While not a complete list, these are acronyms I have found useful and many of my professional aquarium keeping friends have “thrown around”
AAP- An online aquarium & pond supply company, well known for their vast experience and research based information library.
AMP – Ampere; is the SI unit of electric current. Reference: Ampere; Wikipedia
AA – Amino Acid
AC – Activated Carbon, a chemical filtration media.
AC – Alternating Current
Acan – Acanthastrea, a genus of large stony coral.
Acro – Acropora, a genus of small stony coral. Reference: Acropora Coral Information and Care; Lighting, Amino Acids, more
AEFW – Acropora (Acro) Eating Flat Worms
ALK – Alkalinity, the measure of the alkaline buffering capacity of water. Reference: Aquarium Chemistry Complete
ATC – Automatic Temperature Control
BA – Bubble Algae
BB – Beneficial Bacteria
BBA – Black Beard Algae. Reference: Aquarium Algae Control
BBS – Baby Brine Shrimp
BGA – Blue-Green Algae. Reference: Blue Grean Algae; Cyanobacteria
BN – Bristle Nose Pleco, Ancistrus sp, a genus of plecos.
BOD – Biological Oxygen Demand
BPS – Bubbles Per Second, used as a measure of the CO2 rate entering an aquarium by advanced planted aquarium keepers.
BTA – Bubble Tip Anemone
BTU – British Thermal Unit
Ca – Calcium, an alkaline earth metal. Reference: Aquarium Chemistry Complete
Ca(OH)2 – Calcium Hydroxide, used to make Kalkwasser. Reference: Aquarium Chemistry Complete
CaCl2 – Calcium Chloride
CaCO3 – Calcium Carbonate. Reference: Aquarium Chemistry Complete
CAE – Chinese Algae Eater
CBB – Copper Banded Butterfly
CBS – Coral Banded Shrimp
CC – Cubic Centimeter
CC – Crushed Coral, sized #2 through #5. Reference: Aquarium Substrate
CFL – Compact Fluorescent Lamp
CFM – Cubic Feet per Minute
Cl – Chlorine
CL – Closed Loop
CMS – Cubic Meters per Second
CO2 – Carbon Dioxide, a colorless gas of one carbon and two oxygen atoms.
CO3 – Carbonate
CRS – Crystal Red Shrimp, Caridina cantonensis
Cu – Copper, a reddish metallic element.
CUC – Clean Up Crew, critters that remove algae and detritus.
CWC – Continuous Water Change. Reference: Aquarium Cleaning
Cyano – Cyanobacteria, commonly referred to as slime algae. Reference: Blue Grean Algae; Cyanobacteria
DC – Direct Current
DD – DownDraft, a type of protein skimmer.
DI – De-ionized water, also known as distilled water depending upon method used to achieve the same results which is completely mieral and ion free water. Reference: Do Fish Drink? Use of RO/DI, Soft Water for Aquarium; Osmoregulation in Fish
None at this time
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions, acronym of speech
Fe – Iron
FO – Fish Only, a type of marine aquarium
FOWLR – Fish Only With Live Rock, reef aquaria with no corals but with “live rock”
Frag – Fragment of coral, usually acropora, that grows into a new piece of coral
Fragging – Similar to above, this is the act of growing new corals using pieces of other corals
Fuge – Refugium
FW – Fresh Water
GAL – Gallon
GBR – German Blue Rams, Mikrogeophagus ramirezi
GBR – Great Barrier Reef
GBTA – Green Bubble Tip Anemone
GFCI – Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter, an AC plug designed to prevent electrical shock.
GFI – Ground Fault Interrupter
GFO – Granular Ferric Oxide, a chemical filtration media generally used for phosphate & silicate removal. Reference: Aquarium/Pond Filter Media
H2S – Hydrogen Sulfide
HCO3 – Hydrogen Carbonate
HID – High Intensity Discharge lighting, metal halide and mercury vapor. Reference: Aquarium Lighting; Complete
HITH – Hole in the Head, a fish ailment, common with cichlids. Reference: Hole in the Head, HITH Disease in Fish
HLLE – Head and Line Lateral Erosion, a fish ailment, more common in marine species. Reference: What is a lateral line in fish? The functions and diseases of the lateral line
HO – High Output fluorescent light
HOB – Hang On Back filter, also a term for a type of skimmer. Reference: Aquarium Filtration
HQI – Mercury (Hg) Quartz Iodide, a type of metal halide lamp. Reference: Aquarium Lighting; Complete
I – Iodide
IO3 – Iodate
IR – Infrared, a type of light with a longer wave length than visible light. Reference: Aquarium Lighting; Complete
None at this time
K – Kelvin rating, color temperature of the light source. Reference: Aquarium Lighting; Complete
K – Potassium
KALK or KW- Kalkwasser, German for calcium hydroxide solution or limewater. Reference: Aquarium Chemistry Complete
kg/L – kilograms per liter
KH – Carbonate Hardness, a measure of carbonates. Reference: Aquarium Chemistry Complete
KI – Potassium Iodide
KMnO4 – Chemical formula for potassium permanganate. Reference: Aquarium Medications Part 3; Potassium Permanganate
kWh – KiloWatt-Hour
L – Liters
LED – Light Emitting Diodes. Reference: Aquarium Lighting; Complete
LFS – Local Fish Store (or Shop)
lm – Lumen, the unit for amount of light from a light source. Reference: Aquarium Lighting; Complete
LPD – Liter Per Day, a measurement of flow (metric).
LPH – Litre Per Hour, a measurement of flow (metric).
LPM – Liters Per Minute, a measurement of flow (metric).
LPS – Large Polyped Scleractinian, a stony coral, has large and soft polyps. Reference: Acropora Coral Information and Care; Lighting, Amino Acids, more
LPS – Local Pet Store
LR – Live Rock, rock with living organisms including nitrifying and de-nitrifying bacteria within it. Reference: Marine Aquarium Care Basics
LS – Live Sand, sand with living organisms including nitrifying and de-nitrifying bacteria within it.
LTA – Long Tentacle Anemone
Lx or Lux – the amount of light per square meter (lm/m2). Reference: Aquarium Lighting; Complete
MACNA – Marine Aquaria Conference of North America, held annually
MASNA – Marine Aquarium Societies of North America
MCF – Midwest Coral Farms, a well known coral farm in the Chicago area.
MEQ/L – Milli-Equivalents per Liter, a measure of alkalinity.
Mg – Magnesium, a trace mineral. Reference: Aquarium Chemistry Complete
mg/L – Milligrams Per Liter, 1 mg/L = 1 ppm (parts per million).
MH – Metal Halide light. Reference: Aquarium Lighting; Complete
MTS – Multiple Tank Syndrome
Mv – MilliVolts
MW – Microworms
N – Nitrogen
Na – Sodium
NaCO3 – Sodium Carbonate
NaOH – Sodium Hydroxide
NH3 – Ammonia, a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen. Reference: Aquarium/Pond Nitrogen Cycle
NH4 – Ammonium, a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen.
nm – NanoMeter, commonly used as a unit for wavelength(color) of light. Reference: Aquarium Lighting; Complete
NO2 – Nitrite, a product of ammonia oxidation.
NO3 – Nitrate, a result of nitrites converted by Nitrobacter bacteria. Reference: Aquarium/Pond Nitrogen Cycle
NTS – New Tank Syndrome
O2 – Oxygen, a colorless, tasteless, odorless gaseous element OEBT – Orange Eye Blue/Black Tiger shrimp
ORP – Oxidation Reduction Potential, more correctly now known as Redox balance which is the blance of both Oxidation AND Reduction, both proven to be essential for life, including aquatic. Reference: Aquarium Redox
P – Phosphorus
PAS – photosynthetic action spectrum, another term for PUR. Reference: Aquarium Lighting; Complete & PUR vs PAR in Aquarium Reef/Planted Lighting; LED Wavelengths
P04 – Phosphate
PAMR – Professional Aquarium Maintenance & Research. An abbreviation or credential applied to persons with years of experience in professional aquarium/pond keeping and research, as opposed to the many posers lurking in Facebook groups and Yahoo Answers.
PAR – Photosynthetically Active Radiation. Reference: Aquarium Lighting; Complete & PUR vs PAR in Aquarium Reef/Planted Lighting; LED Wavelengths
PC Power Compact fluorescent light
pH – Potential Hydrogen, a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. Reference: Aquarium Chemistry Complete
PNWMAS – Pacific Northwest Aquarium Society
PO4 – Phosphate
pods – A popular term for Copepods
PP – Potassium Permanganate, a chemical used in fish baths & swab as well as used to kill snails, snail eggs, and some parasites. Reference: Aquarium Medications Part 3; Potassium Permanganate
PPM – Parts Per Million, 1 ppm = 1 mg/L
PPT – Parts Per Thousand
PSI – Pounds per Square Inch
PVC – Poly Vinyl Chloride, used for piping and plumbing.
PWC – Partial Water Change
PUR – Photosynthetically Usable Radiation, another term for photosynthetic action spectrum. Reference: Aquarium Lighting; Complete & PUR vs PAR in Aquarium Reef/Planted Lighting; LED Wavelengths
QT – Quarantine Tank. Reference: Aquarium Disease Prevention
QT – Quart of liquid
QM – Quality Marine USA, generally regarded as the premier seller of wholesale marine livestock, and now freshwater too.
RCS – Red Cherry Shrimp, Neocardinia heteropoda var. ‘red’
RDSB – Remote Deep Sand Bed
RO – Reverse Osmosis, a type of water purification that removes most contaminants & minerals, but leaves some ions. Reference: Do Fish Drink? Use of RO, Soft Water for Aquarium; Osmoregulation in Fish
RO/DI – Reverse Osmosis, followed by De-Ionization, a type of water purification to removal all minerals and mineral ions. The result is 100% neutral water with a pH of 7
RMA – Return Merchandise Authorization. Many larger aquarium/pond supply retailers requires these be filed before returning defective, damaged, or simply unwanted merchandise. This is often a way to lower return numbers in the same way companies know that many rebate offers are not returned. I suggest to look for online businesses that do NOT require RMAs!
RTN – Rapid Tissue Necrosis, protozoal infection of corals; can be rapidly fatal if not treated.
RUGF – Reverse flow UnderGravel Filter
SAE – Siamese Algae Eater, Crossocheilus oblongus
SAL – Salinity
SG – Specific Gravity, a measurement of saltwater density, generally the most simple measurement of the amount of salt in a marine aquarium, although not as accurate as an Aquarium Refractometer.
Si – Silicon
SPS – Small Polyped Scleractinian, stony corals with very small polyps. Reference: Acropora Coral Information and Care; Lighting, Amino Acids, more
Sr – Strontium, an alkaline earth metal.
STN – Sudden Tissue Necrosis, protozoal infection of corals; can be rapidly fatal if not treated.
SW – Salt Water or Sea Water
T5HO – T5 High Output light bulbs. Reference: Aquarium Lighting; Complete
TDS – Total Dissolved Solids, the portion of solids in water that can pass through a 2 micron filter. Reference: Do Fish Drink? Use of RO, Soft Water for Aquarium; Osmoregulation in Fish
TFC – Thin Film Composite, a type of RO membrane.
UGF – Under Gravel Filter, a method of aquarium filtration
UV – Ultra Violet, a spectrum of light. Commonly the UVC Spectrum is used for aquarium or pond sterilization and clarification as well as improved Redox balance by better UV Sterilizers generally found at higher end retailers. Reference: Aquarium/Pond UV Sterilization
UVC – The effective sterilization spectrum of UV light energy
V – Volt
VHO -Very High Output, a type of fluorescent light. Reference: Aquarium Lighting; Complete
W – Watts, a unit of power
W/D or WD- Wet-dry, a method of aquarium filtration that is excellent at ammonia/nitrite removal, but also often results in high nitrates. Often used in the wrong aquarium applications and is often incorrectly recommended, especially for planted aquariums. Reference: Aquarium Filtration
W/gal – Watts per Gallon
WC – Water Change
WC/PWC – Water Change/Partial Water Change
WCMM – White Cloud Mountain Minnow
WPG – Watts Per Gallon, a generally outdated method of measuring light requirements, however it is still useful when comparing apples to apples. Reference: Aquarium Lighting; Complete
None at this time
None at this time
ZC – Zoanthid Coral, a family of corals. Reference: Zoanthid Reef Aquarium Care & Lighting
GH – General Hardness, a measure of calcium and magnesium. Reference: Aquarium Chemistry Complete
GHA – Green Hair Algae. Reference: Aquarium Algae Control
GPD – Gallons Per Day, a measurement of flow.
GPH – Gallons Per Hour, a measurement of flow.
GPM – Gallons Per Minute, a measurement of flow.
GSA – Green Spot Algae. Reference: Aquarium Algae Control
GSP – Green Star Polyps
A similar but LESS accurate list can be found here:
About Home; Aquarium Acronyms
It misses VERY important terms such as PUR and PAS while missing important leaders of the aquarium hobby/industry too