# A List of Acronyms and Their Meanings



## Silent Running (Sep 13, 2004)

I'm still new to the whole planted tank scene and I come across acronyms from time to time that I really need to think about before I figure out. I was hoping to start a thread of acronyms to help myself and others like me out. I don't mean to parade my ignorance, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who spends a fair amount of time trying to figure some of these things out :tongue:

SAE - Siamese Algae Eater
ODNO - Over Driven Normal Output

BBA - ? (some sort of blue algae I'm guessing?)
GBA - ? (some sort of green blue algae?)

So, what other acronyms do you use frequently that would be perplexing to someone new to planted aquariums (or aquariums in general for that matter)?


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## eds (Feb 12, 2003)

BGA = blue green algae
BBA = black brush algae

gph = gallons (water circ) per hour
wpg = watts (lighting) per gallon
wtf? = what I say when I find green water in my tank!


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## Wö£fëñxXx (Dec 2, 2003)

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1580


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## Silent Running (Sep 13, 2004)

Great link for the chemical stuff!

eds, I've got a bit of wtf? cookin' right now


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## AaronT (Apr 11, 2004)

LFS = local fish store


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## GulfCoastAquarian (Jul 30, 2002)

I need someone to explain roflcopter to me. Maybe I'm just too old.


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## amanda huggenkiss (Mar 3, 2004)

GulfCoastAquarian said:


> I need someone to explain roflcopter to me. Maybe I'm just too old.


At least you're not alone. That's the first time I've seen that one...


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## AaronT (Apr 11, 2004)

the first part stands for rolling on the floor laughing
LMAO = laughing my *butt* off
LOL = please tell me you know this one?
BPS = bubbles per second
EKG = eletric cardiogram
EGG = egg


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## amanda huggenkiss (Mar 3, 2004)

Yeah, but I've never seen it paired with "copter" like that.


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## GulfCoastAquarian (Jul 30, 2002)

If you pay a visit to a forum frequented by teens, you'll see *roflcopter* and *lollerskates* all the time. I have no clue what the heck they mean! I didn't want to ask there, for fear of betraying my lack of "hip-ness".

These are pretty funny, though...
http://members.cox.net/pimpbot9000/roflcopter.htm


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## amanda huggenkiss (Mar 3, 2004)

Ohhh, I just don't get these kids today... :icon_roll


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## Silent Running (Sep 13, 2004)

Man, roflcopter's a new one on me too. I did a quick google on that one and still have no idea. I'm old too...


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## zapus (May 26, 2004)

TLA = 3 letter acronym


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## amanda huggenkiss (Mar 3, 2004)

Dang. Zapus beat me to it! That's my favourite. :tongue:


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## Kris (Feb 27, 2004)

hang out in the 5th grade, guys...then you feel old!  
if it makes you feel any better, i ran across what i felt was a really neat website and showed it to my fiancee. who looked at me and said, "kris, that is par for the course on really good websites. where have you been?"
really.
frazizzle.


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## Buck (Oct 13, 2002)

IMO = In My Opinion
IMHO= In My "Honest" Opinion... *(not sure of the difference from above, everyone is honest I hope)*
FWIW= For What Its Worth 
TTFN= Ta ta For Now (for all you tigger fans !)

This is actually a very good thread for newcomers to forum chat, no ignorance at all in asking Silent Running, the ignorance would be in sitting there not knowing and not asking ! :wink: 

Happy Holidays roud:


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## Silent Running (Sep 13, 2004)

I always thought IMHO was "in my humble opinion". Hmmm... could go either way I guess .


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## Buck (Oct 13, 2002)

Ive heard it both ways too... I always liked Honesty over Humbleness. :hihi:


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## screename (Dec 8, 2004)

HAHAHAHHAAHAHHHAHAH
ROFLATTACK is a game you can play online. you have to kill the LOLLERskates and LMAOplanes with your ROFLcopter that shoots different weapons like WTFbombs and some others i dont remember. I think its roflcopter.com with some backslash something somethings. 

hit it up cuz maybe youll dig it and think it go hard or wuteva. but if its bunk, dont throw them brows this way.


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## Buck (Oct 13, 2002)

> hit it up cuz maybe youll dig it and think it go hard or wuteva. but if its bunk, dont throw them brows this way.


Huh ????


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## Rex Grigg (Dec 10, 2002)

SNAFU = Situation Normal All Fouled Up
TARFUN = Things Are Really Fouled Up Now
FUBAR = Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition/Recovery


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## Buck (Oct 13, 2002)

hehe... "fouled up"... thankyou Rex roud:


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## Rex Grigg (Dec 10, 2002)

Buck said:


> hehe... "fouled up"... thankyou Rex roud:


Well I had to moderate the message due to the fact I have very few forums left where I'm welcome.


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## fishyboy (Nov 16, 2003)

Buck i think he's saying go try the game and see if you like it... ( i really really don't like the whole rap crowd and all the words or different spellings for the sake of savign one whole letter, or sometimes gaining letters... )

Rex i liked it better before the fouled... But i can really understand the reason why... same boat

(Yes i have a bad enough time with typing fast without having to use words like wut instead of that big word what :icon_roll )


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## Kris (Feb 27, 2004)

how about:

whiskey tango foxtrot.... wtf?? i grew up hearing that one!


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## bharada (Mar 5, 2004)

Back in my air defense RADAR days (sorry Rex, just a lowly airman here  ), aircraft that were scrubbed off of a mission were unofficially designated 'tango-uniform', or in layman's terms t*ts-up.

But is this thread supposed to be about acronyms in general, or just the one in our hobby?


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## bharada (Mar 5, 2004)

Oh, here's another one that was common on the Straight Dope message board...

OP = Original Post

as in "What does any of this thread-jack have to do with the OP?"


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## eds (Feb 12, 2003)

Oh my! 
A fellow doper.
It's been sooo long...
Don't you go bringing your 20's style death rays in here!


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## GulfCoastAquarian (Jul 30, 2002)

Buck said:


> IMO = In My Opinion
> IMHO= In My "Honest" Opinion... *(not sure of the difference from above, everyone is honest I hope)*


I generally use IMHO (In My Humble Opinion) when my post happens to be a dissenting or unpopular view. Not that it discourages flaming entirely, but I think it helps.

Here's one I haven't seen here yet...
YMMV - Your Mileage May Vary


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## bharada (Mar 5, 2004)

eds said:


> Oh my!
> A fellow doper.
> It's been sooo long...
> Don't you go bringing your 20's style death rays in here!


I think Tom Barr wrote a paper specifically stating that '20s style death rays have no place in a properly balance planted tank (something about breaking chealted Fe). Besides, I'm drawing enough current running my lights 12 hrs a day!!! :icon_lol:


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## Vinlo (Mar 29, 2003)

PDQ - Pretty Darn Quick.


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## hoffboy (Feb 20, 2005)

I've got a Charlie Foxtrot in one of my tanks right now...beautiful waves of long pale green thread gently lolling in the current.


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## Jason Baliban (Mar 3, 2005)

What the H... E.... "double hockey sticks"?


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## critrcrazy (Feb 1, 2004)

Ok, since we're getting them from everywhere, heres a few from the veterinary world -

ADR - aint doing right
HBC - hit by car
BDLD - big dog vs. little dog
DIC - death is comin
SBI - something bad inside


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## GraFFix (Feb 21, 2005)

I just laughed when i saw lollerskates and roflcopter...I'm not a teen but do know what it is. I've seen it on other gaming forums I frequent. Yeah im a kid at heart :tongue: so with that said I have to post these here for the full effect.


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## ThatNewGuy (Sep 8, 2004)

The game is  here!


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## pk-sd (Feb 16, 2005)

*From SW (Salt Water) world*

AC Activated carbon, chemical filtration media / alternating current 
AFM Aquarium Fish Monthly, magazine 
AGA All-Glass Aquarium, Aquarium manufacturer 
AL Aqualink, aquarium bulletin board 
ATS Algae turf scrubber, reef setup technique 
BOD Biological oxygen demand 
CC Counter current, type of protein skimmer 
CSL Custom Sea Life, lighting manufacturer 
CTA Cellulose triacetate, type of RO membrane 
Cyano Cyanobacteria 
DC Direct current 
DD Downdraft, type of protein skimmer 
DI Deionisation, type of water purification 
DIY Do it yourself 
DSB Deep Sand Bed 
FAMA Freshwater and Marine Aquaria, magazine 
FFE Flying Fish Express, Mail Order Company 
FO Fish only 
FOWLR Fish only with live rock 
FW Freshwater 
GBR Great Barrier Reef 
GPH Gallons per hour 
HO High output fluorescent light 
HQI Mercury (Hg) Quartz Iodide, a type of metal halide lamp 
IA Inland Aquatics, mail order company 
IMHO In My Humble Opinion 
IMO In My Opinion 
IO Instant Ocean, brand of aquarium salt 
IR Infrared 
Kalk Kalkwasser, German for calcium hydroxide solution or limewater 
LFS Local fish store 
LHS Local hardware store 
LPS Large polyped Scleractinian (stoney) coral 
LR Live rock 
LS Live sand 
MACNA Marine Aquaria Conference of North America, held annually 
MASNA Marine Aquarium Societies of North America 
MD Marine Depot, mail order company 
MH Metal halide light 
MJ Maxijet, powerhead manufacturer 
MM Miracle Mud, method of aquarium filtration 
MO Mail order 
NO Normal output fluorescent light 
NSW Natural seawater 
PA Premium Aquatics, mail order company 
PC Power compact fluorescent light 
PH Powerhead, water pump 
PVC Poly vinyl chloride, used for piping / plumbing 
RC Reef Central, aquarium bulletin board supreme 
RC Reef Crystals, brand of aquarium salt 
RDO Reefs.org ("reefs-dot-org"), aquarium bulletin board 
RK Reef Keeping, on-line aquarium magazine 
RO Reverse osmosis, type of water purification 
RO/DI Reverse osmosis, followed by deionisation, type of water purification 
RR Reef ready, aquaria with pre-drilled holes and overflows 
RTN Rapid tissue necrosis, protozoal infection of corals; can be rapidly fatal if not treated 
SG Specific gravity 
SPS Small polyped Scleractinian (stoney) coral 
SW Saltwater / seawater 
TBS Tampa Bay Saltwater, Mail Order Company 
TFC Thin film composite, type of RO membrane 
TRT The Reef Tank, aquarium bulletin board 
TWP Tap Water Purifier from Aquatic Pharmaceuticals 
UGF Undergravel filter 
UV Ultra violet light 
VHO Very high output fluorescent light 
W/D Wet-dry (a method of aquarium filtration) 
WD Wet-dry (a method of aquarium filtration)


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## jart (Jan 17, 2003)

Not really an acronym, but my favorite mnemonic has to be NLMEB:

Never (Neutrophils)
Let (Lymphocytes)
Mom (Monocytes)
Eat (Eosinophils)
Beans (Basophils)

(Green beans are OK).


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## lumpyfunk (Dec 22, 2004)

not an acronim but hats off to those of you who understand

Fish tank planted type one each


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## Betowess (Dec 9, 2004)

Has anyone has mentioned: DE
Diatomaceous earth, or
Double Ended as in HQI type MH (Metal Halide) lamps

How about CC as in calcium carbonate. What about RFN (better ask Rex). As in how fast baking soda changes the pH. roud: bob


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