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Free tool

Aquarium volume and water change calculator

Enter your tank's size to get its volume and an estimate of the real water volume for dosing. Then plan water changes to bring nitrate down without shocking your fish.

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  • Runs in your browser
  • Shows the working

Real water volume is usually 10 to 20% less than the glass volume after substrate, rock and the gap at the top. Always follow product labels for dosing.

Want stocking checks and troubleshooting?

Two Claude skills do this kind of work with you, step by step. They work on any Claude plan, including the free one. New to Claude?

Free

Cycle Coach skill

Walks you through cycling a new tank inside Claude, step by step.

Good to know

Tank volume

For a rectangular tank, length × width × height in inches ÷ 231 gives US gallons; in centimeters ÷ 1,000 gives litres. Substrate, rock and decorations take up space, so the water you actually dose is less.

How water changes lower nitrate

Each change removes that share of the nitrate, if your new water has none. A 50% change takes 80 ppm to 40 ppm, and a second takes it to 20 ppm. Test your tap water first: if it contains nitrate, water changes can't go below it.

Doing it safely

Match temperature and dechlorinate. If your tank has gone a while without changes, its pH and hardness may have drifted from your tap's. Test both, and if they differ, make several smaller changes over a few days instead of one big one.

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