Rimmed tank not sitting flat

[Kathryn Lawson]

I recently picked up a 29 gallon tank from a fellow WAMAS member, with the idea of replacing/upgrading my 10 gallon tank that sits on my desk (I work from home). It's a standard rimmed tank (right down to the fake wood grain on the plastic trim, lol), and the label in the bottom suggests it's from 1998. After testing to make sure it held water and giving it a bit of a cleaning, I partially drained my 10 gallon and moved it over on my desk, so I could see how the 29 gallon tank looked in the spot where I need it to be (peninsula style, flush with the right-hand edge of my desk). The problem is, the 29 gallon tank isn't sitting flat - it rocks slightly on the diagonal, such that the raised corner is a hair over 1/16 of an inch off the desk surface. I can't shift it forward or backwards because it would hang off the desk. I have a 20 long tank (freshwater, also rimmed) peninsula-style on the left side of my desk, and have had no issues with it rocking, so I'm guessing that it's the 29 gallon tank's bottom rim that's warped, rather than the desk surface.

 

Exactly how bad of an idea is it to ignore the wobble and move ahead with filling this tank in this spot? Is it possible that the rim and silicone holding the glass will compress to flatten out as the tank fills, like a foam mat would do for a rimless tank? I did the leak test in a rounded-ish bottom bathtub, so maybe it wasn't set flat there and the frame warped to fit the bathtub bottom, and it'll warp back when filled on a flat surface? Or is this a disaster just waiting to happen?

Edited January 12, 2023 by Kathryn Lawson

[howaboutme]

I think this is a personal risk decision. If it is the glass and not the desk, then I personally would not risk it. Good news is that tank isn't worth much so hopefully you aren't losing anything. Those tanks are cheap Petco or Petsmart.

[WheresTheReef]

You need to make a call. However, if the majority of the rim is touching and it's just the very corner then it's likely fine. You can inspect the silicone at the glass seams to see if it was disturbed. A trick that you can do is to stack some playing cards to create very fine shims. I also agree that those tanks are pretty cheap, especially when they go on sale.

 

That's also an older tank. You might inspect the silicone seals to make sure that the tank doesn't need to be resealed.

Edited January 12, 2023 by WheresTheReef

[WheresTheReef]

FYI 29g tanks are on sale at petco for $40.

[Kathryn Lawson]

Thanks! Might bite the bullet and just get one... unless anyone has one they're looking to rehome for less?

[pnchowdary]

I have a 30 gal tank you can have for free. Please message me for details.


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