Thinkfish.co.uk

[tenohfive]

I've been using thinkfish.co.uk since before I started keeping tropical fish as a resource, and thought I'd give it a plug. The main thing (aside from the volume calculators etc) I use is the fish database-its far from exhaustive but covers most popular fish and in pretty good detail, mentioning what not to keep them with, temp range, ph range, the usual stuff and theres usually mention of any compatibilty issues.

There is a community creator on there which you can take or leave-as a guide, I reckon its brilliant-IF USED AS A GUIDE. It doesn't do your thinking for you and doesn't claim to be correct on everything-but certainly tells you when you need to do a bit more digging (on places like this.)

Anyway, wondered if anyone else used it and wanted to recommend it to those that don't.

http/www.thinkfish.co.uk/

 

[PrettyLittleLamb]

Hiya

I've used this in the past and you're right in that it can be a very useful resource. Common sense is required though when using it and it's not always totally correct but providing you do additional research then it's definitely a good place to start. I must admit I like the way it gives a guideline at the bottom about what water hardness and temperature is best for the selected fish. The stocking calculator on it is a bit mad though and I certainly don't base my stocking levels on what it advises!

 

[orange shark]

I used the stoking calculator on it and it said i was ok when I was infact 10 times overstocked (i wasnt in real life i was just testing it)

 

[tenohfive]

I used the stoking calculator on it and it said i was ok when I was infact 10 times overstocked (i wasnt in real life i was just testing it)

The thing to remember is that its a guideline. I read an article on the CC written by the main guy at thinkfish and he says it is a guide, and is based upon the fact that modern filters are generally very capable and the idea of the mature tank being capable of being 'overstocked' compared to some general rules.

It doesn't take into account things like territories, or the fact that fish like Danio's need long tanks etc.

 

[Corleone]

Even as a guideline, I'd want a little more information on how it does the figures, like what it considers an oversized filter. I consider my 12x turnover monster of a filter oversized, but if it considers that about normal, that's a difference of 50 inches.

Anyway, no matter how much calculation you try to put into stocking, now that I'm getting a better handle on it myself, it seems more like an artform than a science. Trying to put general rules on it is always going to cause disagreement because of the millions of exceptions and other limiting factors. I think the inch-per-gallon rule's the best we've got, not because it's an accurate measure of the limits of a tank, but because it is an underestimate most of the time - it kept me out of a lot of trouble starting out, as it has for a lot of people.

The site's a good resource other than that. This is the first time I've seen it, but I think I'll be adding it to my research list for new additions.