How stocked is your tank using AqAdvisor?

[T1KARMANN]

I have been following this thread and think it's quite funny.. So TK1 I guess we stock our tanks based on Adult size because.. as restricted Americans.. we are unable to just go have another custom tank built to meet the demands of our fish when their fully grown and can't fit in our Standard tanks..?

This is another silly point there is a thing called a grow out tank

I have a 4" ray pup in a 30x15x12 will it be over stocked when the ray reaches adulthood yes is it overstocked now no

You also need to take into account decor
If you add 100lbs of rock and substrate to a 100gal it's no longer a 100gal it has much less water

 

[bud29]

Over filtration DOES allow you to overstock a tank it's done all the time in Asia

To take a page from your book:

That is a silly point

Breeders and fish farms in Asia are not even close to what you would want to emulate in your home aquarium. They overstock to save space for more breeding tanks, so they can breed the maximum amount of fish possible. I'm pretty sure nobody on this thread has a full-blown fish farm in their basement, so your point is pretty irrelevant.

You need to open your mind a bit and learn not to go on what a chart tells you is right

Are you reading what we are saying? I don't think any of us have said that we only use aqadvisor for stocking, nor has anyone said that it is entirely accurate either. I believe our point is that it is a baseline (especially for newer people) that can be helpful for someone to get an idea of where he/she is at. You seem to be the only person here without an open mind, shouting that aqadvisor is a "gimmick" and "false" without even having used the tool before.

Joker

Not as much as you may think. Sure, my example was an exaggeration, but it was an exaggeration of your own point. Adding filtration really only helps when your current filtration is subpar. As I said, you reach a point where space becomes an issue, filtration irrelevant.

a person should be able to look at his tank and see it's overstocked
I'm sure I stated that very early on in this thread didn't i

I was talking to a guy in walmart the other day, he said he had a 5" oscar and a 8" common pleco in his 5g tank. I told him that his tank was overstocked, and that he should probably get a much bigger tank or rehome the fish. His answer was, "well it doesn't look that way to me."

While I agree that stocking limits should be somewhat flexibile to the fishkeeper (I am not one who believes in firm tank size limits) You can't get carried away. Your version of how people should stock is totally arbitrary. One person's definition of 'overstocked' could be the next person's definition of 'understocked.' There are certain limits - the owner's opinion (or a huge filtration system ) won't change that.

 

[T1KARMANN]

To take a page from your book:

Breeders and fish farms in Asia are not even close to what you would want to emulate in your home aquarium. They overstock to save space for more breeding tanks, so they can breed the maximum amount of fish possible. I'm pretty sure nobody on this thread has a full-blown fish farm in their basement, so your point is pretty irrelevant.



Are you reading what we are saying? I don't think any of us have said that we only use aqadvisor for stocking, nor has anyone said that it is entirely accurate either. I believe our point is that it is a baseline (especially for newer people) that can be helpful for someone to get an idea of where he/she is at. You seem to be the only person here without an open mind, shouting that aqadvisor is a "gimmick" and "false" without even having used the tool before.




Not as much as you may think. Sure, my example was an exaggeration, but it was an exaggeration of your own point. Adding filtration really only helps when your current filtration is subpar. As I said, you reach a point where space becomes an issue, filtration irrelevant.



I was talking to a guy in walmart the other day, he said he had a 5" oscar and a 8" common pleco in his 5g tank. I told him that his tank was overstocked, and that he should probably get a much bigger tank or rehome the fish. His answer was, "well it doesn't look that way to me."

While I agree that stocking limits should somewhat be flexibile to the fishkeeper (I am not one who believes in firm tank size limits) You can't get carried away. Your version of how people should stock is totally arbitrary. One person's definition of 'overstocked' could be the next person's definition of 'understocked.' There are certain limits - the owner's opinion or a huge filtration system won't change that.

I'm not talking about Asian fish farms I'm talking about hobbyists
Like you have limited space it's the same in country's like Singapore and Hong Kong but they keep stingrays and Asian Arowana in 4x2 tanks which is considered a large tank
Will a 4x2 be over stocked yes but they offset this by adding oversized filtration

Unless you have the knowledge please don't tell me what works and what doesn't work

A 500g setup has different rules than a 10g because if anything is wrong with a 10g water the impact will be a lot faster than on a 500g
So basically you can get away with a lot more on a larger water volume

 

[bud29]

Like you have limited space it's the same in country's like Singapore and Hong Kong but they keep stingrays and Asian Arowana in 4x2 tanks which is considered a large tank
Will a 4x2 be over stocked yes but they offset this by adding oversized filtration

I would still like to know how adding a fish that grows up to 3' long in a 4' tank can be justified by having a big filter. I repeat once again that a filter doesn't create any more room for the fish to swim.

Unless you have the knowledge don't tell me what works and doesn't work

I'm not exactly sure that your know-it-all attitude is really endearing yourself to fellow forum members, or compelling others to agree with you. Methinks it may be doing quite the opposite.

A 500g setup has different rules than a 10g because if anything is wrong with a 10g water the impact will be a lot faster than on a 500g
So basically you can get away with a lot more on a larger water volume

Sure, you have a larger margin for error in a larger tank. But that doesn't mean you can (or should) exploit that by overstocking.

 

[T1KARMANN]

I would still like to know how adding a fish that grows up to 3' long in a 4' tank can be justified by having a big filter. I repeat once again that a filter doesn't create any more room for the fish to swim.







I'm not exactly sure that your know-it-all attitude is really endearing yourself to fellow forum member, or compelling others to agree with you. Methinks it may be doing quite the opposite.







Sure, you have a larger margin for error in a larger tank. But that doesn't mean you can (or should) exploit that by overstocking.

See like I said you don't have the knowledge Asian gold Arowana only grow to 2ft

I'm not saying it's right but it is done and works will the fish be stunted probably
What you need to take into account is different culture
If you are on a mission to tell the whole world what's right and wrong then go to some of the Asian forums like arofanatics then you will be a troll

 

[bud29]

See like I said you don't have the knowledge Asian gold Arowana only grow to 2ft

You said Asian arowana at first, not Asian gold arowana. You're grasping at straws here.

Asian arowana - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Asian Arowana

I'm not saying it's right but it is done and works will the fish be stunted probably

Perhaps the people here want their fish to leave healthy, uninhibited lives without stunting.

There is a strong rule about ethical fishkeeping on this site, and your carelessness to potential stunting most likely violates this rule.

The owners of Aquarium Advice adhere to basic standards of ethical fishkeeping. We believe that freshwater and saltwater aquarists are directly responsible for the health and well being of any aquatic animals in their care, be they fish or invertebrate. These responsibilities include providing a healthy aquatic environment, humane treatment, humane euthanasia (when required), as well as obtaining and disposing of aquatic animals in such a way that does not damage sensitive local ecosystems. Posts advocating the illegal collection of fish or invertebrates, inhumane treatment, flushing live animals down the toilet, or releasing them into the wild will be removed.

The bottom line is, you seem to be set in your ways and are ignoring valid points brought up by myself and other members. Unless you care to intelligently address these points, I think I'm done here.

 

[Delapool]

Say just a thought, but it would be all handy if we could simmer down and get back to the thread topic. I'm not sure this is useful for the OP.

 

[T1KARMANN]

I think I know the modern stuff don't you

 

[T1KARMANN]

This is a SMS message my tank sends to me if and when I have a problem or I ask it for info

 

[T1KARMANN]

Because a lot of big tank keepers run a drip system I think we can get away with much higher stocking levels than a tank without one

In layman's terms as I know some of you guys who have only been in the hobby 5mins may not know what a drip system is my tank can change 100-500 gal per day of water on its own
Basically 100-500 gal of new water goes in the tank on its own and the waste water goes down the drain

Like I said that's it now or I will get more warnings for defending myself

 

[Mebbid]

View attachment 239637

I think I know the modern stuff don't you

This is a SMS message my tank sends to me if and when I have a problem or I ask it for info

View attachment 239638

Well then, since you obviously know more about aquariums than anyone here then how about a response to statements I made earlier? You've avoided both of these points like the plague and I'm curious to know why.

You're also ignoring my statement about oxygen exchange being the primary driving factor on AQAdvisor. That is one of the main things determining our stocking levels.

Also, what I'm getting from your statements that it doesn't matter how tall the tank is, it can hold the gallonage is the only thing determining how many fish it can hold. Is that right?

 

[T1KARMANN]

Well then, since you obviously know more about aquariums than anyone here then how about a response to statements I made earlier? You've avoided both of these points like the plague and I'm curious to know why.

Which points are they so much rubbish has been talked about in this thread like someone's life plan

I can't remember what you asked

Oh yeah ox exchanges I'm not good with new stuff like you said have you never herd of a ozone unit or maybe I new unit called a air stone

Or even better still doesn't the higher filtration ox the water better

 

[J.Mcpeak]

Aqadvisor. I did it. Most of my tanks check out ok.

My big tank;
Note: Clown Loach may pretend to be dead at times. (11 fish)
Note: Bristlenose Pleco needs driftwood. (1 fish)
Recommended temperature range: 24 - 27 C.
Recommended pH range: 6 - 7.8.
Recommended hardness range: 5 - 15 dH.
You have plenty of aquarium filtration capacity.
Your aquarium filtration capacity for above selected species is 182%.
Recommended water change schedule: 39% per week.
Your aquarium stocking level is 121%.

160x84x60cm (806 litre) 2x fluval fx5
(nearest volume I could get actually I'm 794 litres)
Tank is 1624x860x762mm external.

Never used aqadvisor before, that looks about right to me though the water change is a little low, I need a bigger tank!
(Adult fish sizes used, some are half that size and less, assuming 8" adult size, if it's 12" adult size all fish are well below this size)

---------------------------------------------------
My 110litre;
Recommended temperature range: 26 - 27 C.
Recommended pH range: 5.5 - 7.
Recommended hardness range: 5 - 12 dH.
You have plenty of aquarium filtration capacity.
Your aquarium filtration capacity for above selected species is 250%.
Recommended water change schedule: 12% per week.
Your aquarium stocking level is 34%.
5 corydoras agassizii
2 blue ram
108 litres water, 110x35x28 (tank is 36x15x18")
Fluval 1+ and 3+ internal filters.

Water change is not enough.
Hard to find some species! This could be easier.

-------------------------------------------------------
My 120litre;
Recommended temperature range: 24 - 27 C.
Recommended pH range: 5.5 - 7.5.
Recommended hardness range: 1 - 15 dH.
Warning: You NEED to add more aquarium filtration capacity!!!
Your aquarium filtration capacity for above selected species is 77%.
Recommended water change schedule: 31% per week.
Your aquarium stocking level is 64%. [Generate Image]

15 Cory paleatus 13 glowlight tetra. 120 litres, 110x38x29cms not sure think it's 38x15x18? I know it's 120 litres!
Cory are babies still so this is not a problem. Just about 6months.
Fluval 205 external.

It's about right this one.
(Cory at juvenile size, averaged at 3cms = 161% filtration)
Fish size is a useful addition on this calculator.

Glowlights at 4cm Cory at 4cm =105%filter/23%change/51% stocked.
About right, water change a little low, not by much though.
-----------------------------------------------------------
My brackish water tank;
Warning: Figure Eight Puffer requires brackish water.
Recommended temperature range: 22 - 26 C.
Recommended pH range: 7 - 7.5.
Recommended hardness range: 5 - 12 dH.
You have plenty of aquarium filtration capacity.
Your aquarium filtration capacity for above selected species is 149%.
Recommended water change schedule: 62% per week.
(You might want to split this water change schedule to two separate 38% per week)
Your aquarium stocking level is 100%.

Figure 8 puffer 60x28x30cms =50litres water
Fluval 205 external.

This is bang on. Absolutely perfect.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Can't do my hill stream loach tank as the filter is not available. I know it's under stocked.


What can I say, loads of hate mail normally for aqadvisor, I've read lots of statements about inaccuracy. It seems pretty close to me by volume of water not tank dimensions. Fish size makes a difference! Water changes I think are a little low except the puffer, while the suggestion is a little high for water change that is better than a little low I think.

 

[bud29]

I do agree that we veered way off-topic, let's get things back on the right path again......a few relevant talking points:

-oxygen content in longer tanks vs. taller tanks
-stocking capacity in longer tanks vs. taller tanks
-filtration's play in stocking
-accuracy of aqadvisor in stocking, how much to take it seriously

From here on out I think it would be a good idea to try as hard as we can to only stick with factual evidence and not let emotions get in away. I think everyone got a little riled up, myself included, which took everything way off course.

 

[T1KARMANN]

With ox you need to test orp and redox as you may have seen from my SMS I do monitor this
But many people don't even know what it is let alone test it

 

[DragonFish71]

Ladies and gentlemen, play nice or this thread will be closed and YOU can explain to the OP why a mod had to close it.

 

[UABsleeperSRNA]

On a Brighter note i am yet to be able to use AqAdvisor.. every time i try to go to it get redirected to some scam sites..

 

[bud29]

On a Brighter note i am yet to be able to use AqAdvisor.. every time i try to go to it get redirected to some scam sites..

I was getting those issues before, but now everything seems good. It does look like a few people are still having problems though.

 

[Brookster123]

On a Brighter note i am yet to be able to use AqAdvisor.. every time i try to go to it get redirected to some scam sites..

The member who seems to have aided in its revival said you need to clear your Internet cache in order to successfully view the site.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[J.Mcpeak]

With ox you need to test orp and redox as you may have seen from my SMS I do monitor this
But many people don't even know what it is let alone test it

Explain orp and redox potential.then explain why it is important to test for it.