FAQ: Tables of Data

Metric

Celsius (Centigrade) = (Fahrenheit - 32) * 5/9

°C °F
15 59
20 68
25 77
30 86

1 Liter = 0.264 Gallon
1 U.S. Gallon = 3.78 Liter
1 British Gallon = 4.5446 Liter
1 Meter = 39.4 inches
1 Inch = 2.54 cm
1 Foot = 12 inches
1 Yard = 36 inches
1 Ounce= 29 grams (on Earth)

Chemical Concentrations

1 degree hardness (GH) = 17.8 ppm CaCO3
1 degree "carbonate hardness*" (KH) = 17.8 ppm CaCO3
1 meq/L alkalinity = 2.8 degrees KH
1 ppm = 1 mg/L
Nitrate-NO3 = 4.4 * Nitrate-N
Nitrite-NO2 = 3.3 * Nitrite-N
Ammonia-NH3 = 1.1 * Ammonia-N

* Note that the term ``carbonate hardness'' is bit of a misnomer, and most amateur chemists would prefer we use the more appropriate term ``Alkalinity''. See the BEGINNER CHEMISTRY section for more details.

Tank Weight and Volume Calculations

In metric, this calculation is quite easy because 1 cubic centimeter of water has a mass of 1 gram, or 1 liter of water has a mass of 1 kg. Thus, the water in a 200L tank will have a mass of 200 kg (don't forget to add the weight of rocks into your estimate!). If you need to work from tank dimensions, multiply the length times width, times height in centimeters to obtain the mass in grams.

For those of us having to work in inches and pounds,

1 gallon of water at 4°C = 8.57 lbs approximate weight
One foot of fresh water depth = .445 psi.
231 cu inches (in ^ 3) = 1 gallon
1 cu foot (ft ^ 3) = 7.48 gallons = 1728 in^3

Example:

44x16x16 tank = 11264 in^3 = 48.76 gallons.

Tank will weigh 418 lbs (roughly) (+ rocks which have an SG much higher than 1, so you can *roughly* say " + rocks ")

The pressure at the bottom of the tank will be 0.59 psi, or 85 psf, roughly 13% more than the standard loading for code construction, so catch an extra joist or three with the stand!!

Along the bottom strip of the tank, you will have a total (uniformly spread side to side) force of ( 15.5/12*.445*44 = 25 lbs) pushing outwards against your joints.

The total force on the long side will be ( 8/12*.445*44*16 = 208 pounds).

Note: In general, this is NOT half of the water weight. This is a coincidence due to the same bottom and side shape.

Other useful points...

Weight = psi at bottom * bottom area
( (44x16=704 in^2) * .445*16/12 = 418 lbs)
Note: If this doesn't give you the same answer as the volume calculation SOMETHING IS WRONG!

Standard (new) wood joist floor loading is 75 psf. This corresponds to one 14" high tank of any other dimensions. Before you build that 30" high tank, think about where it goes! For old houses and houses not to code, this may be worse (or better, who knows?).

Common tank sizes (courtesy of All-Glass Aquariums)

These match the table on the back of Catalog AA693, but are sorted by the tank's "footprint". 

Tank Size       Exact Outside Dimensions        Weight  Weight  Tempered
                (inches) (L x W x H)            Empty   Full    Bottom
                (Including frame)               (lbs)   (lbs)

10 Leader       20 1/4  x 10 1/2  x 12 9/16     11      111
15 High         20 1/4  x 10 1/2  x 18 3/4      22      170
20 X-High       20 1/4  x 10 1/2  x 23 3/4      32      232

10 Long         24 1/4  x  8 1/2  x 12 5/8      16      116
15 Show         24 1/4  x  8 1/2  x 16 5/8      22      170

15 Gallon       24 1/4  x 12 1/2  x 12 3/4      21      170
20 High         24 1/4  x 12 1/2  x 16 3/4      25      225
25 Gallon       24 1/4  x 12 1/2  x 20 3/4      32      282
30 X-High       24 1/4  x 12 1/2  x 24 3/4      41      340

20 Long         30 1/4  x 12 1/2  x 12 3/4      25      225
29 Gallon       30 1/4  x 12 1/2  x 18 3/4      40      330
37 Gallon       30 1/4  x 12 1/2  x 22 3/4      45      415     X

26 Flatback     36 1/4  x 12 1/2  x 16 5/8      42      300     X
23 Long         36 1/4  x 12 5/8  x 13          32      253
30 Gallon       36 1/4  x 12 5/8  x 16 3/4      43      343
38 Gallon       36 1/4  x 12 5/8  x 19 3/4      47      427
45 Gallon       36 1/4  x 12 5/8  x 23 3/4      66      515     X

30 Breeder      36 3/16 x 18 1/4  x 12 15/16    48      348
40 Breeder      36 3/16 x 18 1/4  x 16 15/16    58      458

50 Gallon       36 7/8  x 19      x 19 5/8      100     600
65 Gallon       36 7/8  x 19      x 24 5/8      126     775

33 Long         48 1/4  x 12 3/4  x 12 7/8      52      382     X
40 Long         48 1/4  x 12 3/4  x 16 7/8      55      455     X
45 Long         48 1/4  x 12 3/4  x 19          60      510     X
55 Gallon       48 1/4  x 12 3/4  x 21          78      625     X
60 Gallon       48 3/8  x 12 7/8  x 23 7/8      111     710     X

80 X-High       48 7/8  x 14      x 30 3/4      200     990

75 Gallon       48 1/2  x 18 1/2  x 21 3/8      140     850
90 Gallon       48 1/2  x 18 1/2  x 25 3/8      160     1050
110 X-High      48 7/8  x 19      x 30 3/4      228     1320

120 Gallon      48 1/2  x 24 1/4  x 25 1/2      215     1400

100 Gallon      72 1/2  x 18 1/2  x 19 3/8      182     1150
125 Gallon      72 1/2  x 18 1/2  x 23 3/8      206     1400
150 Gallon      72 1/2  x 18 1/2  x 28 1/2      338     1800

180 Gallon      72 1/2  x 24 1/2  x 25 5/8      338     2100

2 1/2 Mini      12 3/16 x  6 1/8  x  8 1/8      2.6     27
5 1/2 Gallon    16 3/16 x  8 3/8  x 10 1/2      7       62

4 Designer       8 1/4  x  8 1/4  x 18 7/8      9       49
6 Designer       8 1/4  x  8 1/4  x 24 7/8      10.5    70
10 Designer     13 5/8  x 13 5/8  x 19          18.5    115
15 Designer     13 5/8  x 13 5/8  x 25          25.5    175

10 Hexagon      14 1/2  x 12 9/16 x 18 3/4      12      110
20 Hexagon      18 3/4  x 16 1/4  x 20 5/8      23      220     X
35 Hexagon      23 1/4  x 20 3/16 x 24 3/4      43      390     X
60 Hexagon      27 1/4  x 24 1/8  x 29 1/2      110     750     X
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