Tank volume confusion...

[Myka]

Ok, this sounds REALLY frickin novice here since I have been keeping fishes for over 15 years!!! *lol* But...

I have this little reef I'm building. I measured my tank, and found one on an aquarium store website with same dimensions advertised as a 33g. I was just on www.glasscages.com looking at bigger tank (of course), and it has my tank listed as a 37g. So I just went to an Aquarium Volume Calculator (http://animal-world.com/encyclo/information/calculate.htm), and it says my tank is just under 32g.

Here's the specs:

Outside dimensions ~ 36 x 12.5 x 18. I think they use this one for advertising the volume of tanks don't they?
Inside dimensions ~ 35.5 x 12 x 17.5.

So is www.glasscages.com wrong??? They must be!!! *LOL*

[Tripspike]

32 gallon by my calcs....L(in) x W(in) x D(in)/1728 cu in/cu ft*7.48 gal/cu ft.

Trip

[Randall_James]

L*W*H/231= gallons or 32.27 gallons

Tank capacity is a "estimated" amount by most tank makers. Many use the OD rather than the ID

[Myka]

For purposes of telling people what size my tank is I should stick to "33 gallons", but for the purpose of dosing it is more like 30 gallons (if you only count to the water line)???

Thanks for help!

[gabegmonkey]

if you're trying to be really precise then don't forget to factor in the displacement of the rocks and or sand.

Which could decrease your total volume by a few gallons; depending on the grain size/depth of the sandbed and the weight/porousness of the rock...

[Myka]

Yes, I was thinking about that too... what I am the most concerned about (for no apparent reason) is...I see you have it listed that you have a 55g tank...what would I list mine as? Am I correct in listing it as a 33g?

[bertoni]

I wouldn't worry about it one way or the other. Tank sizes are only useful in approximation, anyway.

[Myka]

Ya...I just want to call it the right thing in my "current tanks". I'll stick with calling it a 33 then. :)

[gabegmonkey]

approved... myself I just call 'em by how they're sold...