Tank is level but not sitting flush
- Thread starter CaptainKiwi
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X-37B
Fight The Good Fight
Stand the level on the edge. That how it's used.
exnisstech
Grumpy old man
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CaptainKiwi
Active Member
Yup now the corner is definitely lower... I feel so stupid
You’re confusing level and flat. I suggest ignoring the spirit bubble for a moment and using the level as a straight edge only. Lay it on edge along the front of the stand and look for daylight under any portion of the length. If the stand is flat, the wood and metal should be in contact the whole length with no daylight.
Repeat this process at several points from the front to the back of the stand, then do the same thing with the level laid front to back on the stand and test various spans across the stand. Again, daylight under the level reveals unevenness in the stand.
If you find unevenness, shimming the bottom of the stand to accommodate any unevenness in the floor can sometimes help straighten the top but, if you’re unable to get the top flat, return the stand.
If it’s flat, then focus on leveling it. Flat just means it conforms to a straight edge with no daylight. Level means the plane of the top surface is perfectly perpendicular to the pull of gravity. A uneven surface can be level and a flat surface can be tilted. That’s where the spirit bubble comes in. Be sure to use the level on its edge, not flat as you have in your picture. Ultimately you need the top of the stand to be both flat and level.
Once you establish that, add the foam and tank. Most likely the issue you initially posted will go away. Tanks are rarely uneven. Construction foam is soft enough to conform to the tank and stand. The issue is usually with the stand or floor (or both).
Repeat this process at several points from the front to the back of the stand, then do the same thing with the level laid front to back on the stand and test various spans across the stand. Again, daylight under the level reveals unevenness in the stand.
If you find unevenness, shimming the bottom of the stand to accommodate any unevenness in the floor can sometimes help straighten the top but, if you’re unable to get the top flat, return the stand.
If it’s flat, then focus on leveling it. Flat just means it conforms to a straight edge with no daylight. Level means the plane of the top surface is perfectly perpendicular to the pull of gravity. A uneven surface can be level and a flat surface can be tilted. That’s where the spirit bubble comes in. Be sure to use the level on its edge, not flat as you have in your picture. Ultimately you need the top of the stand to be both flat and level.
Once you establish that, add the foam and tank. Most likely the issue you initially posted will go away. Tanks are rarely uneven. Construction foam is soft enough to conform to the tank and stand. The issue is usually with the stand or floor (or both).
Don’t beat yourself up over it…Yup now the corner is definitely lower... I feel so stupid
I’ve leveled out enough stuff over the years to actually be impressed on the rare occasion that I come across a properly level and flat floor in a residential setting!
What material is the flooring made of? On a concrete slab foundation?
As mentioned above, also double check the stand top with a straight edge, and stand height in all four corners with a measuring tape to confirm no craftsmanship errors there!
If the stand is indeed square, with a flat top; you can focus your attention on liberal shimming between floor and stand! (I prefer plastic shims vs. wood, they don’t rot out…)
As mentioned above, the level laid flat is not how we typically use them: the pictured bubble is for vertical surfaces; measuring how plumb they are! (Setting a fence post, for example!)Update:
I suspect the stand isn't fully level, but after investigating, I think my floor is playing a part too...
Not what I want to be spending my Saturday night worrying about!
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CaptainKiwi
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The floor is wood! Natural warp expected there. I had a very reliable carpenter build the stand and just measure the height in all 4 corners and they're all exactly the same height to the mm.
I don't want to count my chickens before they've hatched but I *think* a single shim under the lower side has made everything ok, but I'm going to come back to it later because my head and body hurts
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CaptainKiwi
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Yup, was under the impression it would measure flatness
. Lesson learned!
Ah! So, floor joist orientation does often matter here, though I imagine your carpenter covered that…The floor is wood! Natural warp expected there. I had a very reliable carpenter build the stand and just measure the height in all 4 corners and they're all exactly the same height to the mm.
I don't want to count my chickens before they've hatched but I *think* a single shim under the lower side has made everything ok, but I'm going to come back to it later because my head and body hurts
— Hardwood floors are prone to getting indentation from substantial point loads resting on them for extended periods of time; wood in general is susceptible to this “creep” over time!
— I always recommend using multiple shims under an aquarium stand to distribute the weight over a larger surface area of contact patch, even if just to prevent the stand’s bottom from deforming around one or several widely spaced shims over the years… — this is doubly important on wood flooring, to prevent indentation in your floor which you’ll definitely see down the road once the tank gets moved!
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CaptainKiwi
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Thanks for the multiple shim recommendation, I will definitely add a few shims on the sides of the main one! Ive just tried to run some shims between the floor and stand to find any gaps, and surprisingly about 95% of the base of the stand is making full contact with the floor.
I did expect over the years the weight will leave indents and move the floor, so I have a reminder setup to do a level check every 6 months all around the tank. Going from a 40 breeder to a 6ft 100 gallon has definitely been a whole learning experience
Just make sure the center of that span has no air gaps between stand and floor…
haha you can reference my build thread if you want to see what happens when you have a 6ft stand supported only at its four corners!
(Spoiler alert: think of a banana!)
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CaptainKiwi
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Happy to report, center is completely flush to floor, and that the shimming has reduced the gap between tank/foam/stand, it is still a liiiittle visible but much much less so then before. Will let it rest for 3-4 days, do a water fill and see how it settles. Thanks all for the help!!!
For future reference, you never use a level with the wider surface laying on the plain you want to check. The way you have it setup would be used say to mark a straight line on some surface with a pencil. You always use the narrow long (either side) edge to check if a surface is level or plumb.
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CaptainKiwi
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An update on everything: the tank sprung a whole set of leaks an hour after filling it with water - I was told by the manufacturer this is because the stand does not have enough vertical support, but I am wondering if this is true? For reference the stand has no central uprights as I had the top made out of 2x8 and the vertical supports of of 2x4. The tank is 6ft but is 100 gallons only. I will amend the stand as my manufacturer has recommended, but is it really the stand?
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BryanM
7500 Club Member
I don't know if its the stand, but IMO the tank is toast at this point, and I somewhat doubt it was the stand.
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CaptainKiwi
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Here is the tank
Leaking at the Weir centre at the back and pretty much fully on the left side on the short and long side (I can't tell if it's leaking or water is just running along the edge), and a little on the right hand side too. I was told that adding central support could just be a quick fix to the issue without having to reseal.
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CaptainKiwi
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I was informed that a 2 day leak test was done prior to delivery, but I am with you in that I am finding difficulty believing its the stand. People put 180 gallon on stands with this design with no issue and I double checked the levels when this thread was created, shimmed appropriately and everything seemed as level as possible.
I will admit I am feeling very disappointed and low at the moment, feels like a huge amount of time, energy and money has gone to waste.
That stand looks fine to me, however I would chech a a cpouple of things.
1. Is the top flat with no dip at the center or crowning. Forget about the foam.
2 Check to see if the Tank is twisted by placing your level front to back on the left and right sides of the top of your tank. The bubble should be the same for both locations. Repeat along the front glass length pane and the rear pane. Make sure you use the narrow edge of the level.
1. Is the top flat with no dip at the center or crowning. Forget about the foam.
2 Check to see if the Tank is twisted by placing your level front to back on the left and right sides of the top of your tank. The bubble should be the same for both locations. Repeat along the front glass length pane and the rear pane. Make sure you use the narrow edge of the level.
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