AquaGauge

Aquarium answers, backed by real tanks

Free, modern calculators and stocking data — every number grounded in real data from hundreds of real aquariums, not guesswork or the old inch-per-gallon myth.

Stocking calculator → Volume calculator
– stocked –
    Pick a tank size, then drag the slider up to stock it ↑

    Got your own tank and fish in mind? Run your exact setup — any size, any species.

    Plan your own tank in the calculator →

    Calculators

    Stocking calculator

    Add your fish + tank size → live stocking %, filtration % and compatibility warnings.

    Volume calculator

    Tank dimensions → gallons, litres and filled weight, for any shape.

    Water change calculator

    Current vs target nitrate → exact % and gallons to change, split into safe steps.

    Coming next: heater wattage, filter turnover and dosing calculators.

    Backed by real-tank data, not guesswork

    Aggregated from 741+ real freshwater tanks shared on Reddit (r/Aquariums, r/PlantedTank, r/bettafish, r/shrimptank) where keepers reported readings. Bars show the interquartile range; the tick is the median. How we collect this.

    Temperature 78°F · range 64–88°F · n=369
    64°F88°F
    pH 7.4 · range 4–9 · n=741
    59
    Nitrate 10 ppm · range 0–400 ppm · n=1015
    0 ppm80 ppm

    ⚠️ 31% of tanks where the keeper posted an ammonia reading showed a detectable (>0 ppm) level — a sign of an uncycled or struggling tank. (Readings skew toward keepers troubleshooting a problem, so treat this as a worst-case among posted tanks.)

    See the full breakdown → Aquarium Statistics 2026 (6,414 real tanks)

    Aquarium statistics & data

    Data articles computed from the AquaGauge real-tank dataset, paired with sourced industry benchmarks.

    Aquarium Statistics 2026 Aquarium Statistics 2026 Betta Fish Statistics 2026 Betta Fish Statistics 2026 The AquaGauge Dataset: 2026 Aquarium Stocking Stats The AquaGauge Dataset: 2026 Aquarium Stocking Stats Shrimp Tank Statistics 2026 Shrimp Tank Statistics 2026

    All statistics & data →

    Fish species & care guides

    Data-backed care hubs with every related guide grouped under each species.

    Betta Fish Betta Fish
    Guppy Guppy
    Neon Tetra Neon Tetra
    Cherry Shrimp Cherry Shrimp
    Pleco (Plecostomus) Care Pleco (Plecostomus) Care
    Corydoras Catfish Corydoras Catfish

    More stocking & water guides

    General guides not tied to a single species.

    How Often Should You Change Aquarium Water? How Often Should You Change Aquarium Water? What Is the Ideal pH for a Freshwater Aquarium? What Is the Ideal pH for a Freshwater Aquarium? How Many Fish Can You Keep in a 10-Gallon Tank? How Many Fish Can You Keep in a 10-Gallon Tank? Goldfish Tank Mates Goldfish Tank Mates How Many Fish Can You Keep in a 20-Gallon Tank? How Many Fish Can You Keep in a 20-Gallon Tank? What Size Aquarium Do You Actually Need? What Size Aquarium Do You Actually Need? What Size Tank Do Angelfish Need? What Size Tank Do Angelfish Need? How Many Fish Can You Keep in a 5-Gallon Tank? How Many Fish Can You Keep in a 5-Gallon Tank? What Size Tank Do Discus Need? What Size Tank Do Discus Need? What Size Tank Do Cichlids Need? What Size Tank Do Cichlids Need? Discus Water Parameters (Temp + pH) Discus Water Parameters (Temp + pH) Cichlid Water Parameters (pH + Temp) Cichlid Water Parameters (pH + Temp) Goldfish Water Parameters (Temp + pH + Nitrogen) Goldfish Water Parameters (Temp + pH + Nitrogen) How Many Goldfish Can You Keep in a Tank? How Many Goldfish Can You Keep in a Tank? What Size Tank for a Planted Aquarium? What Size Tank for a Planted Aquarium? Safe Ammonia Levels in an Aquarium Safe Ammonia Levels in an Aquarium Safe Nitrite Levels in an Aquarium Safe Nitrite Levels in an Aquarium

    How-to guides

    How to Lower Nitrates in a Fish Tank How to Lower Nitrates in a Fish Tank

    All guides →

    Why AquaGauge

    The aquarium niche is split between one powerful-but-ancient stocking tool and content sites that cite no sources and name no authors. AquaGauge combines both halves: a fast, mobile, visual calculator wrapped in data-cited, transparently-sourced answers — including aggregated stats from real hobbyist tanks. See our methodology.