best formula for stocking tanks!!!

[aernympha]

before u guys so excited about this new formula, its nots new its in both of my fish books!!!!! but the one givern to me is more correct and better for newbies its it like the 1 inch of fish to a gallon but more accurate !!!!! as both books recomend it i think its better . the one on the net its stupid there is no way u one 2 inch fish can have a living spce of 6 sq.in.!!!!!!which is 15 sq. cm its tiny!!!!! i mean this rule on the net compared to the 1 inch for every gallon says can have double the fish i have now in my 30 galllon tank, which is rubbish!!!
there is a better metthod found in these books
Aquarium Fish by Dick Mills (famous guy been doing fishing keeping 30 years!!)
Aquarium an owners manual by Gina Sandford

the method!!!!
this is quoted guys!!

when stocking a tank,the most critical factor is surface area,rather than the total volume of water.the aqurium deth is irrelevent, its the water/airinterfaceat the surface that determines the amount of dissolved oxygen needed to support life.a 160 litre (35 gallon) tank, if 100 cm long x 40 cm deep x 40 cm wide(39 x 16 x 16 in.),will have the surface area of 4000 sq. cm (625 sq in.); alternatively, it mabe be 75 cm long x 52 cm deep x 40 cm wide (30 x 20 x 16 in.) , with a surface area of 3000 sq. cm (480 sq. in.) . although both tanks hold the same amount of water, the one with the larger surface area will suport more fish. to find the correct stocking level,first calculate the surface area by multiplying the tank length by its width.then establish the adult body length of the fish you plan to keep in the tank; for each 2.5 cm (1in.), you will require 75 sq. cm (12 sq. in.) of tank space for tropical freshwater species,180 sq cm (28 sq in.) for coldwater freshwater fish ,and 300 sq cm (47 sq in.) for tropical marine species.
in certain cases, fish may require more or less space than average.for example the discus, which gorws to 15 cm (6 in.),is best kept in pairs with little else in the tank.only in this way are you likly to grow these fish to maturity and have them breed.with good water turnover and effient filtraion,stocking levels may be slightly incresed.however , do not rely on equipment to support a heavily stocked aquarium;mechanical failure could prove disastrous.remember also that fewer fish often look far more impresive than a tank crammed with bodies.

so the basic rule is "for every inch (2.5 cm) of fish you will requies 75 sq. cm"


so i did this to my tank so i did 36 cm x 81 cm =2916 sq.cm

i sthen figured out howmnay inches of fish i could keep by

2916 divided by 75 = 38.88 inches of fish!!!

i then added alll the inches of fish i had 3.75 + 6+6+4.5+4+4+4=32.25
which menas i am not over stocked!!! an di have enuf space to put babies in my tank to grow yup a little so i can sell them to the lsf !!!!

this method is used by dick mills!!!!!!!!!! DICK MILLS!!! i mena if hes been using it for the majority of 30 years its must work so i have my faith in this formula!!! no that stupid unrealistic formula !!!! whoever made it up was stupid and is mean to his fishes!!!

 

[pebbles]

its a guideline,just like 1in per gall. choice is yours, but a fully stocked tank needs 100% care ,no leeway, thing is i like to have room for mine to play,like a dog going to the park really, so i use the 1 in per gal guideline to stop me getting carried away.. then i have a little room if i see a fish i really really like... pebbles

 

[aernympha]

the two ideas are simarlar and my formula doesnt give that much more room than "1 inch per gallon" does but if u want to have a little room use the "1 inch per gallon " but my method i more specific!! so am am going to be using from now on !!

 

[mrV]

for each 2.5 cm (1in.), you will require 75 sq. cm (12 sq. in.) of tank space for tropical freshwater species

I give you an example:

Crossocheilus siamensis is about 15cm when adult. So, it's need 450 cm^2. If your tank is 100*40 (lenght/wide), it is 4000 cm^2.

Are you sure, you want to put 9 C. siamensis in that tank??

I have 4 of them in tank 100*40 and they seems to be quite calm and dull, not so happy. They don't swim alot at all. Their friends 5 C. siamensis are in a tank, 150*60 and they are much more lively. I wouldn't put them in a tank which is only 100cm long. 130 minimum is better for them.

As you know, they are good swimmers and need some circulation too.

the most critical factor is surface area

My opinion is, that most critical factors are surface and fishs behaviour. If the fish is good swimmer, it needs much more space than any factors or calculations show.

And what about Botia macracanthus? It is 35 when adult, so it needs 1050 cm^2. Tank which is 40*25cm would be enough, right?

So, the most critical 3 factors are: enough space, fishs behaviour and common sense

 

[aernympha]

these are guildlines at the end its does say that somes fishes beheavior eg discus likes to be in a pair with pratcially not other fish... maybe schooling fish and some sommon sense is good!!! but for me this is the best ... also u have to think about territoial fish .... and so on but thhis is a very good accurate guideline!!!

 

[cichlidmaster]

Guidelines are just that....GUIDELINES!!!

They are not meant to be all inclusive!! I have been keeping fish for over 20 years and have come to the realisation that the more complex a stocking guideline is the more a new aquarium keeper is NOT to follow it!!

The standard 1" of fish to gallon of water has never been a favorite of mine, but this one you quoted is even lower on my list of things to recommend.

Some here would be appalled at the stocking levels of many of my tanks, but then I know fish and can get away with it.

I would never recommend these stocking levels to the novice however!!

There are just to many variables to go by any standard guideline!!

CM

 

[aernympha]

i respect thr fact that u have been in the hobby for long times and have 20 years!!!!!! of experince an dthat u have ur own systems of stocking but for me this is a ood stocking formula to follow for a newbie like me!!! i think its better and mr v think its a good idea i think....... hope that ur name.....i'm not very good with names..... but anyways i still think its very good for newbies and some more experinced peeps a like bt there is somes avaribles to consider with each fish ....! which is stated in other post above

 

[aernympha]

i am going to use this formula to stock new tank

 

[smb]

i respect thr fact that u have been in the hobby for long times and have 20 years!!!!!! of experince an dthat u have ur own systems of stocking but for me this is a ood stocking formula to follow for a newbie like me!!! i think its better and mr v think its a good idea i think....... hope that ur name.....i'm not very good with names..... but anyways i still think its very good for newbies and some more experinced peeps a like bt there is somes avaribles to consider with each fish ....! which is stated in other post above

This new rule is even more deadly for the fish in the hands of a novice than other rules though. It means you can add more fish. That means more fish deaths at the onset of one getting into the hobby.

With the 1" per gallon myth we've been fighting to deteriorate for all these years there were enough deaths and this will make it worse, imo.

You have to know what fish you can do what with and exactly what filtration is needed and what husbandry skills are expected to stay ahead of the bioload. IMO, this is more for experienced people rather than newbies and novices.

 

[airborn]

tisk,tisk.....I guess one has to learn. ....Air

 

[aernympha]

why u crying airborn?

 

[totalbolshevik]

Hmmm... Well... I'm just a newb but this is what I think. First off, I'm not much of a math person, and I don't even understand the formula. I would probably not reccomend this to someone like me. I agree with CM. Guidelines as to how many fish can be stocked in a tank are NEVER foolproof. But, at the same time, I don't like the 1 " of fish per gallon rule. I don't think its accurate. I got out the ol' calculator and tried it on my 50 gallon. If the rule were true, that would mean that I could have 20 to 30 more fish. THAT'S INSANE!!! You would only have to look at the tank to know that it would be WAY overstocked. Furthermore, Dick Mills is not stupid. I'm sure that he would never follow a rule like that blindly, without also using some good ol' fashioned common sense. He is a very experienced fishkeeper and I'm sure he knows on his own what overstocking is. He probably doesn't even need rules like that anymore.

 

[aernympha]

fair point but it was written for newbie for the books also its not totally foll prof of course but it has it varitions like most things! but i like it it seem to work out