# Question on Tank Size??



## Bradman (May 9, 2013)

I have a pretty good size fish tank. Its around 40 gallons. But i dont know the exact size. I bought it from someone and they didnt know. How would i measure this.Its about 18 inches wide and 4 feet long. Its like a rectangle but the front of the tank curse a little.


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## Bradman (May 9, 2013)

and H=24inches


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

Length X width X height = volume. Then you convert cubic inches to gallons.

My guess is a 90 gallon, by the dimensions.

Yup, 90 gallons.


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## Bradman (May 9, 2013)

thanks! i feel stupid. do i convert them into inches first?


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## Bradman (May 9, 2013)

got it!! thanks for the help! i didnt realize how big my tank really is


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

You would have to convert the 4 feet to inches so that the units are all the same  You're not the first person to ask how big their tank is, and you certainly won't be the last.

Yeah, 90 is a good size tank - the height really makes it look big.


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## Bradman (May 9, 2013)

Yes thats very true. I have a heater for a 40 gallon tank that i just bought. haha worthless


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

No, not worthless - get a second 40 gallon heater and put one at both ends of the tank. It will make for a more uniform temp. Or return it and get a bigger heater.


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## Bradman (May 9, 2013)

Well the heater isnt doing much right now. Yes i can do either one. Have to compare prices...they dont come cheap!


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## Bradman (May 9, 2013)

*Starting From Scratch Again. Need Advice*

Hello, I got a tank last month and I really screwed up. The tank i got was a 90 gallon tank witch I thought was a 40 gallon. So I bought a filter that works up to 40 gallons, also a heater for a 40g tank. I also dont think i cycled the water properly. Then came the fish. 2 have recently died. My tetra just had 15 babies. And on top of that a couple of my fish have the ich. (im working to cure that now!). Trying to get these fish out of this hell hole. So Im deciding on buying a brand new tank. I know its gunna take awhile to set up! I havnt started yet. Im preplanning now. I need to know what to do with my fish and giving them away is not an option for me!! So fill free to help me out and give me advice on what to do and how to start this new adventure!


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## jentralala (Oct 5, 2012)

Aqadvisor can also calculate the size of your tank, and it sounds like you have a bowfront? I know there are several sites with standard measurements for common size tanks. 

A quick search shows the dimensions of a 90 gallon bowfront as L 48.5 x W 18 x H 29.


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## Bradman (May 9, 2013)

bowfront i guess! Sounds bout right. I srewed up this tank, if you read my latest thread.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

He said the height was 24 inches, not 29, so it's less than 90

I missed the part about the bow front. Determining the volume of a bow front is a little bit more complicated than a simple LxWxH. The base width (width at the ends) is used as the W, as are the L and H. That much is all the same. Then you must add the volume of the bow, which can be done the same way, only the W is the widest part of the bow (subtract the width of the end from the total width of the center). Multiply that by H, and then multiply that by 1/2 the length of the tank. That will give you the approximate volume of the bow. Add that to the rectangle and that's the total volume.

Another way you can do it is just to average the widths (add the end and the middle and divide by 2) and use that as your W in the LxWxH=V equation.

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## Bradman (May 9, 2013)

thanks so much again!!


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

Well?? What is it - 75 gallons?


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## Bradman (May 9, 2013)

its a 75g tank


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

To your question on heaters. For a 4-foot tank, you have two good options. One is to get a canister with a built-in heating unit. The second is to have two heaters. One separate heater in a tank this size is not wise.

Considering the two heater option, you place one at each end, preferably beside the filter intake at one end and the filter return at the other [assuming a canister filter, which in my view is the best option for this sized tank]. I have this arrangement on my 115g 5-foot and my 70g 4-foot tanks. My 4-foot 90g has an Eheim canister with the heating element [this is by far the best method, but these filter/heaters are not inexpensive].

When it comes to buying heaters, always buy good quality. This is the one piece of equipment on which you should never scrimp on money. Filters and lights can fail and you have time to fix things. A heater failure overnight can mean a tank of dead fish, either by overheating or by failure and cooling; I've had it happen.

For a 4-foot 75g, I would get two 200w heaters; 150w could manage, but there will not be that much difference in price to risk it.

Byron.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Is this the same tank that we determined to be a 75 gallon in the other thread? If so, please stay with one thread, it is going to get very confusing for others to sort out two threads on the same setup.;-) Keeping everything together will give you better answers to your questions too.

I just posted on the heater question in that other thread. If you like, I can combine the two threads.

Byron.


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## Bradman (May 9, 2013)

Im sorry. yes just combine them. yes its a 75g tank which i thought was 40. So I bought everything for a 40g tank. Filter, heater and its to big for me to handle. Im thinking of down sizing to a 40g tank. just dont know what to do..

Edit by Byron: Threads merged.


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## Bradman (May 9, 2013)

I have a 100 watt on it right now. I just dont have that many outlets to do that. I also have to get another filter


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

All my fish tank equipment are on surge protectors.


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## Sanguinefox (Nov 29, 2011)

I'm not sure what your price range is. However I strongly encourage that you get a power strip/surge protector.

If you must narrow down to one heater, try to place your heater near or around the output of your filter. Before you spend money on a filter sit down and seriously consider your fish stock. That will determine what is ideal for your set up.


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## pop (Aug 29, 2012)

I use a medium size UPS (Universal Power Supply) that provides backup battery for when power fails. It’s the same UPS in size that I use to provide secure power for my home network servers.

How I secured the UPS for the aquarium, I changed out the circuit breaker for a gfi breaker and the installed gfi outlet where the tank is located ( you can identify the circuit by plugging a light into the outlet and flip each circuit breaker off until the until the light is off this will be the circuit breaker to change out and replace with gfi breaker.). at this point you can turn off the power using main breaker in breaker box and replace with gfi including the wall outlet.

pop


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Bradman said:


> Im sorry. yes just combine them. yes its a 75g tank which i thought was 40. So I bought everything for a 40g tank. Filter, heater and its to big for me to handle. Im thinking of down sizing to a 40g tank. just dont know what to do..
> 
> Edit by Byron: Threads merged.


I think all of us would recommend you stay with the larger tank. if you have space for it, the larger the tank the better. No matter what we each have, we always find we need more space.


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## Bradman (May 9, 2013)

ok ill do that. lets just see how everything goes


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

I'm glad you're sticking with the bigger tank. you've got so many more options!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Bradman (May 9, 2013)

Thanks! Fish are doing great! Babies and all. Does anyone have goes ideas or models of fish tanks...meaning like rocks, plants, gravel/sand, just ideals. My tank looks plain and boring.


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

you should definitely google planted tanks. there are some INCREDIBLE masters at aquascaping. that's another term to google..."aquascape"


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## Bradman (May 9, 2013)

Thanks i will deffenatly check it out!


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