Are These Calculator Results Correct?

[ZephyrStarPlaties]

The calculator on the site is saying that my two 20 gallon tanks are only 10 gallons. One is 9.5 x 14 x 15 (in inches), the other is 20 x 10.25 x 11.5 (inches again).

 

[Juggler75]

Calculator results seem good to me

 

[Man of fish]

Yeah those dimensions are only ten gallons......

 

[ZephyrStarPlaties]

really? Water parameters are perfect, but should I sell some fish anyways?

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

Well, what's your stocking?

 

[phoenixgsd]

it says mines 113 Lts, i didnt know tanks came in that size

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

Not counting the height with the hood are ya?? Often the dimensions given on websites for tanks include the height of the hood - protip

 

[phoenixgsd]

Not counting the height with the hood are ya?? Often the dimensions given on websites for tanks include the height of the hood - protip

it hasnt got a hood yet, i typed in the size of the tank and thats the result i got

 

[Jakey02578]

It seems fine to me!:'D

Edit: Just checked for one of my 5gallons, it's telling me it's 43 litres, then when I figured it out it's 20

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Firstly, most tank dimension are listed based on the outside measurements, So right away you have to subtract the volume of the glass. Some tank calculators have a place to input the thickness of the glass. Secondly, the measurement of height is right up to the top edge, and who fills their tank to the point where adding one more drop would be an overflow?

And then there is the issue of substrate, and all the other decor from rocks to wood to sunken ships or internal filters. All of these act to reduce your water volume. The only way I know to get an accurate reading on what your specific tank volume actually is is to set the tank up dry and then measure the amount of water it actually takes to fill it.

This is easy if its a smaller tank and a few five gallon buckets do the trick. More complicated with the big tanks. I guess you would need a flow meter on a hose to let you get the answer without herniating yourself carrying enough 5 gallon buckets to fill a 150 gallon tank.

You may ask why it is importany to have a handle on the actual volume? It becomes an uisuue when determinging how much ammonia to dose for fishless cycling or when you have to dose medications. Both are based on the water volume.

 

[DJH584]

TTA is absolutely correct and his last paragraph nails it to the wall.

We have an Aquael Econoline 70 tank.
On the box it says that it is a 98 litre tank. Fine, measure the external dimensions and multiply them - yes that comes to 98 litres.
Measure the internal dimensions and multiply them and it comes down to 93 litres.
Add the substrate, the artificial plants and ornaments, internal filter (in our case an EHEIM 2210), heater and airstone and the actual water volume comes down to 80 litres.

We learnt the hard way, we now take any claims by a manufacturer that a tank is so many litres in the same way as we treat advice from a LFS (again learning from our own experience and advice from here) - with EXTREME caution

David

 

[ZephyrStarPlaties]

Well, what's your stocking?

A dwarf gourami, five platies, and three albino cories. Both tanks were sold as 20 gallons, and people say that a 20 gallon long should be 2.5 feet like what I have.

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

It might be shallow/narrow....try a calculator on another site

 

[Man of fish]

It might be shallow/narrow....try a calculator on another site

I did that and got 10 us gallons and 8 imperial.

Well, what's your stocking?

A dwarf gourami, five platies, and three albino cories. Both tanks were sold as 20 gallons, and people say that a 20 gallon long should be 2.5 feet like what I have.

I think it'll be fine in a 10 gallon

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

mmmm I think my tank is 10 imperial and 12 US....