W
$1.19 per month
$14.45 per year
High draw
150W
$5.94 per month
$72.27 per year
When it hits hardest
year-round peak
Constant daily use.
Ways to cut the cost
- 1
Use LED instead of T5/T8 fluorescent — 40-60% less watts
Saves 50-150 kWh/year per tank
- 2
Use timer for exact 6-8 hour photoperiod
Prevents 10-12 hour overuse
- 3
Dim or reduce photoperiod to control algae — saves watts AND cleaning
20-30% watt reduction
Real-world wattages
Pulled from actual spec sheets.
| Brand | Model | Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Fluval | Plant 3.0 LED 36-46-inch | 46W |
| Finnex | Planted+ 24/7 CRV 36-inch | 30W |
| NICREW | ClassicLED G2 24-36-inch | 14W |
Picks that actually move the needle
Three products worth comparing if you're thinking about upgrading or supplementing what you have.
Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy, we may earn a small commission — it never changes the price you pay, and we only recommend picks we would stand behind.
See also
Related appliances
Sources: www.energy.gov · www.energystar.gov
Last updated: 2026-04-13