Leveling a stand

[Reefer525XL]

The location I selected for the tank turned out to be leveled so I did not have to shim it. However after a few weeks of the tank been full it seems that the water is higher on one end of the tank by 1/4 of an inch so I need to call Red Sea and find out what they recommend I do because initially it was leveled and Im on a concrete slab so no issues there.

 

[andrew james]

my tank also seemed to unlevel a bit after I filled it maybe the front is 1/4 lower than the back. I didnt notice it until a few months into it and haven't really addressed it. I think the little feet on the redsea tank have pushed into the wooden flooring creating the issue.

 

[Jakewatt]

The location I selected for the tank turned out to be leveled so I did not have to shim it. However after a few weeks of the tank been full it seems that the water is higher on one end of the tank by 1/4 of an inch so I need to call Red Sea and find out what they recommend I do because initially it was leveled and Im on a concrete slab so no issues there.

Keep us posted, interesting to hear what they recommend!

 

[Jakewatt]

my tank also seemed to unlevel a bit after I filled it maybe the front is 1/4 lower than the back. I didnt notice it until a few months into it and haven't really addressed it. I think the little feet on the redsea tank have pushed into the wooden flooring creating the issue.

It seems quite a few people have the same problem with the tank leaning forward when filled (might be because the front part of the tank isn't resting on the stand, rather its hanging over the doors - looks nice but it makes you wonder....) - maybe a solution would be placing the tank to stick out a bit over the back of the stand, ie centering the tank on the actual black foam, and discarding the width of the doors....?

The "resting" portion of the tank isn't really centered.

These are not my pictures, but you can also see the foam is thinner on the front part.

 

[Reefer525XL]

Keep us posted, interesting to hear what they recommend!

Well I just got off the phone with Amanda from Red Sea. She said if it needs to be shimmed the shims need to go under the plastic feet. My issue is that my tank is only about 2" inches off the wall and I can get my arms back there to shim it and I can't move it forward and leave a 6" + gap so that it can be shimmed. She talked to a co-worker and they said that since I have the bigger reefer and the water level is only off by 1/4" it shouldn't cause any harm to the seams of the tank. If it were 1/2" of more then it would need to be shimmed. Maybe I should have them send me this in writing & signed just so that Im covered for the next 12months of the warranty

It seems quite a few people have the same problem with the tank leaning forward when filled (might be because the front part of the tank isn't resting on the stand, rather its hanging over the doors - looks nice but it makes you wonder....) - maybe a solution would be placing the tank to stick out a bit over the back of the stand, ie centering the tank on the actual black foam, and discarding the width of the doors....?

Mine is perfect front to back. Left to right in the front is where the issue is.

 

[Reefer1978]

Mine is perfect front to back. Left to right in the front is where the issue is.

If the front is lower then the back, you do not need to shim the back. Exactly how I leveled mine, I shimmed all plastic tabs on the front (minus the left corner), and the ones on the right side.

 

[Reefer525XL]

If the front is lower then the back, you do not need to shim the back. Exactly how I leveled mine, I shimmed all plastic tabs on the front (minus the left corner), and the ones on the right side.

No what I meant by the front is that if you look at the water line from the front is higher on the left side therefore the right side of the stand would need to be raise up. If you look at the tank from the side the water line is perfect.

 

[lariat8099]

I have a 48 x 18 x 16" deep rimless StarFire tank that has been up and running for a year. The front right shim where I leveled it has broken how would I level the aquarium once it's full ??? Please help you experts out there

 

[Reefer1978]

No what I meant by the front is that if you look at the water line from the front is higher on the left side therefore the right side of the stand would need to be raise up. If you look at the tank from the side the water line is perfect.

That's hard to imagine. If from the front, one side is lower than the other, then on one of the sides it shouldn't be perfect also. I don't see how 3 of the 4 sides would be perfect.

But in any case, same idea. Level the corners first to where it's perfect, then add ships under other tabs. I would also level the stand without the tank on it.

 

[Reefer525XL]

That's hard to imagine. If from the front, one side is lower than the other, then on one of the sides it shouldn't be perfect also. I don't see how 3 of the 4 sides would be perfect.

But in any case, same idea. Level the corners first to where it's perfect, then add ships under other tabs. I would also level the stand without the tank on it.

Ok maybe Im not being clear enough. The right side is lower looking at the tank from the front but if you look at it from the right end (side) the water level left to right is leveled but its at the same height that it is on the front right corner. Not sure if that makes since. Basically the left side of the tank is higher and the right side is lower. Maybe this helps.







If the water level was higher on one side and lower on the other when looking at the tank from either end then this would mean the front or back needed to be shimmed but in my case the right side needs to go up which would mean that the front and back need to be shimmed because if not the back would be left in the air, unsupported.

 

[Reefer1978]

Ok that makes total sense. What you can do is move the tank a little away from the wall, mark with masking take where the tabs are, and guesstimate what the adjustment should be, tape shims to the flow and set the tank on top of them. Then check. If it's all done right, right rear corner should be floating a little until you shim that. And then work your way around the tank with rest of spots that need adjustment.

 

[Ashish Patel]

I am having this problem as we speak... My tank is in the corner and the leveling needs to be done on the corner back wall. Go figure!.

I've never used shims before and not really liking them because I prefer the entire stand hiting the floor. Anyways I have a alumium stand so I am access it through the sump area side. Id measure your floor first and if needed know how much shims you'll need to the back and put the stand on until its level.