Bioload ??

keith gray

keith gray

Member
How do you know how much your tank can hold ? I have 5 damsels, 2 percula, and a cleanup crew of 2 huge snails and 3 hermits. I have a 65 gallon with wet/dry 50-60 lbs lr, live sand as substrate.
If I have to replace a couple of damsel I will, but is there a rule of thubm as to how many fishe per gallon ? I have heard that you can roughly have 1" of fish per 1" of water surface.
Not sure if that makes sense.
Just dob't want to overload tank but want to maximize beauty as well !!!
ANYBODY KNOW !!??? :help:
 
thegrog

thegrog

Active Member
You got some room to work for bioload.
As for the "rule" of fish length, be sure to use their FULL_GROWN length...not current length. I personally don't like using these rules as a 4" tang needs more room and puts more stress on a bioload than a 4" goby does.
AS for the 1" fo fish for 1" of water surface area, I don't think so. That would mean a typical 55 gal tank (12x48) would be able to hold 596 inches of fish!!! But you need somewhere to start. I personally feel that 1" for every 5 gallons of water is a good guideline to go by.
With an anemone, you will need pristine water along with very strong lighting (around 250 watts in your case) to keep it healthy. In addition, they add a bit to your bioload. You are fine where you are at and have room for a few more smaller fish. A smaller tang, a dwarf angel or a goby or two would work with your setup. Add new fish slowly to get your biofiltration time to keep up.
Hope this helps!
 
keith gray

keith gray

Member
Another dumb question, do soft coralas or other plants affect the bioload since they do not digest anything ?
 
seadawg

seadawg

New Member
whats your ph, calcium, ammonia,and phosphate and whats your tank size
also whatsyour filter system
 
trainfever

trainfever

Active Member
First of all, it is not 1" to 1". It is 1" to 1 gallon. That is 1 inch of fish for every gallon of water. Meaning if you have a 55 gallon tank, you could have 55 inches of fish. But the 1 to 1 rule is for fresh water. Saltwater is 1" of fish for every 5 gallons of water. So theoretically in a 55 gallon saltwater tank, you could have 11 inches of fish.
 
keith gray

keith gray

Member
Ph is 8.3, Calcium is about 350 but I am increasing that now for lr. Phosphates are low (I do not remember , maybe 10). I have only done one water change with tap water( I have purchased RO for my next change), ammonia is 0. I have a 65 gal with wet dry and Aquaclear 300 and phead that makes a total of almost 20x water turnover.
I can not remember my lighting watts, etc. but I have 2 white bulbs and 2 of the blue. The set was about 300 bucks
 
T

tizzo

Guest
Yeah, that whole water surface thing... that can't be right. My tank is 18 by 48...that'd mean I could have 864 INCHES OF FISH!!! Woohoo I'm goin' to the fish store!! No, I'm kidding...
 
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