What Constitutes "Overstocked" Here?

[PlasticGalaxy]

Here I go, talking about my 54L again.
It's around 14G, 60x30x30cm. Uses an aquamanta EFX 200 filter and a Nicrew Classic LED light. Blah blah blah, will have 13 guppies in there by the end of the month. Currently planted with echinodorus atlandsberg, elodea densa, amazon frogbit and a little bit of salvinia. The general plan is to have:

13 guppies (which I already have)
6 otocinclus (hoping to get some by autumn)
And then maybe 10 neocaridina shrimp - probably cherry shrimp. Not a definite number, since I don't really know how many to keep since I've not looked into them in proper depth yet.

However, I've looked on AqAdvisor (which is why I'm roping @Slaphppy7 into this - because they're the one who showed me the site) and it says it'd be 197% stocked with that plan. So... Where have I gone wrong? I definitely wouldn't have said that it would be overstocked, and the site told me that even with the 7 guppies I already have in there, it's 100% stocked. I don't know, the answer might be blindingly obvious, but I'm not the smartest and I might just be missing something!

On a side note, I'm hoping to get some more plants in for the tank. Bringing myself to spend the money is painful, though.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I wouldn’t say that’s overstocked, assuming you are performing large weekly water changes and have a powerful filter.

I can’t stress the point enough, that AquaAdviser is not accurate. These fish “calculators” shouldn’t be used a concrete ruling.

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

I wouldn’t say that’s overstocked, assuming you are performing large weekly water changes and have a powerful filter.

I can’t stress the point enough, that AquaAdviser is not accurate. These fish “calculators” shouldn’t be used a concrete ruling.

Alright then, thanks! What would you say the limit would be? I don't to wind up overstocking if (when) I get guppy fry.

 

[Sgooosh]

Alright then, thanks! What would you say the limit would be? I don't to wind up overstocking if (when) I get guppy fry.

you can fit maybe 3 tiny guys in a gallon...
I Think its a bit overstocked if you have full grown guppies... (the otos not the shrimp)
idk though...

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Alright then, thanks! What would you say the limit would be? I don't to wind up overstocking if (when) I get guppy fry.

I would say you’re pretty much at your max right now, as in don’t add any more fish.

 

[Byron]

This is weighed on the side of being overstocked. The dimensions are those of a basic (high) 20 US gallon tank. Thirteen guppies, especially including both genders which seems to be the case, is a lot. The otos I would definitely leave out at lest for the moment.

What are the water parameters, GH and pH?

 

[Slaphppy7]

AqAdvisor is a GUIDE, a conservative one at that, and is not to be taken as final, concrete say on the stocking of any tank.
All tanks are different, size, deco, planting, filtration...the idea is to find a happy medium that both you and your fish can live with.

That being said, I tend to overstock a bit, some of you would be shocked to see what AA has to say about a few of my tanks...if they could curse me out, they would

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

I would say you’re pretty much at your max right now, as in don’t add any more fish.

Right now, without the otos and stuff?

This is weighed on the side of being overstocked. The dimensions are those of a basic (high) 20 US gallon tank. Thirteen guppies, especially including both genders which seems to be the case, is a lot. The otos I would definitely leave out at lest for the moment.

What are the water parameters, GH and pH?

0.00ppm ammonia
0.00ppm nitrite
~20ppm nitrate, completely unsure since the nitrate test I have is messed up and haven't been able to test in a while.
pH is 7.8
GH is unclear since I can't get a specific number from my water company, but it's regarded as hard to very hard.

AqAdvisor is a GUIDE, a conservative one at that, and is not to be taken as final, concrete say on the stocking of any tank.
All tanks are different, size, deco, planting, filtration...the idea is to find a happy medium that both you and your fish can live with.

That being said, I tend to overstock a bit, some of you would be shocked to see what AA has to say about a few of my tanks...if they could curse me out, they would

I'll keep that in mind, lol.
Coming to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen your tank(s) before.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Right now, without the otos and stuff?

0.00ppm ammonia
0.00ppm nitrite
~20ppm nitrate, completely unsure since the nitrate test I have is messed up and haven't been able to test in a while.
pH is 7.8
GH is unclear since I can't get a specific number from my water company, but it's regarded as hard to very hard.

I'll keep that in mind, lol.
Coming to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen your tank(s) before.

My Tanks

Here's a few FTS vids of my 3 "show" tanks... First up, the 10G...sorry for the subpar quality, and the background noises (my pups running around) [VIDEO]] Next, the 29G: [VIDEO] Finally, the 40B: [VIDEO] Not sure why the quality came out so poorly, they look much better on my PC, but...

www.fishforums.net

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

My Tanks

Here's a few FTS vids of my 3 "show" tanks... First up, the 10G...sorry for the subpar quality, and the background noises (my pups running around) [VIDEO]] Next, the 29G: [VIDEO] Finally, the 40B: [VIDEO] Not sure why the quality came out so poorly, they look much better on my PC, but...

www.fishforums.net

Oh they look fantastic. Proper tanks, those!

 

[Slaphppy7]

Oh they look fantastic. Proper tanks, those!

Thank you very much

 

[Byron]

pH is 7.8
GH is unclear since I can't get a specific number from my water company, but it's regarded as hard to very hard.

Assuming it is hard to very hard, guppies are fine from that perspective, but the otos would not be. I believe otos are wild caught, and as they occur in very soft and slightly acidic to acidic water, this would not be a good fish.

 

[Guyb93]

I would say it’s in the tank itself,
Keeping shoaling fish I’d say as long as your bio load is stable and water parameters are good can you have too many !?? What’s the difference between 15and20 ifthe water tests are the same it’s not going to upset the tank they prefer to live in numbers ( just my logic)
But if your tank is set out in a way where like mine where each cichlid has to have its own territory by adding just one more cichlid i personally would say I’m over stocked as my tank would completely change with squabbles and fights even though technically there is space for more
I think the rule of thumb 1inch per gallon is crap as no body would keep a 10inch pleco in a 10gallon tank

 

[Essjay]

I think the rule of thumb 1inch per gallon is crap as no body would keep a 10inch pleco in a 10gallon tank

The rule is always incompletely quoted. It is actually "1 inch of fish which are torpedo shaped and grow to 3 inches or less per gallon".
The 'rule' never applied to fish which grow over 3 inches, nor to deep bodied fish like skirt/widow tetras.

It's still not a good rule as it doesn't take into account the nature of the fish.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

The rule is always incompletely quoted. It is actually "1 inch of fish which are torpedo shaped and grow to 3 inches or less per gallon".
The 'rule' never applied to fish which grow over 3 inches, nor to deep bodied fish like skirt/widow tetras.

It's still not a good rule as it doesn't take into account the nature of the fish.

While that may be the actual “rule”, it is not the “rule” that is normally conveyed to newbie fish keepers. The “rule” I always hear people quote is, “1 inch of fish per gallon of tank water”.