Reef2Reef Calculators

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Rev has indicated we are going to put together some calculators of our own.

What calculators specifically would you like to see?

This is what I suggested initially:

I think calculators for alk, calcium and magnesium are a good plan for some commercial and diy materials.

I think trace elements are too specialized, but I think some nitrate and phosphate dosing calculators could be useful. James planted tank calculator gets a lot of use for this.

A salinity change calculator based on various scenarios such as replacing evaporated water with salt water or removing salt water and replacing with ro/di.

A water change calculator that was generic, but could apply to nitrate reduction would be useful. Could also be written to determine alk/calcium or whatever when doing a water change with different parameters than the tank.

Rev also mentioned a volume calculator (I assume this means tank volume from internal dimensions).

What else would you like to see?

What specific alk and calcium products would you most want to see?

 

[56longroof]

How about adding a temp/salinity chart. I know they are all over the 'net but one general source here would be nice. For alk and calcium kalkwasser would probably be the most used. Maybe carbo calcium too.

 

[Miami Reef]

What else would you like to see?

Calculator to determine how much muriatic or bisulfate to add in a water brute to lower alkalinity.

 

[Breef320]

Hey Randy!
Love it.

I used to use the reef.diesyst calculator a lot but don’t so much anymore because it’s out of date and the new chemicals or stuff we use today are not listed.

I love the fact that it provides the effect on pH but I wish it said what other negative effects it has on the aquarium. Maybe that’s too involved.

I agree that PO4 would be a good addition.

I really like the idea of using non commercialized as much as possible. Baking soda, baked baking soda, epsom salt, etc.

 

[UncommonSense]

Rev also mentioned a volume calculator (I assume this means tank volume from internal dimensions).

I like the calculator BRS uses for tank volume, solely because it has such a plethora of tank shapes!

However, they don’t seem to specify whether they are calculating the volume of the tank’s outside dimensions, or inside dimensions! (No accounting for the thickness of the tank’s actual walls, rim thickness, or actual filled water height during operation!) — for this I usually go to more generic tank volume calculators and just specify these factors…

What else would you like to see?

I actually brought this up a little while back; a really precise flow rate calculator for the low pressure applications we typically see in the aquarium hobby, as opposed to higher pressure applications!

No plumbing/etc flow rate calculator readily available on R2R? Should this be integrated?

Hello everyone! I was just doing another round of oddball plumbing flow rate calculations for a 3D printed eductor nozzle design, using an alternative site which has a remarkably accurate (relatively speaking) flow rate calculator! I decided to check around here, doing several cursory searches...

www.reef2reef.com

As an afterthought; what about a glass/acrylic weight (tank weight) calculator? That is something I often have to math out when planning a bigger tank move!

I’m very excited to hear that calculators are being integrated! I’m constantly finding workarounds to get to the answers I need, from dozens of different sources… having them all in one place would be a big time saver!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

How about adding a temp/salinity chart. I know they are all over the 'net but one general source here would be nice. For alk and calcium kalkwasser would probably be the most used. Maybe carbo calcium too.

A hydrometer reading/temp/salinity calculator is a good idea. I’m not sure exactly how we’d implement it since it is probably a look up table as opposed to a calculation, but I’d leave that to the coders (which won’t be me if you want it this century).

As an fyi, salinity does not change with temp, specific gravity hardly does, refractometers and conductivity meters and swing arm hydrometers mostly correct themselves, so we are talking about floating glass hydrometers only.

 

[56longroof]

A hydrometer reading/temp/salinity calculator is a good idea. I’m not sure exactly how we’d implement it since it is probably a look up table as opposed to a calculation, but I’d leave that to the coders (which won’t be me if you want it this century).

As an fyi, salinity does not change with temp, specific gravity hardly does, refractometers and conductivity meters and swing arm hydrometers mostly correct themselves, so we are talking about floating glass hydrometers only.

That's what I primarily use.

 

[rhitee93]

There was one on the web for calculating the amount of copper power to add to a QT that I really liked, but it was gone that last time I tried to use it.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Calculator to determine how much muriatic or bisulfate to add in a water brute to lower alkalinity.

Yes, we can do that one and it would be unique to Reef2Reef.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

There was one on the web for calculating the amount of copper power to add to a QT that I really liked, but it was gone that last time I tried to use it.

It does not seem hard as long is it’s clear what concentrations were wanted.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I actually brought this up a little while back; a really precise flow rate calculator for the low pressure applications we typically see in the aquarium hobby, as opposed to higher pressure applications!

What does that mean? What inputs would you supply and what output would you want?

 

[Johnd651]

Pipe sizing for water volume

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Pipe sizing for water volume

That would seem to be pump and head dependent? I’d have to leave that to engineers to sort out.

 

[Freenow54]

I have tried not to reply but. Is it possible to have a per volume daily input chart for dosing All-For- Reef, without spending hundreds on test kits to monitor .I already use A-, and K+ at 5ml a day with positive visual rests

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I have tried not to reply but. Is it possible to have a per volume daily input chart for dosing All-For- Reef, without spending hundreds on test kits to monitor .I already use A-, and K+ at 5ml a day with positive visual rests

No. It is easy to calculate how much AFR adds to alk and calcium and magnesium, but the amount needed to maintain steady levels is entirely tank dependent in ways that you will not be able to provide the needed inputs.

 

[Dom_P]

It would be really nice to have this. Whichever calculators are chosen it would be helpful if it defaulted to a set of predefined products being used, tank volumes etc that could be defined as part of our profiles

 

[UncommonSense]

What does that mean? What inputs would you supply and what output would you want?

Pipe sizing for water volume

something like the calculator I linked to in the aforementioned thread!

It can be as simple as:

— bore diameter (inside diameter of the most restrictive point in the plumbing is how I often use this!)

— operating pressure (.433psi per-vertical foot of water; extrapolate from pump’s max head height!)

— length of plumbing (applicable for frictional flow loss, especially in smaller diameter plumbing!)

calculating frictional/velocity loss through fittings is a whole other story, but is slightly less important in our low pressure applications!

Here is an example from that flow calculator… I did something relatively applicable to many people; the maximum flow rate through 6” of 3/4” Loc-Line, assuming 5PSI (~11.5ft max head)! — looks like just shy of 900gph (observed, and ignoring the fact that loc-line is not one continuous ID)!

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

A “time, money, frustration, happiness, despair calculator” would be nice….something interactive where one could move different sliders and trigger annoying sounds and visuals.

 

[spsick]

Calculator for your formulas of ammonium bicarbonate and trisodium phosphate would be awesome! The common methods of dosing calcium and alkalinity would be great to have centralized here as well, albeit already hosted here as you often share Randy:

Reef Chemistry Calculator

 

[Idech]

I always use the calculator you helped build for cal, mag and alk. I like it a lot; it’s perfect !