Canreef Aquatics Bulletin Board  

Go Back   Canreef Aquatics Bulletin Board > General > DIY

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 05-30-2018, 04:55 PM
Millepora_Maniac's Avatar
Millepora_Maniac Millepora_Maniac is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Mission, B.C. (Lower Fraser Valley)
Posts: 187
Millepora_Maniac is on a distinguished road
Lightbulb 50 gallon drum, how many "aquarium gallons"

HI all,

I have a 50 gallon drum i use for water changes, and it seems that my 90 g aquarium holds less water than the barrel. Just wondering what the difference in gallons is all about.

Any insight would be helpful for me. it changes dosing requirements for the new water change water etc. Also would be good to know what is going on there.

Cheers!-MM
__________________

90 gal SPS display+65 gallon mixed reef
GEAR: Korallin calcium reactor, bio pellets, digital aquatics controller, Tunze ATO, MP40, 4 x Tunze 6105 w/controller, Reef Octopus Xp3000 ext, 2x250w MH, Futura LED.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 05-30-2018, 05:47 PM
corpusse's Avatar
corpusse corpusse is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Mississauga
Posts: 394
corpusse is on a distinguished road
Default

Either your barrel is not 50 gallons or you tank is not 90 gallons. While many aquarium manufactures use the outside dimensions for calculating gallons, it's not going to be that far off.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 05-30-2018, 05:56 PM
Millepora_Maniac's Avatar
Millepora_Maniac Millepora_Maniac is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Mission, B.C. (Lower Fraser Valley)
Posts: 187
Millepora_Maniac is on a distinguished road
Talking

Quote:
Originally Posted by corpusse View Post
Either your barrel is not 50 gallons or you tank is not 90 gallons. While many aquarium manufactures use the outside dimensions for calculating gallons, it's not going to be that far off.
Ihis is a 50 gallon food grade barrel. the tank is a 90 reef ready, 4 by 18 by 24...

on my 180g, it was drained nearly to half way, there is something weird about this, and i think it has to do with conversion or something.

I'm far from a greenhorn dude, lol
__________________

90 gal SPS display+65 gallon mixed reef
GEAR: Korallin calcium reactor, bio pellets, digital aquatics controller, Tunze ATO, MP40, 4 x Tunze 6105 w/controller, Reef Octopus Xp3000 ext, 2x250w MH, Futura LED.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 05-30-2018, 07:56 PM
WarDog's Avatar
WarDog WarDog is offline
Darth Moderator
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Maple Ridge, BC
Posts: 3,106
WarDog will become famous soon enough
Default

https://www.matthewb.id.au/converter...alculator.html
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 05-30-2018, 10:21 PM
Millepora_Maniac's Avatar
Millepora_Maniac Millepora_Maniac is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Mission, B.C. (Lower Fraser Valley)
Posts: 187
Millepora_Maniac is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by WarDog View Post
Thanks! according to this, the drum is approximately 50g, so does that mean that the tank itself is not really 90g?

This has always baffled me.

like i said, my 180 nearly got drained to halfway for a water change, and my 90 was within 5" of the bottom of the tank (Yes, i realize there is some rock in there) but not that much! I also had to pull 1/3 of the water out of the 65 gallon that is plumbed into this system... I feel like i am pumping out 100 "aquarium gallons" and adding only 50 "Barrel gallons"

There has to be some explanation, since this 50 gallon barrel is standard size, i am assuming our aquariums are actually not holding as many gallons as they state.

interesting....
__________________

90 gal SPS display+65 gallon mixed reef
GEAR: Korallin calcium reactor, bio pellets, digital aquatics controller, Tunze ATO, MP40, 4 x Tunze 6105 w/controller, Reef Octopus Xp3000 ext, 2x250w MH, Futura LED.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 05-30-2018, 10:22 PM
FishyFishy!'s Avatar
FishyFishy! FishyFishy! is offline
Gold Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Calgary SE
Posts: 1,674
FishyFishy! will become famous soon enough
Default

How much live rock do you have in it? It could very well be taking up a lot of water volume inside the tank.

My 210 probably only holds 150 gallons of water with all of my live rock in there.

Oh..and internal or external overflow?
__________________

They call it addiction for a reason...

Last edited by FishyFishy!; 05-30-2018 at 10:29 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 06-01-2018, 01:41 AM
Dearth's Avatar
Dearth Dearth is offline
No Cookies
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Prince George
Posts: 1,296
Dearth is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by FishyFishy! View Post
How much live rock do you have in it? It could very well be taking up a lot of water volume inside the tank.

My 210 probably only holds 150 gallons of water with all of my live rock in there.

Oh..and internal or external overflow?

Very good explanation rock can displace a large volume of water
Half my 95 gallon tank is taken up by rock so at best I might have 50 gallons in it
__________________
My aquarium is nothing but a smorgasbord for my cats.....
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 06-01-2018, 02:26 AM
gregzz4's Avatar
gregzz4 gregzz4 is offline
On Hiatus
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Burnaby, B.C.
Posts: 4,890
gregzz4 will become famous soon enough
Default

MM, my reef ready mega flow 75g only held 61g after LR and sand. If your tank is the same with an internal overflow (Aqueon) it most likely only holds approx. 75ish gallons, or even less if you're LR heavy.
And when you say you've drained it down to 5" keep in mind that that last 5" empty might hold 18ish gallons, but it's much less with sand and rock.
Honestly it sounds like your drum is more than 50g. My blue barrel is 55g near full but will hold almost 60g.
Stamping on it reads 200 litres, but I've filled it a few inches from the top and it's 55g at that point.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 06-03-2018, 03:27 PM
mike31154's Avatar
mike31154 mike31154 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Vernon
Posts: 2,073
mike31154 will become famous soon enough
Default

You likely don't fill your fish tank right to the rim either. The larger your tank the more volume you lose with water level an inch or 2 below the rim. No voodoo here, sand, rock, ovreflows all displace water volume.
__________________
Mike
77g sumpless SW
DIY 10 watt multi-chip LED build http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=82206

Last edited by mike31154; 06-03-2018 at 03:30 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 06-03-2018, 03:42 PM
mike31154's Avatar
mike31154 mike31154 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Vernon
Posts: 2,073
mike31154 will become famous soon enough
Default

I drain my 77 down about 6 1/2 inches from normal water level and that tends to be about a 22 to 24 gallon water change. No sump, no overflow. A skimmer feed box displaces a bit of water at the surface. Lots of rock & sand. 24 inch tall tank water level an inch & change from top.
__________________
Mike
77g sumpless SW
DIY 10 watt multi-chip LED build http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=82206

Last edited by mike31154; 06-03-2018 at 03:44 PM.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 05:44 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.3
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.