Thoughs on AqAdvisor

[blert]

I really kinda dig this calculator but would like to know your thoughts on it...
Aggression issues and compatibility aside.
Do you think it is relatively conservative in it's calculations? Do you think it is spot on? Or do you think it overestimates?

 

[Snowfire]

I read one of your posts earlier and I know what you mean. It assumes all fish are max size so that needs to be taken into account.
I have also got a sunsun filter and I'm sure it underestimates it as they also list the APS filters (which are sunsun) as being a lot more powerful.
I would use it as a rough guide more than following what it says to the letter IMHO.

 

[calfishguy]

I think that the compatability is good but that the stocking is always too much or too little If you add filtration you can have five hundred norms in a 30

 

[blert]

I read one of your posts earlier and I know what you mean. It assumes all fish are max size so that needs to be taken into account.
I have also got a sunsun filter and I'm sure it underestimates it as they also list the APS filters (which are sunsun) as being a lot more powerful.
I would use it as a rough guide more than following what it says to the letter IMHO.

Wow, you are not kidding. The APS1400+ is rated at 158 gallons while the SunSun 303b is only rated at 92 gallons. And they are the same filter. Something wonky there for sure.

I'm not too concerned about the filtration aspect of the calculator though. Yes, you can cram 100 fish into a small tank and filter the heck out of it and you may be fine. I was thinking more about the stocking calc. I know it takes adult size into consideration, unless you use the juvie size button, but I think it still overestimates a bit.

 

[VioletEmber]

I am wondering about it too... I just spent way too much time geeking out on it and entering all my tanks on there. I know a lot of people scoff at it, but it seemed pretty accurate to me. And it did point out that two of the species I was fantasizing about had different enough temp requirements that they wouldn't be a good match. So in that it was actually helpful.

 

[calfishguy]

All tropicals have the same temp unless it's goldfish.

 

[blert]

All tropicals have the same temp unless it's goldfish.

Untrue. Check the temperature parameters for Danios, they are on the low end, and the different temperatures within the Cory family. But you can usually find common ground.

 

[VioletEmber]

Untrue. Check the temperature parameters for Danios, they are on the low end, and the different temperatures within the Cory family. But you can usually find common ground.

That's exactly it- zebra danios and apistos I think is what brought up the warning.

 

[calfishguy]

They at both fine at 78

 

[aqua_chem]

All tropicals have the same temp unless it's goldfish.

No, this really is quite false. Some fish can adapt, but many others can't. There are fish that prefer low 70s that will do poorly in mid 70s and upper, as well as a number of fish that will do great in 80s, but start to decline in mid-upper 70s and lower. Quite often fish are shoehorned into suboptimal temperature and survive the sub-optimal conditions, and then their owners tout them as 'doing fine' when you'll find that they actually have a reduced quality of life and life span.

I actually have fish that have a preferred range of about two degrees. They loose their color whenever the temp changes from that small little range for any period of time.

 

[aqua_chem]

As far as AqAdvisor goes, it's like Autocorrect on your iphone. It's a great tool until you trust to too much and it jumbalayas your massage.

 

[calfishguy]

Fish that prefer 70 are not tropicals don't put words in my mouth

 

[blert]

All tropicals have the same temp unless it's goldfish.

Fish that prefer 70 are not tropicals don't put words in my mouth

Don't get snippy now, he is just stating a fact. Besides, you grouped Goldfish into tropicals.

 

[calfishguy]

That's not what I meant I was referring to a species that does not like warm water

 

[siva]

I really kinda dig this calculator but would like to know your thoughts on it...
Aggression issues and compatibility aside.
Do you think it is relatively conservative in it's calculations? Do you think it is spot on? Or do you think it overestimates?

It seems to me like it's just kind of all over the place. I've seen it say tanks that I feel are stocked perfectly as grossly overstocked or not at full capacity.

The species list is also seriously lacking. I keep many fish that aren't on the list.

It also fails to mention really important factors...for instance, it sees absolutely no issues in a 10 gal w/ an AC20 containing 3 oto cats and 6 skirt tetras. Despite the fact that the skirts need a tank about 3x that size, and that many oto's in there will probably starve to death..it says that's only 87%.

All tropicals have the same temp unless it's goldfish.

I don't agree. Some thrive in cooler waters like 76-78 and some really like it warmer like 82-84...just as an example.

 

[blert]

Ok, just as I thought then. It's handy but use common sense and it is not a replacement for your own research.

I do have my tanks setup up and bookmarked on it but I like to do mine by eye mostly. I felt my 37 gallon was crowded. Not exactly overstocked, it just looked crowded. I moved out the nine Danios and it looks much better, not much activity up top but I can find something to fill the hole.