Leveling tank pt 4

[doge]

Hi everyone, I took some water off the tank after talking to some of you, I need help on fixing yhe level now and shimming. Here are the numbers:

Right Front: ~7.4 cm
Right Back: 7.3 cm
Left Front: 6.59 cm
Left Back: 6.54 cm


The stand does feel sturdy, and has two pieces of wood underneath which are in one of the pics and the aquarium sits on 4 corners, and the middle, I can slide a paper between the space between middle and corners, and the middle from the width side. First question, is this normal? I seem to read different information online.

Now, could you guys help me with the exact leveling techniques, which shims, how do you put them underneath, how do you decide where to put them, which sides to shingle, etc because Im clueless lol and I dont want to mess things up and ruin my ****** week anymore


I appreciate you guys being patient with me lol

 

[UncommonSense]

Start in one corner, probably where that close-up shows the massive gap between stand and floor…

Get that supported equally by shims, using the thinner portion of the shims..

Work from that point outwards, using that first point as your target for level on the three other corners… — fill in gaps between the shims that got you to level with more shims; distributing the weight across as much floor surface area as you can so the stand doesn’t deform around a single shim with high point pressure!

Every time I’ve leveled out a tank in recent memory; it’s taken well over an hour, and left me dripping sweat… be prepared for an exercise in patience with that floor!

 

[W31Olds]

Just locate the highest corner of the floor using a level and then start leveling the other 3 corners to raise the Tank up to the highest corner.

 

[doge]

Start in one corner, probably where that close-up shows the massive gap between stand and floor…

Get that supported equally by shims, using the thinner portion of the shims..

Work from that point outwards, using that first point as your target for level on the three other corners… — fill in gaps between the shims that got you to level with more shims; distributing the weight across as much floor surface area as you can so the stand doesn’t deform around a single shim with high point pressure!

Every time I’ve leveled out a tank in recent memory; it’s taken well over an hour, and left me dripping sweat… be prepared for an exercise in patience with that floor!

I have two questions.

1. I have the tank on the stand, I emptied it out with some left so I can move it a bit, but how do you put the shim. If it slides in easily, it wont have any weight on it right? I guess that’s what Im trying to understand, like do you have to hammer it in? Which type of shims would you recommend?


2. Is the goal to have the tank level everywhere or is it just the corners and the middle, thank you!!

 

[UncommonSense]

I emptied it out with some left so I can move it a bit, but how do you put the shim. If it slides in easily, it wont have any weight on it right?

You are right! Empty all the water out of the tank, it weighs 8.14lbs/gallon

Yes, easy sliding indicates no weight born; double up shims if necessary in these spots!

like do you have to hammer it in?

No, unless the tank is massive, or you are fighting a single shim in to hold up 1/4-1/2 of the entire weight, you should be able to get them in by hand, or with gentle tapping using another shim and a small hammer/etc.. — adding more shims adjacent to a single first one will make each subsequent shim easier to add (spreading the weight to a larger surface area means any one shim is bearing less of the total)!

Which type of shims would you recommend?

Any composite/plastic shims will do; preferably some that actually list what material they are composed of (polypropylene, etc), vs. just being recycled “mystery plastic”! — these can be found online, or at many hardware stores! (Just don’t use wood shims, they will degrade over the years with occasional water exposure)

Is the goal to have the tank level everywhere or is it just the corners and the middle, thank you!!

Level and plane are two different things! — because the floor is so uneven, and the stand appears to have warped between the structural supports; your best bet would be making the stand top both level and plane, across the full span of the top!

Achieve this by shimming fastidiously, you can add 10-ish gallons of water to the tank once you get close to plane/level, using the water weight to help straighten up the stand, and show you any spots missed in your shimming!

Just don’t fill the tank up all the way until you’ve got the stand fully supported between stand and floor! — the sagging between vertical structural supports is a bit alarming!

 

[doge]

You are right! Empty all the water out of the tank, it weighs 8.14lbs/gallon

Yes, easy sliding indicates no weight born; double up shims if necessary in these spots!


No, unless the tank is massive, or you are fighting a single shim in to hold up 1/4-1/2 of the entire weight, you should be able to get them in by hand, or with gentle tapping using another shim and a small hammer/etc.. — adding more shims adjacent to a single first one will make each subsequent shim easier to add (spreading the weight to a larger surface area means any one shim is bearing less of the total)!


Any composite/plastic shims will do; preferably some that actually list what material they are composed of (polypropylene, etc), vs. just being recycled “mystery plastic”! — these can be found online, or at many hardware stores! (Just don’t use wood shims, they will degrade over the years with occasional water exposure)


Level and plane are two different things! — because the floor is so uneven, and the stand appears to have warped between the structural supports; your best bet would be making the stand top both level and plane, across the full span of the top!

Achieve this by shimming fastidiously, you can add 10-ish gallons of water to the tank once you get close to plane/level, using the water weight to help straighten up the stand, and show you any spots missed in your shimming!

Just don’t fill the tank up all the way until you’ve got the stand fully supported between stand and floor! — the sagging between vertical structural supports is a bit alarming!

Thank you so much!!! My only question now is while I’m shimming, how do I make sure that it’s becoming “leveled”, would that be looking at the water level of the amount thats in there as Im shimming?

 

[UncommonSense]

Thank you so much!!! My only question now is while I’m shimming, how do I make sure that it’s becoming “leveled”, would that be looking at the water level of the amount thats in there as Im shimming?

use a proper 4ft bubble level, shim, check, shim, check… — this is where the hour plus of labor and dripping sweat come in!

 

[doge]

use a proper 4ft bubble level, shim, check, shim, check… — this is where the hour plus of labor and dripping sweat come in!

could you share which shims? I can only find angled ones, is there no such thing as a flat shim? Wouldn’t that be better?

 

[UncommonSense]

could you share which shims? I can only find angled ones, is there no such thing as a flat shim? Wouldn’t that be better?

No, shims are wedge shaped by design! — if you want a flat surface; you use two laid ramp to ramp to make a long rectangle which changes thickness as you slide the shims together/apart!