The 'LIVING' Marine Aquarium Manual

Basic and Advanced Husbandry for the 'Modern' Marine Aquarium

by Bob Goemans

Measurements & Conversions

How many times have you been requested to add one milliliter of something or three grams of something or wondered about how to calculate measures of other substances? Probably quite often. Since no book would be complete without various tables of conversions for liquids, solids, volumes, weights, and others, have assembled the following for your benefit:

Liquid Measures
1 Teaspoon	= 5 milliliters
"	= 100 drops
"	= 5 cc
1 Tablespoon	= 3 teaspoons
1 Fluid ounce	= 6 teaspoons
" "	= 2 tablespoons
" "	= 0.062 pint
" "	= 0.031 quart
" "	= 0.0078 gallon
" "	= 29.6 milliliters
" "	= 0.029 liters
" "	= 1.8 cubic inches
1 Pint	= 473.2 milliliters
"	= 0.57 liter
"	= 16 fluid ounces
"	= 0.5 quart
"	= 0.125 gallon
1 Cup	= 48 teaspoons
"	= 16 tablespoons
"	= 8 ounces
"	= 237 milliliters
1 Liter	= 203 teaspoons
"	= 67.6 tablespoons
"	= 33.8 fluid ounces
"	= 4.23 cups
"	= 2.11 pints
"	= 1.06 quarts
"	= 0.264 gallon
"	= 1000 milliliters
1 Milliliter	= 20 drops
"	= 0.034 fluid ounce
"	= 0.2 teaspoons
"	= 0.066 tablespoon
"	= 0.002 pint
"	= 0.001 quart
"	= 0.0003 gallon
"	= 0.001 liter
1 Gallon	= 128 ounces
1 Imperial Gallon	= 1.2 U.S. Gallon

Volume/Surface Area
1 Cubic inch of water	= 16.39 milliliter
"	= 0.016 liter
"	= 0.55 fluid ounce
"	= 0.035 pint
"	= 0.017 quart
1 cu. foot of water	= 7.5 gallons
1 square cm of water	= 0.16 square inches
1 square meter	= 10.76 square feet = 1.2 square yards
1 square foot	= 144 square inches = 0.09 square meters
1 square yard	= 9 square feet = 0.81 square meters

Concentrations
1 % solution	= 38 gm/gal
"	= 38 ml/gal
"	= 1 oz/3 quarts
"	= 1.3 oz/gal
"	= 10 gm/l
"	= 1 gm/100ml
"	= 10ml/l
1 ppm	= one second of time in 11.6 days
1 ppm	= 1 teaspoon in 1,302 gallons

Weight
1 Grain	= 64.8 milligrams
1 Dram	= 1.77 grams
1 Gram	= 1 milliliter of water
"	= 15.4 grains
"	= 0.034 fluid ounce
"	= 1000 mg
1 milligram	= 0.001 grams
1 Pound	= 16 oz = 454 g
1 Kilo	= 1000 grams

Length
1 Millimeter	= 0.03937 inch
1 Centimeter	= 0.3937 inch
1 Meter	= 39.37 inches
1 Micron	= 1/1000 mm (0.000038 inch)
1 nanometer	= 1 billionth of a meter
1 Foot	= 30.48 cm = 0.3 meters
1 Yard	= 3 feet = 0.91 meters

Light/Electricity
1 Lumen	= 10.76 Lux
1 Foot Candle	= 1 Lumen
1 Lux	= 0.09299 Foot Candle/Lumen
watts	= volts x amps
amps	= volts/watts
1 amp	= 120 watts at 120 volts

Alkalinity
meq/1	CaCO3 (ppm)	dKH
0.00	0.00	0.00
0.05	2.50	0.14
0.10	5.00	0.28
0.15	7.50	0.42
0.20	10.00	0.56
0.25	12.50	0.70
0.30	15.00	0.84
0.35	17.50	0.98
0.40	20.00	1.12
0.45	22.50	1.26
0.50	25.00	1.40
0.55	27.50	1.54
0.60	30.00	1.68
0.65	32.50	1.82
0.70	35.00	1.96
0.75	37.50	2.10
0.80	40.00	2.24
0.85	42.50	2.38
0.90	45.00	2.52
0.95	47.50	2.66
1.00	50.00	2.80
1.10	55.00	3.08
1.20	60.00	3.36
1.30	65.00	3.64
1.40	70.00	3.92
1.50	75.00	4.20
1.60	80.00	4.48
1.70	85.00	4.76
1.80	90.00	5.04
1.90	95.00	5.32
2.00	100.00	5.60
2.10	105.00	5.88
2.20	110.00	6.16
2.30	115.00	6.44
2.40	120.00	6.72
2.50	125.00	7.00
2.60	130.00	7.28
2.70	135.00	7.56
2.80	140.00	7.84
2.90	145.00	8.12
3.00	150.00	8.40
3.10	155.00	8.68
3.20	160.00	8.96
3.30	165.00	9.24
3.40	170.00	9.52
3.50	175.00	9.80
3.60	180.00	10.08
3.70	185.00	10.36
3.80	190.00	10.64
3.90	195.00	10.92
4.00	200.00	11.20
4.20	210.00	11.76
4.40	220.00	12.32
4.60	230.00	12.88
4.80	240.00	13.44
5.00	250.00	14.00

Calculate Gallons

To calculate number of gallons in an aquarium multiply in inches, length by width by height and divide by 231.

Calculate Sand Depth

To calculate the number of pounds of sand needed to cover the bottom of the aquarium at the selected depth, multiply, in inches, length by width by selected sand depth and then multiply by 0.0579.

Ammonia

To calculate the amount of toxic ammonia (NH₃), the total ammonia (NH₃ + NH₄), must be multiplied by a factor selected from the chart below using the pH and temperature from your aquarium. Test the aquarium water for ammonia. Read aquarium pH and temperature. Find factor and multiply to find the amount of true ammonia, as all test kits result in a reading that adds ammonium and ammonia together.

pH	Temp 72F	Temp 75F	Temp 79F	Temp 82F	Temp 86F
7.0	.0046	.0052	.0060	.0069	.0080
7.2	.0072	.0083	.0098	.0110	.0126
7.4	.0114	.0131	.0150	.0173	.0198
7.6	.0179	.0206	.0236	.0271	.0310
7.8	.0281	.0322	.0370	.0423	.0482
8.0	.0438	.0502	.0574	.0654	.0743
8.2	.0676	.0772	.0880	.0998	.1129
8.4	.1031	.1171	.1326	.1495	.1678

Conductivity (at 77ºF/25ºC)
45.3 mS/ cm	1.020
46.5 mS/ cm	1.021
48.7 mS/ cm	1.022
50.1 mS/ cm	1.023
51.5 mS/ cm	1.024
52.9 mS/ cm	1.025

Density/Specific Gravity to Salinity

Density / Specific Gravity	Salinity
1.018	25
1.019	26
1.020	27
1.021	29
1.022	30
1.023	31
1.024	32
1.025	34
1.026	35
1.027	36
1.028	38

Calcium

Ca (ppm)	CaCO3 (ppm)	KH°
0.00	0.00	0.00
5.00	12.50	0.70
10.00	25.00	1.40
15.00	37.50	2.10
20.00	50.00	2.80
25.00	62.50	3.50
30.00	75.00	4.20
35.00	87.50	4.90
40.00	100.00	5.60
45.00	112.50	6.30
50.00	125.00	7.00
55.00	137.50	7.70
60.00	150.00	8.40
65.00	162.50	9.10
70.00	175.00	9.80
75.00	187.50	10.50
80.00	200.00	11.20
85.00	212.50	11.90
90.00	225.00	12.60
95.00	237.50	13.30
100.00	250.00	14.00
110.00	275.00	15.40
120.00	300.00	16.80
130.00	325.00	18.20
140.00	350.00	19.60
150.00	375.00	21.00
160.00	400.00	22.40
170.00	425.00	23.80
180.00	450.00	25.20
190.00	475.00	26.60
200.00	500.00	28.00
210.00	525.00	29.40
220.00	550.00	30.80
230.00	575.00	32.20
240.00	600.00	33.60
250.00	625.00	35.00
260.00	650.00	36.40
270.00	675.00	37.80
280.00	700.00	39.20
290.00	725.00	40.60
300.00	750.00	42.00
320.00	800.00	44.80
340.00	850.00	47.60
360.00	900.00	50.40
380.00	950.00	53.20
400.00	1000.00	56.00
420.00	1050.00	58.80
440.00	1100.00	61.60
460.00	1150.00	64.40
480.00	1200.00	67.20
500.00	1250.00	70.00

Dissolved Oxygen at Saturation (NSW)

TEMPERATURE (F)	TEMPERATURE (C)	DISSOLVED OXYGEN PPM
59	15	8.1
61	16	7.9
63	17	7.8
64	18	7.6
66	19	7.5
68	20	7.4
70	21	7.2
72	22	7.1
73	23	7.0
75	24	6.9
77	25	6.8
79	26	6.6
81	27	6.5
82	28	6.4
84	29	6.3
86	30	6.2

Temperature

Fahrenheit	Centigrade
59	15
60	16
61	16
62	17
63	17
64	18
65	18
66	19
67	19
68	20
69	21
70	21
71	22
72	22
73	23
74	23
75	24
76	24
77	25
78	26
79	26
80	27
81	27
82	28
83	28
84	29
85	29
86	30
87	31
88	31
89	32
90	32

Seawater Composition

Elements	Constituent	Concentration (ppm) unless otherwise noted
Major (Over 100 ppm)	Chloride - Cl	18,980
	Sodium - Na	10,560
	Sulphur - S	884
	Sulfate - SO2-4	2560
	Magnesium - Mg	1280
	Calcium - Ca	412
	Potassium - K	380
	Bicarbonate	126
Minor (1-100 ppm)	Bromide - Br	65
	Strontium - Sr	8.5
	Boron - B	4.6
	Fluoride - F	1.4
	Carbon - C	28
Trace (Under 1 ppm)	Rubidium - Rb	0.2
	Aluminum - Al	0.16 - 1.9
	Lithium - Li	0.1
*	Barium - Ba	0.05
*	Iodide - I	0.05
	Silicate - Si	0.04 - 8.6
	Nitrogen - N	0.03 - 0.9
*	Zinc - Zn	0.005 - 0.014
	Lead - Pb	0.004 - 0.005
*	Selenium - Se	0.004
*	Arsenic - As	0.003 - 0.024
*	Copper - Cu	0.001 - 0.09
	Tin - Sn	0.003
**	Iron - Fe	0.002 - 0.02
	Cesium - Cs	0.004
	Manganese - Mn	0.001
*	Phosphorous - P	0.001 - 0.10
**	Thulium - Tm	0.0000002
	Mercury - Hg	0.0003
	Uranium - U	0.00015 - 0.0016
**	Cobalt - Co	0.0001
*	Nickel - Ni	0.0001 - 0.0005
	Radium - Ra	8 x 10-11
*	Beryllium - Be	0.0000006
*	Cadmium - Cd	0.0001
*	Chromium - Cr	0.3 ppb
	Titanium - Ti	1.0 ppb
	Molybdenium - Mo	0.1
**	Vanadium - V	0.002
	Antimony - Sb	0.0003
	Gold - Au	0.000006
*	Silver - Ag	0.0004
	Krypton - Kr	0.2 ppb
	Xenon - Xe	0.05 ppb
	Gallium - Ga	0.03 ppb
	Bismuth - Bi	0.02 ppb
	Zirconium - Zr	0.03 ppb
	Niobium - Nb	0.01 ppb
	Thallium - Tl	0.01 ppb
	Thorium - Th	0.01 ppb
	Hafnium - Hf	0.007 ppb
	Helium - He	0.0068 ppb
	Argon - Ar	4.3 ppb
	Neon - Ne	0.12 ppb
	Tungsten - W	0.1 ppb
*	Germanium - Ge	0.05 ppb
	Rhenium - Re	0.004 ppb
**	Lanthanium - La	0.003 ppb
**	Neodymium - Nd	0.003 ppb
	Tantalum - Ta	0.003 ppb
	Yttrium - Y	0.0013 ppb
**	Cerium - Ce	0.001 ppb
**	Dysprosium - Dy	0.0009 ppb
**	Erbium - Er	0.0008 ppb
**	Ytterrbium - Yb	0.0008 ppb
**	Gadolinium - Gd	0.0007 ppb
**	Praseodymium - Pr	0.0006 ppb
**	Scandium - Sc	0.0006 ppb
**	Holmium - Ho	0.0002 ppb
**	Lutetium - Lu	0.0002 ppb
	Indium - In	0.0001 ppb
**	Terbium - Tb	0.0001 ppb
**	Samarium - Sm	0.00005 ppb
**	Europium - Eu	0.00001 ppb
	Protactinium - Pa	0.00000005 ppb
	Radon - Rn	0.000000000006 ppb
	Technetium - Tc	..............
	Ruthenium - Ru	...............
	Rhodium - Rh	...............
	Palladium - Pd	...............
	Osmium - Os	...............
	Iridium - Ir	...............
	Platinum - Pt	...............
	Astatine - At	...............
	Francium - Fr	...............
	Actinium - Ac	...............
Important Trace Elements * Affected by nutrient processes ** Affected by chemical processes