Chemical dosing: tank volume or actual water volume?

[Jhunter89]

Hey everyone! Working on getting my tank set up and I have a question! When adding water conditioners/bacteria/ammonia etc, do you base the dosing off of tank volume (i.e. 5ml per 30 gallon tank) or actual water volume, (i.e. I have a 20 long tank with rocks etc and there's actually 13 gallons of water in it currently).

Thanks!

 

[Calgarycoppers]

HI

What water conditioner are you using?
What beneficial bacterial supplement are you using?

Ammonia is dosing enough to 4ppm each ammonia is different

 

[Jhunter89]

API tap water conditioner. I have chloramines, so it says 5ml per 30 gallons. I have 13 gallons in the tank, so 2.16ml? Tetra safe start 3.38oz, I just used the whole bottle since it said "up to 20 gallons." Haven't added ammonia yet since I'm waiting to see how the chloramines break down, but should I dose for 13 gallons?

 

[Calgarycoppers]

API is safe but isnt as concentrated as Prime it is only 1mL per 10g.
Yes dose close for your volume - With Prime is is labelled safe to be overdosed but I don't know about API.
You generally need several days to weeks of adding beneficially bacteria and you need to feed it which is the ammonia or its a waste to add.
The chlorine and chloramine and neutralized right away no need to wait.
When figuring out the dose start at 13g and then test to see if you are at 4ppm

 

[Jhunter89]

Perfect, thank you so much!