TankStockingTankStocking vs AqAdvisor: an honest comparison
Looking for an AqAdvisor alternative? Here is a fair, side-by-side look at how TankStocking and AqAdvisor approach freshwater aquarium stocking — including where AqAdvisor is still the better fit.
AqAdvisor is the tool that defined this category: a pioneering stocking calculator with an enormous species database — freshwater and saltwater — and a filtration model many hobbyists have relied on for years. TankStocking is a newer, narrower tool that does one thing differently: it puts fish welfare ahead of a single stocking percentage, for freshwater tanks specifically. Both are free. Here is how they compare.
| TankStocking | AqAdvisor | |
|---|---|---|
| Output | A welfare risk band (Good / Caution / Not recommended) with the specific reasons listed | A single "% stocked" figure plus filtration capacity numbers |
| Planted tanks | Planted-aware: a small, conservative bio-load allowance, so a healthy planted tank is not automatically flagged as overstocked | Historically plant-blind; planted tanks often read as overstocked |
| Welfare blockers | Hard checks for min-tank, schooling minimums, temperature clash, aggression, predation by size, fin-nipping and keep-singly species can only lower the verdict | Focuses on bio-load percentage; fewer explicit welfare blockers |
| Methodology | Published in full on the methodology page, with named model constants and sourced data | Not publicly documented in detail |
| Data freshness | Versioned and dated (v2026.06, 2026-06-02), with sources per figure | A large, long-standing database without a public freshness/version signal |
| Mobile & UX | Built mobile-first; fast, no ads inside the planner, shareable result link and card | A dated desktop-era interface |
| Species coverage | 126 curated, sourced freshwater species (quality over quantity) | A very large legacy list including many saltwater species |
| Saltwater / reef | Freshwater only, by design (reef mode is on the roadmap) | Covers freshwater and saltwater/reef |
| Cost | Free, no account, no sign-up | Free |
The difference in practice
Two combinations where the welfare-first approach changes the answer — each scored live by the TankStocking engine.
Angelfish + neon tetras
✕ Not recommended1× Freshwater Angelfish, 8× Neon Tetra
A combination single-percentage tools often pass — TankStocking flags it, because an adult angelfish eats neon tetras.
Load this build in the planner ↑Heavily-planted community
✓ Good starter plan10× Neon Tetra, 8× Bronze Corydoras
A healthy planted community older tools may call "overstocked". TankStocking is planted-aware and rates it fairly.
Load this build in the planner ↑Try it yourself
The planner is pre-set to 20 gallons — add your fish and see the welfare verdict, with reasons, instantly.
Your tank
no size setPick a common size, or enter your own dimensions.
Add fish & invertebrates
Search 126 freshwater species by name or group.
Verdict
Common questions
Is TankStocking a free AqAdvisor alternative?
Yes. TankStocking is a free, modern, mobile-first freshwater stocking and compatibility planner, built to improve on the areas where AqAdvisor shows its age: a clear welfare verdict instead of a single percentage, planted-tank awareness, a published methodology, and dated, sourced species data.
Is AqAdvisor bad?
No — AqAdvisor is a pioneering tool with a huge species database (including saltwater) and a long track record, and it is still useful. TankStocking simply takes a different, welfare-first approach for freshwater: risk bands and hard welfare checks rather than a stocking percentage, with planted-tank awareness and transparent, dated data.
Does TankStocking cover saltwater like AqAdvisor?
Not yet. TankStocking focuses on doing freshwater really well; a saltwater/reef mode is on the roadmap. If you need saltwater stocking today, AqAdvisor remains an option.
Why a risk band instead of a stocking percentage?
A single percentage looks precise but hides what matters: a tank can read "50% stocked" and still be lethal — a lone schooling fish, a predator with bite-size tankmates, or a temperature clash. TankStocking leads with a clear verdict and the specific reasons, and treats the stocking-level gauge as a labelled estimate only.
This comparison reflects TankStocking's view of publicly-observable differences and may not capture every AqAdvisor feature or recent change. Both tools give planning estimates, not veterinary advice. See our methodology.