It is very important to calculate the liters of an aquarium, to correctly manage the maintenance and care products, and even the species of fish that will be added to it.
When you buy an aquarium , the manufacturer tells you exactly how many liters it has, but when you order or make your own aquarium the problem arises : How to calculate the liters of an aquarium?
If we talk about square or rectangular aquariums it seems quite simple, but … What if we contemplate a different shape for the aquarium?
How to know the liters of an aquarium?
In general lines, to know the area of a three-dimensional figure, a multiplication of its components is carried out: height, width and depth. As a result, the quantity will be expressed in cubic meters.
Later we convert the measurements into liters using a rule of three: If 1m³ equals 1,000 liters, how many liters are there in X cubic meters?
Likewise, an aquarium can be smaller than 1m³ . In this case, it is worth knowing that 1 cubic centimeter is equivalent to 0.002 liters , or 0.000002 milliliters. From there, the procedure that we already know is carried out.
When we talk about the amount of water, alsoIt is necessary to know how to convert gallons to liters, since some products for sale, such as aquariums or aquarium filters , calculate their capacity by gallons and not by liters.
For this, we are going to take the liquid US gallon as a reference. Thus, 1 gallon equals 3.79 liters. However, in particular cases, the capacity of a gallon can be found by calculating its volume and converting from m³ to liters.
Calculate the liters of a square aquarium
We know that the square has its own characteristic, and that is that its four sides have the same measure. The same applies to a cube, which is the square figure in its three-dimensional form, which has twelve sides and six faces.
Understanding this we know that then, to know its volume, it is only necessary to measure one of its edges and multiply it three times by itself.
The result in meters or cubic centimeters will correspond to the volume of the aquarium. Later we will carry out the conversion to liters to know its liquid capacity.
Formula to calculate the liters of a cylindrical aquarium
The cylinder is a three-dimensional figure with three faces and two bases. To calculate its volume is the following formula: V = πhr²
First you need to measure the height (h) of the cylinder that corresponds to the distance between both bases. Then we measure the radius (r) of the cylinder, that is, the distance from the center of the circle at its base, to the edge. Then, knowing the value of pi (π = 3.141592), the formula is executed substituting each symbol for its corresponding value.
The next step would be the conversion from cubic meters to liters.
How many liters does a semi-circular aquarium have
A semicircle is a geometric figure that, as its name implies, corresponds to the middle of a circle. When we refer to a three-dimensional figure, this figure is called a hemisphere.
To calculate the volume of a hemisphere we need to measure the radius, and then substitute the values of the following formula: V = 2/3 πr³
Can you calculate the liters of a rectangular panoramic aquarium?
The panoramic shape of a fish tank is a bit more complex to identify, so to calculate the volume in a simpler way, we are going to section it in two and calculate it separately and then add both results. From the separation of this figure we will then obtain a rectangle and a hemisphere.
We will start by calculating the volume of the rectangle, in a way very similar to that of the cube, with the difference that its sides are uneven. Therefore, we will take the measurements of the height, width and depth. Subsequently, the three values are multiplied and the result is obtained.
The next step will be to calculate the volume of the cylindrical semi-oval or semi-circle.
To do this, the area of a semi-oval must be obtained and multiplied by the height of the fish tank. The formula for the area would be the following: A = ((r1 × r2 × π)) / 2
In order not to get confused, we must know that the capacity of a three-dimensional figure is called volume, while the area concerns a two-dimensional figure .
Having clarified this point, we find r1 by measuring the horizontal length of the circumference and we divide it by 2. For r2, we measure the vertical length starting from the midpoint of r1. Once we know these values, they are multiplied as indicated in the formula and then divided by 2. Subsequently, the resulting area is multiplied by the height of the fish tank, and we will obtain the volume of the semi-oval cylinder.
By last, both consequent values are added and the conversion to liters is made.
How many liters can a triangular aquarium have
Fish tanks shaped like a triangular prism have two parallel bases and three side faces. To calculate the volume of this figure, it is necessary to previously obtain the area of a triangle.
In this way, we are going to calculate the area of the triangle by multiplying base by height and dividing it by 2, as follows: Area = ((base × height) / 2)
Next, the area of the triangle is multiplied by the height (h) of the prism, that is, by the distance between both bases, and the result will be the volume of the triangular fish tank, whose cubic meters will be converted into liters to know the water capacity of the aquarium.
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How much volume does a fish tank have
The height of a fish tank usually does not vary much, but the width and length are always different. As shown throughout the article, fish tanks have different shapes, some geometric figures that we already know and others more extraordinary, whose volume is easier to obtain if it is divided into simple figures.
As we have already mentioned, knowing the amount of water that your aquarium occupies is important to determine the amount of fish that your aquarium will carry and even the species, since some require more space to avoid feeling threatened and end up devouring their companions more little ones. Experts recommend one liter for every centimeter of fish
, or two liters if possible, for greater comfort. However, we are going to talk about an approximate one, with fish of average size: 10cm long. For example, a 20-liter aquarium will hold two fish, a 100-liter aquarium will hold 10 fish , and so on.
It is no less important to add the appropriate amount for your aquarium, because regardless of the capacity in liters that it has, filling it to 100% with water can harm the safety of your fish and make it difficult to install the elements and accessories necessary for its ecosystem. Therefore, it is recommended to fill the tank with no more than 80% of its water capacity.
