Need advice with tank on stand

[FreshSaltyGuy]

Oh ya and add the baffles to the sump once tests are done and tank drained.

 

[ReefEco]

So, I'm a little confused as to how you were able to remove the warp from the stand by shimming it on the bottom? If you think that placing a piece of plywood on the top of the stand will accommodate for the warping - it won't. It may seem flat initially, but eventually the plywood with the weight of water on it will conform to the warp in your stand. You are likely rolling the dice with this tank on that stand long term unfortunately...

 

[FreshSaltyGuy]

So I'm a little confused too....Am I the first and only person to use shims or have uneven floors? Seriously what do others do? I'd like to hear if any others here use shims to level out the stand between the floor and stand and if so how long have they been doing it?

 

[ReefEco]

Maybe I'm misunderstanding - but from the initial pictures you posted, it looked like the top of the frame of the stand was not flat, is that correct? The level you put across it looked like it was not touching if I'm understanding things correctly. This means that the top frame of the stand is not in plane (i.e. not flat), that the lumber is warped or curved - which is totally the norm unless you are jointing/planing the wood. Leveling the stand at the bottom feet will not solve this issue. You might get the level to read as level with this adjustment, but your initial problem of the top of the stand not being in plane may still persist - meaning that the tank is not supported equally. Shimming at the top of the stand between the stand top and tank bottom is also not ideal for a tank that large, which you want supported everywhere along the perimeter to be safe long term (for a framed tank). A piece of styrofoam 1" insulation board under the tank might help a bit with evening out the support with an out of plane stand. Without jointing/planing the wood to get it perfectly flat, the best way to ensure a flat stand top is to make it upside down - place your plywood top on a flat reference surface, and secure the top frame of the stand to it from underneath.

 

[Idech]

So I'm a little confused too....Am I the first and only person to use shims or have uneven floors? Seriously what do others do? I'd like to hear if any others here use shims to level out the stand between the floor and stand and if so how long have they been doing it?

I’ve had shims on the tank (on the floor) for 3 years now.

 

[ReefEco]

I’ve had shims on the tank (on the floor) for 3 years now.

Sure - This is fine as long as the stand top is flat/level - in a single plane.

 

[Idech]

Sure - This is fine as long as the stand top is flat/level - in a single plane.

Yes it is. I was just answering the question.

 

[vancouverredsea350]

I’ve had shims under my stand for about 5 years. My floor was not even. I just bought the black plastic ones from amazon.

 

[FreshSaltyGuy]

Maybe I'm misunderstanding - but from the initial pictures you posted, it looked like the top of the frame of the stand was not flat, is that correct? The level you put across it looked like it was not touching if I'm understanding things correctly. This means that the top frame of the stand is not in plane (i.e. not flat), that the lumber is warped or curved - which is totally the norm unless you are jointing/planing the wood. Leveling the stand at the bottom feet will not solve this issue. You might get the level to read as level with this adjustment, but your initial problem of the top of the stand not being in plane may still persist - meaning that the tank is not supported equally. Shimming at the top of the stand between the stand top and tank bottom is also not ideal for a tank that large, which you want supported everywhere along the perimeter to be safe long term (for a framed tank). A piece of styrofoam 1" insulation board under the tank might help a bit with evening out the support with an out of plane stand. Without jointing/planing the wood to get it perfectly flat, the best way to ensure a flat stand top is to make it upside down - place your plywood top on a flat reference surface, and secure the top frame of the stand to it from underneath.

So for me it was more the floor that was uneven from back to front and a little from right to left. When the tank was on the plywood, there were 2 very small section where it was 1/16" or less gap. I have since filled it with water and gaps are gone all the way around the tank. I'm hoping this was ok. The shims are mainly between stand and floor.