# Sticky  Common Hobby Related Abbreviations



## Nicklfire

PLEASE REPLY TO THIS THREAD WITH A ABBREVIATION AND MEANING SO WE CAN UPDATE THIS LIST

We all do it, and it can be VERY confusing for someone new to our hobby to keep track and figure out what all the abbreviations that we use.

This list is meant to help all new (and maybe old people) find out what they stand for.

Please keep these Aquarium related, even if it's a specific company brand that maybe unique such as Loc-Line (which is a type of tubing used in aquariums)

*MODS PLEASE UPDATE LIST BELOW IF YOU SEE A NEW ADDITION*

*AC##*= Hagen Aquaclear filter or powerhead followed with a number stating size
*ADF*: African Dwarf Frog
*Amano*= Caridina Multidentata (>2006), Caridina Japonica shrimps
*Apisto*: any species of Apistogramma
*aro* - arowana
*BB* - Bare Bottom
*BBA*- black beard algae
*BBS*: Baby Brine Shrimp
*BGA*: Blue Green Algae
*BGK*: Black Ghost Knifefish
*BNP*: Bristlenose Plecostomus
*bps *- bubbles per second
*bs*- brine shrimp
*BYOB*: Bring Your Own Bucket/Bag
*BW*: Brackish Water
*C* - carbon
*Ca *- calcium
*CA*: Central America
*CaCO3* - calcium carbonate
*CAE* = Chinese Algae Eater
*CBS*=Crystal black shrimp
*Cl* - chloride
*CO2*: Carbon Dioxide
*CO3* - carbonate
*cories*=corydora catfishes
*CPD* = Celestial Pearl Danio
*CRS*: Crystal Red Shrimp
*Cu* - copper
*CuSO4* - copper sulfate
*dGH* - degrees of general hardness
*Diffuser*: CO2 bubbles pass through the porous ceramic disc, they are diffused into streams of tiny bubbles. With increased surface area, the tiny CO2 bubbles are readily dissolved into the water, increasing the saturation of CO2 in the planted aqarium
*dKH* - degress of carbonate hardness
*DSB *- deep sand bed 
*DSM*: Dry Start Method (referring to planted tanks)
*EBJD*: Electric Blue Jack Dempsey
*EBR*: Electric Blue Ram
*Eco Complete*: Type of Aquarium Substrate used for Planted aquariums made by a company called CaribSea.
*EI*: Estimated Index . It's a routine of dosing fertilizers in a aquarium
*EUC*: Excellent Used Condition
*FDBW*: Freeze Dried Blackworms
*Fe:* Iron
*FF* - For free
*FloraBase*: Type of Aquarium Substrate used for planted aquariums made by a company called RedSea
*FOWLR* - Fish only with live rock
*FRT*: Fly River Turtle
*FS* - For sale
*FT* - For trade
*FW*: Fresh Water
*GBA - *Green Blue Aglae (not really a algae but cyanobacteria)
*GBR*: German Blue Ram
*GH* - General hardness (measure of concentration of minerals in water; specifically calcium and magnesium)
*GSA* - Green Slime Algae 
*GUC*: Good Used Condition
*H2CO3* - carbonic acid
*H2O2* - hydrogen peroxide (used as an algaecide to kill algae)
*HCl *- hydrochloric/muriatic acid
*HCO3* - bicarbonate
*HC*: Hemianthus Callitrichoides (small Aquairum Plant used in foreground)
*HNO3* - nitric acid
*HOB*: Hang On Back Filter
*HOT5* - High Output T5 Light (synonymous T5HO)
*IMO* - In my opinion
*IME* - In my experience
*JD*: Jack Dempsey
*K* - potassium
*K2SO4 *- potassium sulfate -- Sulfate of Potash
*K2HPO4* - dibasic potassium phosphate
*KCl *- potassium chloride -- Muriate of Potash
*KH* - carbonate hardness; measurement of alkalinity of water 
*KH2PO4* - monobasic potassium phosphate
*KNO3* - potassium nitrate -- Salt Peter
*lbw* - live blackworm
*LED* - light emitting diode (type of lighting system)
*LF* - Looking for
*LFS* - Local Fish Store
*Loc Line*: Type of tubing that is flexiable used in aquariums for inlet and outlet
*LPS* - large-polyped stony coral
*Mg *- magnesium
*MgSO4* - magnesium sulfate
*MgSO4* - 7H2O = Epsom Salts
*MH* - Metal Halide
*MTS*: Multiple Tank Syndrome
*N* - nitrogen
*Na* - sodium
*NaCl *- sodium chloride -- table/aquarium salt
*NaHCO3* - sodium bicarbonate -- Baking Soda
*New World*: refers to cichlids from Central America or South America
*NH3 *- ammonia
*NH4 *- ammonium
*NIB* - new in box (unopened)
*NO2 *- nitrite
*NO3 *- nitrate
*O* - Oscar (Astronotus ocellatus)
*Old World*: refers to cichlids from Africa
*OP*: Original Post\Poster
*otos/ottos*=Otocinclus catfish(the ones that eat algae)
*O2* - oxygen (gas)
*PC *- (power) compact fluorescent
*P* - phosphorus
*Pfertz* : Company that makes a line of high end, easy dosing, aquarium fertilization, the P is silent
*pH* - measurement of acidity and basicility of water (aqueous matter)
*pleco* - plecostomus catfish
*PM*: Private Message
*PO4* - phosphate
*PPU*: Pending Pick Up
*Prime*= Seachem brand dechlorinator 
*RBTA* - rose bubble tip anemone
*RCS*: Red Cherry Shrimp
*RO*: Reverse osmosis, type of water purification
*RTC*: Red Tail Catfish
*RTN* - rapid tissue necrosis
*S* - sulfur
*SA*: South America
*SAE* - Siamese Algae Eater
*SO4* - sulfate
*SW*: Salt Water
*SPS* - small-polyped stony coral
*TDS* = Total Dissolved Solids 
*TIA*: thanks in advance
*T5HO* - High output t5 model fluorescent
*stealth heater*= a brand/type of heater from Marineland
*VGUC*: Very Good Used Condition
*VHO* - very high output fluorescent
*WC*: Water Change
*WPG*: Watts Per Gallon (if your light is 50W and your aquarium is 25 gal You would have 2 WPG)


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## davefrombc

When you write a short article, or even make an enquiry about a fish , plant or invertebrate, use the full name or term first. Then you may abbreviate it; that way there is no confusion on what you are referring to. I could give a number of examples, but one that illustrates possible confusion would be if you were saying you had an excess of HC in your tank.. Now , HC might mean Hemianthus Callitrichoides to plant nuts , but to a newbie or a lot of the rest of us not deeply into planted tanks might just wonder how you got an excess of Hydro Carbons in your tank.
Another one ... PC ( power compact) for a light system , or what I typed this on.


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## roadrunner

I just moved this from my previous thread
CPD = Celestial Pearl Danio
SAE - Siamese Algae Eater
bs- brine shrimp
bba- black beard algae


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## Kitsune

Is CRS cherry red shrimp, or crystal red shimp?


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## Kitsune

HOB Filter= hang on back filter


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## VinnyD

*AC##*= Hagen Aquaclear filter or powerhead followed with a number stating size
*RCS=* Red cherry shrimp
*CRS=*Crystal red shrimp
*CBS*=Crystal black shrimp
*Amano*= Caridina Multidentata (>2006), Caridina Japonica shrimps
*Neons and cardinals* can mean the type of tetras
*RO water*= reverse osmosis
*Prime*= Seachem brand dechlorinator 
*cories*=corydora catfishes
*otos/ottos*=Otocinclus catfish(the ones that eat algae)
*stealth heater*= a brand/type of heater from Marineland


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## target

BB - Bare Bottom
FOWLR - Fish only with live rock
IMO - In my opinion
IME - In my experience
Newb - new person to hobby
Noob - someone who has been in the hobby long enough to know more than they do.


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## planter

LPS - large-polyped stony coral
SPS - small-polyped stony coral
RBTA - rose bubble tip anemone
RTN - rapid tissue necrosis
GHA - green hair algae
LTA - long tentacle anemone
DSB - deep sand bed 
EI - Estimative index
LFS - Local Fish Store
BBA - black beard algae
T5HO - High output t5 model fluorescents
PC - (power) compact fluorescent
VHO - very high output fluorescent
NO - normal output fluorescent
MH - metal halide




Plant stuff I forgot where I found this list. I remember there being much more then just these. Oh well 

C - carbon
Ca - calcium
CaCO3 - calcium carbonate
Cl - chloride
CO2 - carbon dioxide
CO3 - carbonate
Cu - copper
CuSO4 - copper sulfate
Fe - iron
H2CO3 - carbonic acid
H2O2 - hydrogen peroxide
HCO3 - bicarbonate
HCl - hydrochloric/muriatic acid
HNO3 - nitric acid
K - potassium
K2SO4 - potassium sulfate -- Sulfate of Potash
K2HPO4 - dibasic potassium phosphate
KCl - potassium chloride -- Muriate of Potash
KH2PO4 - monobasic potassium phosphate
KNO3 - potassium nitrate -- Salt Peter
Mg - magnesium
MgSO4 =-magnesium sulfate
MgSO4 * 7H2O = Epsom Salts
N - nitrogen
Na - sodium
NaCl - sodium chloride -- table/aquarium salt
NaHCO3 - sodium bicarbonate -- Baking Soda
NH3 - ammonia
NH4 - ammonium
NO2 - nitrite
NO3 - nitrate
O2 - oxygen (gas)
P - phosphorus
PO4 - phosphate
S - sulfur
SO4 - sulfate


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## TCR

CAE- common algea eater?


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## Nicklfire

TCR said:


> CAE- common algea eater?


Isnt it Chinese Algae Eater..... kinda like Siamese Algae Eater ?

maybe i'm wrong i dunno lol


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## swordtail

CAE = Chinese Algae Eater


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## Nicklfire

All Added up to this point


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## Adz1

Nicklfire said:


> Isnt it Chinese Algae Eater..... kinda like Siamese Algae Eater ?
> 
> maybe i'm wrong i dunno lol


yes is chinese algae eater...lol
mean little sucker fish.


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## bigfry

bps - bubbles per second
GBR - German Blue Ram


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## roadrunner

Maybe it sounds silly, but I have no clue what is DB means
Found in AqAdvisor- Intelligent aquarium stocking calculator thread
"Total number of filters in DB has been increased to 303:"


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## Nicklfire

roadrunner said:


> Maybe it sounds silly, but I have no clue what is DB means
> Found in AqAdvisor- Intelligent aquarium stocking calculator thread
> "Total number of filters in DB has been increased to 303:"


Database i think it stands for in that occurance


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## Aquaman

LOL glad I caught that last post ...


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## target

Aquaman said:


> * sigh... finally get to contribute  *


you could explain the 4:20 reference from your invite to your house


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## roadrunner

I had to look up another one - FRT (is it fly river turtle?)


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## Diztrbd1

*TIA= thanks in advance*......not always a females name I found out today....sorry about that Justin lol It's not necessarily aquarium related, but you definitely might find it useful on here lol


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## Ebonbolt

GBR = german blue ram *really just german ram*
Apisto = any species of apistogramma
EBR = electric blue ram


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## jobber

BGA - Blue Green Algae
FS - For sale
LF - Looking for
FF - For free
FT - For trade
pH - measurement of acidity and basicility of water (aqueous matter)
GH - General hardness (measure of concentration of minerals in water; specifically calcium and magnesium)
dGH - degrees of general hardness
KH - carbonate hardness; measurement of alkalinity of water 
dKH - degress of carbonate hardness

HOT5 - High Output T5 Light (synonymous T5HO)
pleco - plecostomus catfish
aro - arowana
lbw - live blackworm
LED - light emitting diode (type of lighting system)


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## Diztrbd1

TDS = Total Dissolved Solids

a measure of the combined content of all inorganic and organic substances contained in a liquid in: molecular, ionized or micro-granular (colloidal sol) suspended form. Total dissolved solids - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## Ursus sapien

Nicklfire said:


> Isnt it Chinese Algae Eater..... kinda like Siamese Algae Eater ?
> 
> maybe i'm wrong i dunno lol


very different fish. Chinese algae eaters don't eat a lot of algae except as juveniles, are dangerous with flat bodied or slow moving fish (slime coat eaters), like current and get big - 20+cm big. Chinese algae eaters are one on my pet store peeves - lots of stores sell them when they're little but most don't post warnings about them.


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## Diztrbd1

Thought I'd bump this up and add another one lol

*MTS= multiple tank syndrome*


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## jobber

any new ones not updated


BYOB - bring your own bag/bucket


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## Pamela

Just updated the list with Claudia's suggestions.

I also added all of abbreviations/terms from the last two pages of this thread so the list is now up to date.


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## AccidentalAquarist

Maybe it's just me or they're a bit too obvious but shouldn't FW and BW (brackish water) be on the list?


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## effox

AccidentalAquarist said:


> Maybe it's just me or they're a bit too obvious but shouldn't FW and BW (brackish water) be on the list?


Hasn't been updated in a while, and I don't recall ever doing it myself, so I'll update the original post. ;D


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## sousvide

What does CLA mean? In context, someone was asking about CO2 tanks and having them hydro tested.


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## Purple Platapus

Cyano~cyanobacteria, or red slime "algae"
Fuge~Refugium
Gfo~Granular ferrous oxide
Skimmer~protein skimmer

Here are a few I can think of on the top of my head


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