How Many People Are "overstocked"?

[awilson360]

After finally fully stocking my small community tank I was wondering how many people are overstocked according to Aqua Advisor and if you've had any problems?

I've read somewhere that Aqua Advisor is very conservative and should only be followed roughly but how good are the water % change recommendations on that website?

Apparently I must change 39% water a week due to my 114% stocking but then again my fish aren't fully grown yet and are still juvenile so I'm loosely following that information.

Does anyone know approximately how much you could reduce the % water change if you have a heavily or moderately planted tank?

Thanks,
AW

 

[justjon]

TBH - I don't really trust the site at all anymore, I tried it again yesterday and it said I was over 100% stocked with my current stock list below, when everyone on here has said with a Fluval 205 external I can easily fit in 3 apistos more, a silver hatchet or two and even 2 Rams...

 

[kizno1]

I never follow it i think experience and other peoples experience is alot better way to tell the limit. It says my 21G is 116% stocked and my 30G is 125% all the fish are fully grown and the water quality and all the fish are perfect.

 

[elisew]

Well according to A-Advisor apparently I`m 17% overstocked, my filtration needs upgrading and my Apistos will become too aggressive for my danios to co-exist with........

Think I`ll stick with the advice and info I`m getting from this forum

 

[Wills]

Im 137% overstocked with 208% filtration apparently.

But no I dont rate it at all your better off learning about fish and making educated decisions by adding up numbers in your head. But yeah the stocking of a tank can go well beyond what it presents and also for the time it takes to fill the form out you could easily just post a thread asking questions here, you will always get a better response here other than a percentage if its more fish you will get a reason if you get less fish again there will be a reason.

I would love to know how that program would react to the Asian philosophies of fish keeping and yet some of the healthiest aquariums around are in the east.

Wills

 

[awilson360]

Ah well thanks for all sharing your "overstockingness"! Glad I'm not the only one that is slightly overstocked! At the moment the website says my filtration is only 70ish% eventhough my filter does 360 l/h and the tank is 60 l. May get a little air driven sponge filter in addition to my HOB!

AW

 

[kizno1]

Ah well thanks for all sharing your "overstockingness"! Glad I'm not the only one that is slightly overstocked! At the moment the website says my filtration is only 70ish% eventhough my filter does 360 l/h and the tank is 60 l. May get a little air driven sponge filter in addition to my HOB!

AW

IMO your not overstocked at all. The stocking looks fine.

 

[BethK]

I think mine says I am 131% overstocked

 

[ian]

that proves how rubbish that site is. I haven't even looked at it in months and months after it gave me loads of spyware!

 

[ZoddyZod]

that proves how rubbish that site is. I haven't even looked at it in months and months after it gave me loads of spyware!

Spyware? Not good! I always thought it was a good start point for people with little experience to draw on. Not 100% accurate by any means, but then a site like that is never going to be.

I'm 'overstoked', but if the stats are good and the fish are 'happy' then I must be getting it right.

 

[awilson360]

that proves how rubbish that site is. I haven't even looked at it in months and months after it gave me loads of spyware!

Spyware? Not good! I always thought it was a good start point for people with little experience to draw on. Not 100% accurate by any means, but then a site like that is never going to be.

I'm 'overstoked', but if the stats are good and the fish are 'happy' then I must be getting it right.

Well hopefully I can squeeze 2 more Panda Corydoras into my stocking! I would have got them today but I was shocked that they were £3.20 each!! Last time I payed about half that!

As with anything I think keeping fish is about learning from your own mistakes and isn't an exact science as some people make it out to be. If the fish are happy and not acting ill or withdrawn then noone can tell you otherwise!

 

[kizno1]

that proves how rubbish that site is. I haven't even looked at it in months and months after it gave me loads of spyware!

Spyware? Not good! I always thought it was a good start point for people with little experience to draw on. Not 100% accurate by any means, but then a site like that is never going to be.

I'm 'overstoked', but if the stats are good and the fish are 'happy' then I must be getting it right.

Well hopefully I can squeeze 2 more Panda Corydoras into my stocking! I would have got them today but I was shocked that they were £3.20 each!! Last time I payed about half that!

As with anything I think keeping fish is about learning from your own mistakes and isn't an exact science as some people make it out to be. If the fish are happy and not acting ill or withdrawn then noone can tell you otherwise!

Ive got 8 for sale for £2 but im in thetford.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

I cannot give a true account at the site for my exact species, but here is a list using using similar fish types...

Korrall60:
4 x 4cm Weather Loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus)
11 x 3.5cm Pearl Danio (Danio albolineatus)

Your aquarium filtration capacity for above selected species is 296%.
Recommended water change schedule: 29% per week.
Your aquarium stocking level is 81%.

Rio240:
x 5cm African Butterfly Fish (Pantodon buchholzi)
3 x 5cm Golden Wonder Killifish (Aplocheilus Lineatus)
12 x 4.5cm Bleeding Heart Tetra (Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma)
5 x 2cm African Leaf Fish (Ctenopoma acutirostre)
6 x 7cm Indian Glassfish (Parambassis ranga)
4 x 5cm Lionhead Cichlid (Steatocranus sasuarius)
3 x 7cm Panda Garra (Garra flavatra)
2 x 6cm Oto (Otocinclus vittatus)

Your aquarium filtration capacity for above selected species is 141%.
Recommended water change schedule: 32% per week.
Your aquarium stocking level is 81%.

5x2x2:
6 x 6.5cm Denisoni Barb (Puntius denisonii)
3 x 6.5cm Giant Danio (Perilampus aequipinnatus)4 x 7cm Giant Danio (Perilampus aequipinnatus)2 x 10cm Giant Danio (Perilampus aequipinnatus)

Your aquarium filtration capacity for above selected species is 327%.
Recommended water change schedule: 4% per week.
Your aquarium stocking level is 34%.


I'm personally so relieved to finally get Nelly's old tank running, as recently I was very concerned about how crowded the Rio240 had become, as I had bought some fish ahead of getting this big tank ready, which was creating a lot of stress and aggression (I got very worried for the Pearls who were moved out temporarily; Yellowtails and Humpheads)... In hindsight, a huge mistake on my behalf. I really should have had the big tank ready before buying those seven Barilius and six Denisons youngsters.

But after setting up the 540l (no gravel/sand, but bogwood and some hardy Java Fern plus Anubias barteri nana) over the last two days with a Blagdon 20m electric kit including RCD to give power from a spare kitchen electric socket, it is great to see the Asian energetic and boisterous fish starting to settle in their new home and all schooling together!

With a bit of luck, I will be able to up both Barilius groups upto at least six in the near future and after winning the lottery, find four or more female Opsarius pulchellus available anywhere in the UK!

 

[Wills]

Goat..... you made one fatal flaw in mentioning something there. It may well be the fact that you mentioned that you have set the tank up and it is certainly one of the issues. However the main issue is ..... no pics!!! Get them up FTS and fish shots please

 

[-Craig-]

I'm 18% over stocked, Acording to Aqua Advisor, when actually my stocking is fine, Its a decent site, but i would go with Personal Experience.