Common Acronyms and Abbreviations
 

Here's a list of common reef aquarium acronyms and abbreviations for both newbies and oldies alike. AC...Activated carbon, chemical filtration media / alternating current AIM...America-On-Line Instant Messenger service AFAIK...As far as I know AFM...Aquarium Fish Monthly, magazine AISI...As I see it ALK...Alkalinity, measure of buffering capacity of water AOL...America Online, internet service provider ASAP...As soon as possible ATS...Algae turf scrubber, reef setup technique B4...Before BOD...Biological oxygen demand BTW...By the way Ca...Calcium CaCl2...Calcium chloride CaCO3...Calcium carbonate Ca(OH)2....Calcium hydroxide CC...Counter current, type of protein skimmer Cl...Chlorine CO2...Carbon dioxide CO3...Carbonate Cu...Copper CUL...See you later / catch you later CUL8R...See you later / catch you later CYANO...Cyanobacteria DC...Direct current DD...Downdraft, type of protein skimmer DI...Deionisation, type of water purification DIY...Do it yourself dKH...Degrees of carbonate hardness, measure of alkalinity DO...Dissolved oxygen DOC...Dissolved organic carbon DSB...Deep Sand Bed FAMA...Freshwater and Marine Aquaria, magazine FAQ...Frequently asked question Fe...Iron FO...Fish only, type of marine aquarium FOWLR...Fish Only With Live Rock FW...Freshwater FWIW...For what its worth FYI...For your information FYM...For your misinformation GAC...Granular Activated Carbon GAL...Gallon GPH...Gallons per hour HCO3...Hydrogen carbonate HO...High output fluorescent light HSA...High speed aeration, type of proteins skimmer HTH...Hope this helps I...Iodide I2...Iodine ID...Indentify IE...Internet Explorer, WWW browser IM...Internet message-AIM,Trillion, Yahoo Messenger, MS messenger IMCO...In my considered opinion IME...In my experience IMEO...In my expert opinion IMHO...In my humble/honest opinion IMNSHO...In my not so humble/honest opinion IMO...In my opinion IO3...Iodate IOW...In other words IR...Infrared, type of light of longer wavelength than visible light IRC...Internet relay chat ISP...Internet service provider JM2C...Just My 2 Cents JM2CW...Just My 2 Cents Worth KALK...Kalkwasser, German for calcium hydroxide solution or limewater KI...Potassium iodide KISS...Keep it simple stupid L8R...Later LFS...Local fish store LHS...Local hardware store LOL...Laughing out loud LPS...Large polyped Scleractinian (stoney) coral; also Local Pet Store LR...Live rock LT...Litre MACNA...Marine Aquaria Conference of North America, held annually MEQ/L...Milli-equivalents per litre, measure of alkalinity Mg...Magnesium MG/L...Milligrams per litre MH...Metal halide light MO...Mail order / Money Order Na...Sodium NaCO3...Sodium carbonate NaOH...Sodium hydroxide NH3...Ammonia NH4...Ammonium NNR...Natural nitrate reduction, reef setup technique NO...Normal output fluorescent light NO2...Nitrite NO3...Nitrate NP...No problem NRN...No reply necessary NS...Netscape, WWW browser NSW...Natural seawater O2...Oxygen OBTW...Oh by the way ORP....Oxidative redox potential OTOH...On the other hand PLS...Please PC...Power compact fluorescent light pH...Measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions, equal to -log[H+], <7 acidic, =7 neutral, >7 basic PH...Powerhead, water pump PM...Private Message PS...Protein skimmer PO4...Phosphate PPM...Parts per million, equivalent to mg/l (milligrams per litre) PVC...Poly vinyl chloride, used for piping / plumbing RO...Reverse osmosis, type of water purification RO/DI...Reverse osmosis, followed by deionisation, type of water purification ROFL...Rolling on the floor laughing ROFLOL...Rolling on the floor laughing out loud ROTFL...Rolling on the floor laughing ROTFLOL...Rolling on the floor laughing out loud RTN...Rapid tissue neucrosis RUGF...Reverse flow undergravel filter SAL...Salinity SG...Specific gravity SHO / T5...Super high output fluorescent light, equivalent to power compact fluorescent Si...Silicon SiO2...Silicon dioxide SITD...Still in the dark SO...Significant other SPS...Small polyped Scleractinian (stoney) coral Sr...Strontium SSB...Shallow Sand Bed SW...Saltwater / seawater TIA...Thanks in advance TIC...Tongue in cheek TTYL...Talk to you later TWP...Tap Water Purifier from Aquatic Pharmaceuticals TY...Thank You UGF...Undergravel filter UV...Ultra violet, type of light of shorter wavelength than visible light VHO...Very high output fluorescent light W...Watts WMC...Western Marine Conference, United States WWW ...World wide web WYSIWYG...What you see is what you get