Ever wonder what size a 150 liter tank is in gallons, or what 77 degrees F is in C? There are a number of nifty online calculators available, but many times when you need the information you aren't online or even near a computer. For those occasions use this handy chart showing temperature, volume, and length conversions all on a single printable conversion page.
Tank Size
Aquariums come in many shapes and sizes. Although there are custom sizes, the majority of aquariums fall into standard sizes. Knowing the size, shape, and weight is very important when choosing a tank, stand, and location to place them. What are the dimensions of standard tanks? How much do they weigh once you fill them with water? You can find all that information on the aquarium size chart.
Heater Size
Not sure what size heater to get for your aquarium? The heater size guide makes it easy to choose the right size heater for your aquarium and usual room temperature. Since we are on the topic of heaters, here are a couple of heater tips.
- Always keep an extra heater on hand. Your heater will invariably fail in the dead of winter on the weekend when all pet shops are closed. Your spare heater doesn't have to be the most expensive top of the line model, it just has to keep the water warm until you can replace it.
- In tanks that are 50 gallons or larger, consider two smaller heaters instead of one large one. The heat will be more evenly distributed, as you can place one at each end of the tank. If one fails, at least you'll have one heater to keep the water warm until you can get a replacement.
Not sure what size filter you should get? The rule of thumb is that all the water in your tank should pass through the filter at least four times each hour. That makes it pretty easy to calculate what you need. When it's borderline, always move to a higher flow rate. For example, a thirty gallon tank requires a flow rate of at least 120 gph (gallons per hour). If the filter choices are either 100 or 150 gallons per hour, you should purchase the 150 gallon one.
How much Substrate?
The aquarium should be filled with substrate to a depth of approximately 2 inches. Now the question is, how much gravel will it take to do that? Is one bag enough? Are three bags way too much? For standard gravel/rock based substrates, a general yardstick is to use one pound of substrate for each gallon of water. Keep in mind that if you have an unusual shaped aquarium, it may require more or less substrate than that.
