Newms118 November 17, 2013 Share November 17, 2013 Trying to level my 65 gallon tank and it's a bit tricky since I have the tank in the corner of the kitchen Here is the level going the length of the tank Now going the width of the tank on the right side As you can see, it's not perfectly level, but I'm wondering if this is good enough considering the difficulty in raising the back corner Any thoughts? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astroboy November 17, 2013 Share November 17, 2013 (edited) I'll bet WAMAS members who know about these things will ask who's the manufacturer of the tank. Also, do you have the tank sitting on a sheet of styrofoam or wall insulation, something that will compress a bit under alot of weight? Most experienced aquarists would tell you that in the long run even a top quality tank sitting on an uneven surface will spring (a catastrophic) leak at the worst possible time. Having a tank on a styrofoam or some other compressible surface avoids that. Also, tends to reduce the noise from pumps or fans a bit.... Edited November 17, 2013 by astroboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Djplus1 November 17, 2013 Share November 17, 2013 Honestly, my tank "settled" enough that there is an obvious difference from front to back in water level. Your level reading is fine. You won't even notice it, and the tank isn't going to blow up unless you're way off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoelace November 17, 2013 Share November 17, 2013 +1 Tank will not blow up, but you have a great opportunity to make it right from the get-go. It is not off by much. You could get some appropriately-sized weatherstripping and apply it to the base of the tank where it needs to be raised and that might do the trick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkiboy November 17, 2013 Share November 17, 2013 Having a tank on a styrofoam or some other compressible surface avoids that. Also, tends to reduce the noise from pumps or fans a bit.... you do not want a tank with a bottom trim on any type of compressible surface. the trim is designed to take the weight and distribute it along the edge of the tank. by using compressible surface under it you are redirecting a lot of the weight to the lower pane of glass. if the tank is not flat bottom it needs to go onto a solid flat surface like it appears to be, properly leveled after having water in it for a couple/few days to allow for settling. my tank settled about 3/16" over the course of about a month (i'm a bit over the top) on a stand built to withstand a freight truck so take your time, feel very comfortable about the decisions you make, and do it right from the get go. great job posting up and getting opinions. g'luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami November 17, 2013 Share November 17, 2013 The offset is so minor that I expect no issues from this leveling. Do check from time to time after it's filled to check if the floor might be flexing under the load. Agree with monkiboy, no foam under a tank with trim. Sent from my Rezound on Tachyon using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lutz123 November 17, 2013 Share November 17, 2013 What about putting felt furniture pads under the stand feet, or even adding leveling feet to all 4 sides of the stand and adjust? I agree though that it's not enough to make a difference, but if you think you are going to constantly notice, fix it now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoelace November 17, 2013 Share November 17, 2013 I said an oops. I meant to say put weather stripping on the base of the tank stand. Not the tank itself. (Not to hijack, but I remember researching the foam under the tank question on RC and R2R and found lots of arguments on both sides and no real evidence, scientifically or anecdotally.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astroboy November 17, 2013 Share November 17, 2013 you do not want a tank with a bottom trim on any type of compressible surface. the trim is designed to take the weight and distribute it along the edge of the tank. by using compressible surface under it you are redirecting a lot of the weight to the lower pane of glass. if the tank is not flat bottom it needs to go onto a solid flat surface like it appears to be, properly leveled after having water in it for a couple/few days to allow for settling. my tank settled about 3/16" over the course of about a month (i'm a bit over the top) on a stand built to withstand a freight truck so take your time, feel very comfortable about the decisions you make, and do it right from the get go. great job posting up and getting opinions. g'luck! I misspoke. I agree that it would be a bad idea to have any upward pressure on the bottom pane of glass... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newms118 November 17, 2013 Author Share November 17, 2013 I'll bet WAMAS members who know about these things will ask who's the manufacturer of the tank. Also, do you have the tank sitting on a sheet of styrofoam or wall insulation, something that will compress a bit under alot of weight? Most experienced aquarists would tell you that in the long run even a top quality tank sitting on an uneven surface will spring (a catastrophic) leak at the worst possible time. Having a tank on a styrofoam or some other compressible surface avoids that. Also, tends to reduce the noise from pumps or fans a bit.... So the tank is manufactured by Perfecto, and the stand is a Marineland Majesty as seen here http://www.marineland.com/Products/aquarium-fish-tank-stands-canopies/majesty-wood-aquarium-stands-canopies.aspx?utm_campaign=bazaarvoice&utm_medium=SearchVoice&utm_source=AskAndAnswer&utm_content=Default#technical Because of weight concerns (I live in a condo on the third floor) i have the tank in the corner of the kitchen which is also the corner of the building, thinking it should be the most sturdy spot. The tank stand has also been placed on a slightly larger piece of plywood thats been coated with spar urethane to make it water resistant. I didn't place any soft styrofoam or other material under the tank because I've read about the bad effects it has on the tank. I think the unevenness comes from the fact that the floor itself is slightly uneven, and I had to use composite shims to get the tank level to the point shown in the pictures. I placed the shims between the aquarium stand and the plywood, because i have vinyl flooring and if i put them between the plywood and the actual floor, it will likely leave indentations. Ill end up having to drain the tank again because now it just has fresh water to test the plumbing, so perhaps i can go around and place a shim in the corner that ill be able to adjust later. Only part thats hard is being able to hammer it in given the small space in the corner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newms118 November 17, 2013 Author Share November 17, 2013 you do not want a tank with a bottom trim on any type of compressible surface. the trim is designed to take the weight and distribute it along the edge of the tank. by using compressible surface under it you are redirecting a lot of the weight to the lower pane of glass. if the tank is not flat bottom it needs to go onto a solid flat surface like it appears to be, properly leveled after having water in it for a couple/few days to allow for settling. my tank settled about 3/16" over the course of about a month (i'm a bit over the top) on a stand built to withstand a freight truck so take your time, feel very comfortable about the decisions you make, and do it right from the get go. great job posting up and getting opinions. g'luck! the way the tank sits is that its trim is supported along the sides of the stand. The top of the stand is not a big piece of wood, just open. I feel that this is fine since the tank has support on its four corners. And without any foam or something under the tank, there is nothing providing positive pressure to the bottom piece of glass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newms118 November 17, 2013 Author Share November 17, 2013 What about putting felt furniture pads under the stand feet, or even adding leveling feet to all 4 sides of the stand and adjust? I agree though that it's not enough to make a difference, but if you think you are going to constantly notice, fix it now. never thought about leveling feet on the four corners, ill have to look into that. Given the tank and sump (30 gallon Trigger) will put up to 800+ pounds on these feet, would they be able to support this or would eventually be crushed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul b November 17, 2013 Share November 17, 2013 To answer your question, yes it is level enough. We are not building space shuttles here. Unless of course that tank will go into a space shuttle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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