Agarose Gel Calculator

How to calculate agarose for a gel

1. Enter the gel percentage and the volume of gel to pour.
2. Choose your buffer stock, and enter your DNA stain's strength if you add it to the gel.
3. The grams of agarose appear with the buffer and water to mix, the stain volume and the DNA sizes that percentage separates best.

Frequently asked questions

What is the formula?

A gel percentage is grams per 100 mL, so grams = % × volume in mL ÷ 100. A 1% gel of 50 mL needs 0.5 g of agarose.

Which percentage should I use?

Lower percentages separate large DNA and higher ones small DNA. As a rough guide: 0.7% for 0.8 to 12 kb, 1% for 0.5 to 10 kb, 1.5% for 0.2 to 3 kb and 2% for 50 bp to 2 kb.

TAE or TBE?

TAE is better for large fragments and for cutting bands out of the gel; TBE gives sharper bands for small fragments and holds up better in long runs.