Question on tank gallons

[reefnut]

My tank, 125g 60x18x24 tank only holds 112g of water. I don't get it, why do they label a tank 125g when it is really a 112g?

 

[reefnut]

Am I missing something? A 120g tank 48x24x24 holds 120g so a 120g holds more than a 125g...

 

[coral boy]

If you have rock and sand in there it also takes up space

 

[ryebread]

Is your 125g a standard 125g tank? I thought those were six feet long?

 

[reefnut]

Ya, I know but I'm confused. A 120g 48x18x30 is the same cubic inch as a 125g. Where do they come up with this?

 

[reefnut]

Originally posted by RyeBread
Is your 125g a standard 125g tank? I thought those were six feet long?
No, a standard 125g is 72x18x20 but it has the same cubic inch as the 60x18x24.

 

[leigh]

The avertised volume is from the outside of the glass so every tank holds a bit less than advertised (since the water side is the inside of the glass ).

 

[reefnut]

leigh, I can understand being off by a few gallons but 13g ...
golfish, ya I'm happy with the tank it just surprised me. I checked some other sizes and I think this is the worst case.

 

[leigh]

Well...if you figure, say your tank has 1/2 inch thick glass. That means glass is accounting for:
bottom sides front/back
60*18*1/2+18*24*1/2*2+60*24*1/2*2=2412 cubic inches
your total cubic inches is:
60*18*24=25920 cubic inches
Thus, 2412/25920*100=9.3 % of your volume is taken up by glass.
9.3% of 125 gallons is 11.6 gallons, thus leaving you with 113.4 gallons of water space....fairly right on eh?

 

[reefnut]

This is how I figure it...
60x18x24 = 25,920 cubic inch or 112.2gallons
Taking into account for the glass at 1/2"
59x17x23 = 23,069 cubic inch or 99.86gallons That's even worst.
edit: 59x17x23.5 = 23,570.5 or 102 gallons...

 

[leigh]

Oh, he he, whoops, sorry, my goal was to make you feel better, not worse.

 

[reefnut]

O-well. I love my tank... No matter how much water it can hold...

 

[fulcrum]

My 125 is 72x18x22.
Which works out to 123.5 gallons.

 

[reefnut]

Originally posted by fulcrum
My 125 is 72x18x22.
Which works out to 123.5 gallons.
I'm going to go home at lunch and measure mine. The site I'm getting the sizes from says the 125 is 72x18x20 and I just found another that says 72 1/2 x 18 1/2 x 23 3/8 so I may be all wet here... Wouldn't be the first time

 

[brent595]

Once you get all the live rock and sand in it, it will not be anywhere close to any one of those fiqures, so it doesn't really matter anyway.
As long as your happy with it when you get done.

 

[flydan]

Hey,
That's why sumps and refugiums are so nice, especially for smaller tanks. Lot's of extra gallons! hehehehe
Dan'l

 

[mvogel2]

it's a good point to make ...especially when it comes to medications... a lot of people overdose because they think they have a 125 gallons of water...
if you take into account the LR and DSB and actual water, i'm sure it's way less.

 

[reefnut]

Originally posted by mvogel2
it's a good point to make ...especially when it comes to medications... a lot of people overdose because they think they have a 125 gallons of water...
if you take into account the LR and DSB and actual water, i'm sure it's way less.
Well I don't medicate but it would be nice to know exactly how many gallons your system holds...

 

[reefnut]

By the way, I measured the tank and it is 60x18x24

 

[krunk]

with your sand and rock, its probaly aroudn 90 gallons reefnut.