ECU_Pirate
New member
If so, what rule of thumb do you use for inches per gallon?
When tallying up inches of fish, do you count corals and inverts?
- Thread starter ECU_Pirate
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ECU_Pirate
New member
Tried to edit to clarify, but I don't think I have that option. Here's an example to illustrate what I am trying to ask:
Say I have a 250 gallon tank. I want to stock it with 25 inches of fish (1 black & white ocellaris clownfish, 1 Scott's fairy wrasse, 1 jawfish, 1 Bartlett's anthias, and 1 Achilles tang). Using the 1 inch per 5 gallons rule of thumb, I have used up 125 gallons.
I would also at some point want to add an anemone and a few corals. The max size of the anemone is 20 inches. Would I use the 1 inch per 5 gallons rule of thumb for the anemone? That would use up another 100 gallons, leaving me with 25 gallons left for the coral and clean-up crew, and I have no idea what rule of thumb applies to the clean-up crew or corals. For example, if I add a 12 inch starfish, would that use up 60 gallons of my total? Or would it be less since it's both removing and creating waste?
Say I have a 250 gallon tank. I want to stock it with 25 inches of fish (1 black & white ocellaris clownfish, 1 Scott's fairy wrasse, 1 jawfish, 1 Bartlett's anthias, and 1 Achilles tang). Using the 1 inch per 5 gallons rule of thumb, I have used up 125 gallons.
I would also at some point want to add an anemone and a few corals. The max size of the anemone is 20 inches. Would I use the 1 inch per 5 gallons rule of thumb for the anemone? That would use up another 100 gallons, leaving me with 25 gallons left for the coral and clean-up crew, and I have no idea what rule of thumb applies to the clean-up crew or corals. For example, if I add a 12 inch starfish, would that use up 60 gallons of my total? Or would it be less since it's both removing and creating waste?
Ron Reefman
Active member
What homer1475 was trying to tell you is the old 'inches per gallon' is totally out of favor these days. Forget you ever heard it.
Your tank can take coral and anemones without much if any issue, they just don't create much detritus. Fish on the other hand eat and poop a lot.
Your tank can take coral and anemones without much if any issue, they just don't create much detritus. Fish on the other hand eat and poop a lot.
Forget everything you know except H20 when you move into marine. YOu need to know a lot more about individual species. That's why we have a section called Reef Fishes. Ask people who have kept the species.
Likewise know that most fish are caught as very tiny minnows and may grow extremely rapidly, some to a foot in length, 3-5" is rated a small species, 10" is rated a large species, and there are depth requirements as well as length to keep these species successfully.
Likewise know that most fish are caught as very tiny minnows and may grow extremely rapidly, some to a foot in length, 3-5" is rated a small species, 10" is rated a large species, and there are depth requirements as well as length to keep these species successfully.
squeakymcmurdo
New member
Inches per gallon is an obsolete rule. Detrivores really don't count toward your bioload since if anything they decrease the demand on it. Bioload is what is important to figure out when stocking a tank, fresh or marine. The ability of the bacteria and pumps to keep nitrates low and oxygen high is what matters the most. Detrivores eat the things that increase nitrates. Then you just have to take into account swimming room and the behavior of the livestock you want to house. A sentinant fish needs less swimming space than an active fish of the same size. A newly cycled tank has a smaller biological capacity than a mature tank.
Kremis
Member
inches per gallon rule is old. for example in my 28 gallon, i have the following
2x garden eel
jawfish
clown goby
perchlet
orange spot goby
sand sifting goby
if you add it all up the garden eels are 30 inches alone, plus like another 15 for the rest of the fish. so that would be 45 inches of fish in a 28 gallon, really doesnt make sense right? its all about bioload and what is compatible in your tank
2x garden eel
jawfish
clown goby
perchlet
orange spot goby
sand sifting goby
if you add it all up the garden eels are 30 inches alone, plus like another 15 for the rest of the fish. so that would be 45 inches of fish in a 28 gallon, really doesnt make sense right? its all about bioload and what is compatible in your tank
Agree with what others have said about the inches per gallon. As far as the corals go, I would suggest you learn how big some colonies can get as they will make the tank smaller for the fish to swim. While that may not be an issue for smaller fish it could however become an issue for the larger species.
ssgss gogeta
Member
Total stocking even with what people will say about that's stocked too heavy. Will depend on your filtration and water change habit. And you'll find out soon enough if your bio load is exceeding your means of filtration.
What it really comes down to is the tang police and how big of a certain fish can fit in a certain sized aquarium and still move around happy enough.
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What it really comes down to is the tang police and how big of a certain fish can fit in a certain sized aquarium and still move around happy enough.
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hkgar
Active member
With a large tank the most significant question is do you have the export functions necessary to remove the waste from the fish you have. I have about 17 fish (see signature line) and feed A LOT, but have a large skimmer, dose carbon and have a ATS for wast export, and still periodically need to run some GFO
You have two ~15" garden eels?
ECU_Pirate
New member
Thank you all for the explanations. It makes quite a bit more sense now!
