How much does an aquarium actually hold?

yea everyone estimates or rounds up to make theirs better. there was a huge thing about the mustang cobras a few years back and i think there was a class action lawsuit so they had to do a few mods to all the cars to give them the few extra horses that they claimed to have.
 
I think you will find that the manufacturers specify "nominal volume", not actual, or even better, working volume - therefore they are immune from suits. Working volume is specific to the individual tank in any case - substrate, rocks (my 75 mbuna tank w/several hundred pounds of rock held a bit over half the "nominal volume" of water).

The GPH standard for filters is as zero head and no filter media, ordinarily no tubes or other friction-generating devices - it may be the motor only. which is why the figures are meaningless between brands. What matters is really paticulate capture (which is function of the mechanical media) and the exposure of the biomedia surfaces to all the tank water as often as possible. But none of the manufacturers will report that either, as it is too individual - just like working volume.
 
This poses a new hypothetical question...

When someone adds water treatments or medications, ought the then ought to be using the actual water volume or assume that the measures on those bottles have been equally "rounded up" by the manufacturers?

One could theoretically seriously overdose if treating for 150 gallons if there were only 130, right?
 
For water treatments, medications, etc., you should calculate the actual water volume to the best of your ability. The dosages are expressed in terms of water volume rather than tank sizes.

Manufacturers don't assume you are rounding up, but often there is some leeway in the dosages so that you will probably be OK if you're overestimating the water volume of your tank a little. I know that the directions on Seachem's Flourish Excel, which can be toxic to fish if overdosed, state a maximum dosage that takes into account the "55-gallon" tank that only has 48 gallons of water. So they've factored in that people might technically "overdose" a little bit.

It's better in any case to ascertain the water volume of your tank and dose according to that.
 
The only time I use buckets for tank filling is the initial fill of any given setup, then I know the approximate volume of water actually in the tank. Then for the life of that particular setup I know the working volume.
 
Well I now have a new perspective on alot of things on this front. Med dosages, filtration factors, etc. The new tank is going to hold 194 gallons empty. With the gravel, fish, rocks, etc. I plan it will be about 180 gallons of water. But the gravel and rocks will be heavier than water so I'm planning for 2400 lbs. I'll be good on that figure. This tank is 7 foot long so it will disperse the weight better, however I want to move my 150 downstairs also and that one will have more weight in psf than the 210.

Going back to what Egyptdragon said. I believe there are safeguards on meds for that. Most meds you can double so a normal dose would be okay.
 
LMAO!! :laugh:

But it's a lot of work, remember that factor. Especially since 3 new tank mates are going in. Well actually 2 new 1 old. My girlfriend said the only way I get this tank is to get my 14 inch pleco back from the LFS. Okay, deal, lol. He looks like crap in their tank. He used to be black now he's almost white. Gonna use him a few other things to cycle the new tank.
 
I've often thought of ways to get my wife to "want" me to have a bigger tank but haven't tried them(yet anyway):D . I would like to get a 125 or a 150 at some point. Maybe then I would cut down on my number of tanks but I doubt it;) . Get us some pics when you get it going and I'll keep working on the wife.
 
Here's a pic of my 150.

tank1.jpg


Hard to tell it's a 150 but the pleco is 17 inches and the arowana is 22 inches. Actually 138 by my calculations.
 
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