Rimless aquarium.

[gstty]

I have an all in one rimless aquarium. I’m putting it on a piece of furniture quite dirty. The top was not perfectly flat so I took a piece of plywood and put on top. Does it have to be perfectly flat if there is even a little bit of The wood? Not being perfectly flat can be dangerous to the aquarium when I put my level on there there is a high spot not big but there is one and the level does not sit perfectly flat could just be my OCD but it’s really bothering me. Do you guys think it will be okay or do I need to find a flatter stand. I’m probably overthinking it and being paranoid. The last thing I want is it to stress fracture or break or something.

 

[gstty]

I can slide a piece of paper into the corners. I don’t know if that’s a big deal or not.

 

[UncommonSense]

It looks to me like there’s something under the plywood! Have you looked at that gap in the middle between plywood and fruniture?

 

[gstty]

It looks to me like there’s something under the plywood! Have you looked at that gap in the middle between plywood and fruniture?

I have looked. It’s clear. I did have a screw head break off and it did not screw down all the way in one spot.

 

[UncommonSense]

I have looked. It’s clear. I did have a screw head break off and it did not screw down all the way in one spot.

Aah, that might be your issue! Is it possible to spot drill halfway through the plywood where the screw shank has now left an impression, making a relief hole for that high spot?

 

[gstty]

Aah, that might be your issue! Is it possible to spot drill halfway through the plywood where the screw shank has now left an impression, making a relief hole for that high spot?

Ha have done that. It’s just I can’t screw down the board to make it completely flush as the screw is still in. And can’t remove it. so it’s a small high spot. It’s all nice and flush and level except this bit.

 

[UncommonSense]

Ha have done that. It’s just I can’t screw down the board to make it completely flush as the screw is still in. And can’t remove it. so it’s a small high spot. It’s all nice and flush and level except this bit.

Hmm… that’s a problem… it won’t compress when the tank fills with water… I think you’re going to have to extract that screw, to have success here… a leveling mat would help, but this is a sizable bump!

Drilling from the top will inevitably lead to the drill bit wandering off the hard steel screw and into the surrounding soft plywood…

Could you spin the entire piece of plywood counter-clockwise to unscrew that broken screw from the fruniture?

 

[gstty]

Hmm… that’s a problem… it won’t compress when the tank fills with water… I think you’re going to have to extract that screw, to have success here… a leveling mat would help, but this is a sizable bump!

Drilling from the top will inevitably lead to the drill bit wandering off the hard steel screw and into the surrounding soft plywood…

Could you spin the entire piece of plywood counter-clockwise to unscrew that broken screw from the fruniture?

That would work. Except I think 2 broke off. Cheap screws.

 

[mmorrison55]

Ideally you want polystyrene (styrofoam) or some kind of neoprene. You want it to reduce pressure points. It’s not so much it being level. Your photo shows the level bubble is mostly in the center, but if the plywood is warped the the tank won’t sit flat on the stand and you would have pressure points.

 

[UncommonSense]

That would work. Except I think 2 broke off. Cheap screws.

Alternative solution; small hole saw, drill out a plug of plywood containing each broken off screw!

Then, go get Torx head decking screws!