# Possible substrate calculation alternative?



## owenprescott (28 Aug 2012)

I am just curious about an alternative method I assume would work though it appears to give me slightly different results to the calculation method. There are numerous calculators out there that put together the dimensions of a tank to calculate the amount of Gallons (UK, US) and Litres. So can these be used as an effective way of calculating how much substrate is needed? 

Here is a nice tank(Volume) calculator http://www.regaltanks.co.uk/calculator/, most will want to go to the "regular tanks" tab though there are cylindrical alternatives too. Anyway if you fill in the length, width and height to the the same dimensions as your intended tank would it not work to just use the liquid height option to additionally calculate the amount of substrate needed?

Example...
In my case I am currently thinking of a tank at 32"L x 12"x 16"W (Inches). If I enter those dimensions into the calculator I get a max capacity of 101 Litres or 22 UK Gallons. I want an average of around 2 Inches of substrate so adding the 2 Inches into the "liquid height" tells me I would need 13 Litres or 3 UK Gallons of substrate.

So would you say this is an accurate method, obviously liquid is more dense so not sure if that effects the results. Just curious as the sticky gives slightly different numbers and this seems more efficient as you can also work out the liquid height and max capacity all in one go providing it works?


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (28 Aug 2012)

Does it matter? Buy 18L of ADA aquasoil and you can always have a but left over for another scape.

Plus will give you plenty to bank up at the back. I bought 2 large Amazonia powder type and Ive got some left over. Can top up or use it elsewhere.


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## geoffbark (28 Aug 2012)

i think you have been over thinking!!!! 

Thats good because that is how we get good ideas.

If you really want to work how many litres you need then just simply multiply height x depth x width

so if you wanted a 3" flat accross in your tank do 32" x 3" x 16"

But as whitey says does it matter!


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## owenprescott (28 Aug 2012)

Whitey89 said:
			
		

> Does it matter? Buy 18L of ADA aquasoil and you can always have a but left over for another scape.
> 
> Plus will give you plenty to bank up at the back. I bought 2 large Amazonia powder type and Ive got some left over. Can top up or use it elsewhere.



For someone who can be slightly OSD about things unfortunately yes it does ha. I have even drawn out my custom aquaurium at 1:3 scale including all the fish and shrimp (to scale as well ) just to get an idea of what it will look like. It appears a good 2 inch layer of substrate works out at 9 Litres so a 9 litre bag would be ideal providing its enough, if not I could just add a small 3kg bag of something else underneath to create a slope. 

I am also a student, soI do not have room for another tank not to mention my plans are costing me upwards of £400 so I am trying to be efficient spend wisely for once.


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