Be Careful When Comparing Aquarium Brands
Did you know most aquarium manufacturers’ “Gallon Ratings” do not accurately represent the actual volume of water the aquarium can hold? Some aren’t even close.
We’ve always found this to be a misleading practice and believe that you should have as much information as possible to make the most informed decision.
For this reason, all of our aquariums showcase two ratings:
- Actual Gallons: The volume of water it can hold. Most accurate for sizing your filtration and chemistry.
- Model Gallons: A number that is more comparable to how aquariums of a similar size would be labeled. Helps you compare our aquariums to other brands.
Actual Gallons
The “Actual Gallons Rating” is the maximum capacity when the aquarium is filled to the brim with water only. The inside height, length, and depth of the glass within 1/4″ in each direction are used to calculate this volume.
Many aquarium brands round up significantly, use the outside dimensions of the glass, or use the outside dimensions of the frame or the stand. This difference can be substantial, sometimes exceeding 20% or more.
Model Gallons
To determine the “Model Gallons Rating,” we examined common aquarium brands, compared their actual dimensions— height, length, and depth — to ours, and arrived at what we believe is a general industry consensus on the commonly referred-to sizes.
Actual Functional Gallons
The “Actual Functional Gallons Rating” represents the actual gallons used after accounting for all displacement factors. When sizing your aquarium filters and capacity for livestock, consider the substrate and any decor to determine the Actual Functional Gallons.
This will ensure you can maintain the chemistry of your aquarium without overstocking or overdosing.
Dry Weight Rating
The “Dry Weight Rating” is the approximate weight of the glass and frame, excluding the weight of glass lids, packaging, and other items such as hoods, stands, gravel, rocks, coral, filtration, etc.
Full Weight Rating
The “Full Weight Rating” is the Dry Weight Rating + the weight if it were filled to the brim with only water. Items like gravel and rocks make it considerably heavier, so please consider this when deciding where to place your tank.
Possible Displacement Factors:
- “Actual Gallons” considers water up to the very top of the lid. But in most instances, there’s an inch or so to spare.
- For structural support, some “euro-style” aquarium brands use extensive glass bracing within the tank. This leads to water displacement.
- Excessively large overflows can contribute to water displacement. The H2Overflow® is a great solution!
A Cure for Displacement: Use a Seamless Sump!
By the time you take into account all of the nuances of how much water you have displaced with your equipment and decor… it might seem like there isn’t nearly as much water as you think. Our Seamless Sump® system is a great solution.
All of the maintenance equipment remains out of sight, while adding significant water volume to help keep your system healthy and balanced.
