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wpg calculation

1K views 3 replies 4 participants last post by  SCMurphy 
#1 ·
When calculating wpg, do you use the nominal tank size or the actual volume? With the nanocube it makes quite a bit of difference as its listed as a 12 gallon, but actual volume is closer to 8 gallons...
 
#3 ·
I think that nominal tank volume is used in the watts per gallon rule, but as nino boy infered the rule is only a guide.

Paul
 
#4 ·
We don't worry about the 'actual volume' of the tank when filled with fish and rocks and substrate and such. Like Paul said it is more of a guideline. The problem is that it isn't really the volume we are worried about but the area and depth (which calculates into volume, yes I know). You want sufficiently strong light spread completely across the area of the bottom of the tank. This is in turn inhibited by the depth (sort of). There is a falloff of available light from a lightbulb as you move away from the lightbulb. The water isn't really deep enough to compound this problem in most of our tanks, it is just a failing of the type of light source.
 
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