what do you guys use to decide if the tanks are overstocked or not? im just curious bc i see people say somethin is overstocked and i wondered what system they used
deciding if tank is overstocked?
- Thread starter dbcb314
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Well, for me it's a matter of intuition after abut 25 years of experince in this hobby. I don't follow a set rules like the usual "inch of fish per gallon". I will depart from any established rule under different circumstances. However, these rules can serve as a rough guide.
Factors like tank size, type of fish, filtration, live plants, etc will affect how many fish I will place in any given set-up. For example, with an AquaClear 150 on a heavily planted 10 gallon tank with regular weekly water changes, I wouldn't hesitate to put 15-20 neons in there, whereas conventional thinking might suggest that this tank is overstocked.
Monitor your water parameters regularly, and that will tell you a lot about your water quality, and whether you have too heavy of a bioload. I would urge regular water changes under any circumstances, moreso on set-ups that have heavier bioloads.
Factors like tank size, type of fish, filtration, live plants, etc will affect how many fish I will place in any given set-up. For example, with an AquaClear 150 on a heavily planted 10 gallon tank with regular weekly water changes, I wouldn't hesitate to put 15-20 neons in there, whereas conventional thinking might suggest that this tank is overstocked.
Monitor your water parameters regularly, and that will tell you a lot about your water quality, and whether you have too heavy of a bioload. I would urge regular water changes under any circumstances, moreso on set-ups that have heavier bioloads.
well at least someone sorta plays it by ear. i swear half the people just go by the inch per gallon thing.
thanks for response
thanks for response
Monitoring water parameters is the best way to tell, and is not at all playing it by ear. It is reading changes in the water and reacting appropriately to those changes.
If your nitrates are increasing and your KH and pH decreasing despite regular water partials, you are over-crowded or over-feeding (hard to tell the difference) or under changing, or all the above.
If you have periodic ammonia or nitrites, you are underfiltered for your stock/feeding, or are handling the filter maintenance improperly, or both.
If your nitrates are low and kept so by your partials, your KH and pH stable, if no unoxidized metabolites are ever seen, you are either not overcrowded or are compensating successfully for the crowding by upkeep.
If your nitrates are increasing and your KH and pH decreasing despite regular water partials, you are over-crowded or over-feeding (hard to tell the difference) or under changing, or all the above.
If you have periodic ammonia or nitrites, you are underfiltered for your stock/feeding, or are handling the filter maintenance improperly, or both.
If your nitrates are low and kept so by your partials, your KH and pH stable, if no unoxidized metabolites are ever seen, you are either not overcrowded or are compensating successfully for the crowding by upkeep.
Funny, I haven't seen an unoxidized metabolites test kit advertised anywhere. Care to break it down for those of us who don't know or aren't sure what THAT means???
Unoxidized metabolites = ammonia or nitrite.
I would add one more piece to that--you are seeing normal growth and behavior in the fish. For example, I have my 40 overstocked, and knew it. Never had water quality problems, because it's a planted tank and I did large weekly water changes. However, my fish were not displaying normal behavior--the gouramies hid at the bottom of the tank, for example. I moved them to a smaller tank that they share with just one occupant, and they now display typical gouramie behavior. With many fish, the size of the tank isn't a growth limiting factor, but crowding and competition are slowing or preventing a fish from reaching it's normal adult size.
I would add one more piece to that--you are seeing normal growth and behavior in the fish. For example, I have my 40 overstocked, and knew it. Never had water quality problems, because it's a planted tank and I did large weekly water changes. However, my fish were not displaying normal behavior--the gouramies hid at the bottom of the tank, for example. I moved them to a smaller tank that they share with just one occupant, and they now display typical gouramie behavior. With many fish, the size of the tank isn't a growth limiting factor, but crowding and competition are slowing or preventing a fish from reaching it's normal adult size.
Common Sense and water quality measurements. I disagree a lot with rigidity of the inch per gallon guideline.
There is NO rigidity to that guideline, IMO and IME. There are some calculators, but even they seem to be arbitrary...see the one in Aquarium Fish Monthly for an example of one that is somewhat arbitrary.
as long as you can keep your parameters ok, and your tank clean and your fish happy you can keep as many as you see fit. the only reason i use inch per gallon is in my community tank, and i dont apply it to stricktly surface dwellers, or bottom feeders to that. as long as my fish have space. i think many people are anal about bigger cichlids. like having an oscar in a 30 gallon tank. when the fish can get bigger than the tank is wide.. well you get the idea i dont think everyone uses the inch per gallon, but with the inch per gallon, it is easiest to keep your tank clean and at the correct parameters.
you can keep as many as you see fit. the only reason i use inch per gallon is in my community tank, and i dont apply it to stricktly surface dwellers, or bottom feeders to that. as long as my fish have space. i think many people are anal about bigger cichlids. like having an oscar in a 30 gallon tank. when the fish can get bigger than the tank is wide.. well you get the idea i dont think everyone uses the inch per gallon, but with the inch per gallon, it is easiest to keep your tank clean and at the correct parameters.
