The Importance of a Fish Tank Calculator

A fish tank calculator is more important than many think. You might have heard people complaining that all of their fishes die nearly in a week when they bring them home. Do you ever wonder why it happens?

The most common reason is people keep more fishes in the tank than a  preferred amount. Even you may have seen many fishes in a small aquarium. This situation is not ideal for the survival of these creatures. They need a certain amount of space and want
a chemically balanced environment . When an inexperienced fish owner or beginner  places plenty of fishes in a small tank, they can’t maintain the water’s required pH value or chemical composition. This leads to the death of fishes.

So, the first thing you need to do before keeping your fishes is to use a fish tank calculator. Figure out the volume of the tank. You can also calculate it by yourself using the tricks mentioned below.

What Size of Tank Is Best for Beginners?

Mostly, beginners think it is a good idea to start with mini-aquariums. This might be because smaller tanks are commonly available or have an appealing appearance. However, if an inexperienced person starts their journey as a fish owner with a small aquarium, it will come to its end soon after it begins. This is because these tanks can accommodate a small volume of water. The lesser the volume, the faster the key water parameters change.

Of course, you can’t handle the quick changes in water if you don’t have sufficient experience. Not to mention, experienced aquarists find it tricking to maintain small tanks. If you are new in this field, it’s better to start with tanks that can contain at least 20 gallons of water. The bigger the aquarium, the lesser your mistakes will impact the fishes.

How to Measure Fish’s Quantity?

This is one of the common mistakes people make. New aquarists overstock the aquariums, which is not good for fishes. Although a professional person can successfully keep 21 small fishes in an 11-gallon fish tank, it will be impossible for a beginner to be successful.

You need to calculate the net gallon of water before keeping your fishes in it. The water’s net gallon is the amount of water filled in the tank after putting decorations and gravel in it. You can use an 80% ratio of aquarium volume to actual water in your tank.

Suppose you have a 10-gallon tank. It can hold around 8 gallons of water after placing gravel and decorations. You need to use the general rule of thumb, which is: you need to measure one inch of fish length per each gallon of water. So, in this case, you
can put 8 inches of fish in the tank, which is totally safe. Now it depends on the size of the fish that how many you can place in an aquarium. You can place 8 fishes, 1-inch in length after they are fully grown. Or you can place 4 fishes that are 2 inches long when fully grown. This rule is best for unprofessional people. However, bigger aquariums with good filtration systems can hold more fishes at the same time.

How to Calculate the Volume of Your Fish Tank?

If you bring a tank in your home and don’t know how many gallons it can hold, you can calculate it. This
is pretty simple. You need to use some formulas according to the shape of your aquarium. The rectangular and cylindrical aquariums need a different formula for the measurement. You can do the calculation by yourself with the help of these formulas.

Moreover, you can use a fish tank calculator to determine the right volume of your aquarium. These calculators are easy to use. You only need to fill the blanks, and it will give you the answer. Thus, you need not do subtractions or divisions on your own. So, if you are not a math person, it’s better to go with calculators. However, if you want to calculate it yourself, we have mentioned the trick to measure the volume below.

Rectangular Tanks

If you have a rectangular tank, measure its depth, width, and length using a tape measure. You can measure the outside of the tank and then subtract the width of the aquarium walls to get the exact measurement of the aquarium’s inner area. Or you can simply measure the inside of the fish tank.

Now, you have to multiply the depth, width, and length of the aquarium to find its volume in cubic inches. For instance, if your measurements are 12 inches by 12 inches by 20 inches, the volume is 2,880 cubic inches. You need to divide this result by 231. This is because a gallon is equal to 231 cubic inches. Hence, the volume of this tank will be 12.47 gallons.

Cylindrical Tanks

Measure the radius and height of the aquarium. For your better understanding, the radius is the center of the circle to the edge of the circle. So, you need to measure it from its center to its wall. Or you can simply divide the width or diameter by two to find the radius.

Now square the radius by multiplying it two times by itself. Now, multiply the result by 3.1416 (constant pi). Next, multiply this measurement by the height to find the cubic volume in inches. Then, divide the answer by 231 (a gallon is equal to 231 cubic inches). You will get the right amount of gallons.

Why Is Volume Important for The Fishes?

As discussed earlier, if you know the actual value of the water volume present in a tank, you can decide how many fishes you can place in it. Moreover, you will know how to maintain the pH and other chemicals in the water to give your fish the best environment. If you have kept more fishes in a small tank than it can accommodate, you can’t keep the water chemically balance, and your fish will die eventually.

So, you need to know the exact volume of water in your aquarium for the sur vival of these little creatures. After getting the value, calculate how many fishes can live happily and healthily in your tank.

Bottom Line

After reading the article, you must have got the idea of how you can give a good environment to your fish. Don’t forget to use a fish tank calculator or measure the volume by yourself before placing fishes in the aquarium.

If you have found out about the right size and are looking for fishes to put in, you may be thinking about putting in some cool bottom feeders, which help maintaining your tank.

But the golden rule is to understock your tank rather than stuffing it with as many fish as possible. Inform yourself about the fish you’d like to have, their favourite environment and if they for example like to be in schools.