65g Stand Not Level - Please Help!

Hi,

New here, so not quite sure if this is the best place to post my question - although some urgency (as progress is halted) but obviously not as serious as what I see posted in the ASAP forum. So here goes....

With help from a friend, I have a DIY cabinet/stand for a 65g that I am in the process of setting up.

While doing a plumbing test (65g DT and 20g sump filled as normal) with the DT and sump, etc. in place, I noticed that the water was not level. Previous checking of the floor, etc. and verifying with the tank sitting directly on the floor with 1" water re-confirms that it is the stand and not the floor that is not level.

Approx. 3/16" is required to raise the stand in the front to correct this problem, but I am not sure of the best method to resolve. My floor is carpet and not hardwood, so not sure if composite shims is a good approach.... if yes, doesn't that also mean that I would need to shim the entire front (leaving no gaps between shims) and the sides from back to front with progressively larger gap from back to front.

I also read somewhere that someone used 3/4" plywood under the entire stand and then shimmed between the ply and stand.

Hoping to get a seasoned veteran offer up some solutions and straignten me out. lol

Looking forward to learning a lot while here.

Thanks,
Larry

 

Hi Larry -
Perhaps it might be easier to correct the stand - did you try placing it on a level floor elsewhere (without carpet) to determine the issue? Afterward.. perhaps you can correct the stand by glueing or screwing new feet in the front.

I'd start by trying to correct the issue with the stand itself.

matt

 

I agree, fix the stand. You may try planing the back legs down

 

Much better idea than mine! :thumb_up:

 

I wish it were that easy. Unfortunately, the stand is a DIY done by a "friend." Very overbuilt (very strong) and with lots of space on the interior, but there are no legs or feet per se. He used a 2" x 4" base (flat side down). So, to plane the the 2x4 would be problematic with the tools I have at hand with any accuracy.

If this were anything other than a tank stand/cabinet that will support 700 lbs +, I'd simply shim - which btw, I've seen done on youtube by newyorksteelo. Read elsewhere where a guy placed a 3/4" base on top of the carpet, then shimmed between the carpet and the stand.

Maybe I'm being overly cautious (very possibly) but I'm concerned about even weight distribution. I really don't know, but maybe shimming is the solution?

 

composite shims way to go and should not be noticeable much with carpet....

E

 

Given the particulars in your scenario I'd have to agree. All I'd add is instead of the run of the mill triangular shims, I'd use flat shims so the stand sits squarely instead of "on edge."

I would take a 2x4, and set it against the glass allowing it to rest on the lower trim in the front, lengthwise on the tank, and draw a line on the glass with a sharpie. Repeat this on all 4 sides of the tank until you have a line that's perfectly parallel with the lower tank trim, all around the tank.

Place your stand in your room so that you have access to all 4 sides, and fill the tank with water to the line you just drew. If it's a 48"x18" tank, using a 2x4" would make your line about 1 1/2" above the trim, and would require you to add about 10 gallons of water if your trim is about 1" above the bottom glass.

By this method, you can add very thin strips of wood, (paint stirrers from Home Depot might work, and they're free). Through trial and error keep at it until the water sits squarely, even with the sharpie lines. After you do this, make marks exactly where you placed the shims, and then remove water, remove tank; turn the stand upside down and tack the shims in place.

Your stand should now sit perfectly level and be placed anywhere you choose, over carpet or otherwise. The sharpie lines will be easily removed with some rubbing alcohol and a paper towel.

Good luck and kudos for nipping this in the bud. Allowing a tank to sit on an unlevel surface will cause much gnashing of teeth when the tank gives in to those forces for which it's not designed.

 

Did you say 3/16 of an inch? I say a belt sander

 

I think shims are going to be the solution.

 

Sorry for the protracted delay.... life gets in the way of the hobby. :-[

First, thank you all for considered advice. This tread has been very helpful for me in determining a reasoned solution.

I'm in agreement that shims seem the best solution.

As an update, more careful observation .... after some settling (I think the stand was slightly torqued...err still is!), I've observed that the 20g sump (located inside the cabinet) is at a different angle than the 65g display tank.

Intended Solutions:

In that the stand is sitting on a 2x4 frame (flat sides down), I will shim the stand to the 65g DT -using ReefSparky's suggestion of using water in the tank which btw is how it was discovered that the tank was not level. Front-to-back and side-to-side out-of-level have also been now been cross checked with a large carpenter level.

For the sump, less weight, less stress, etc., I'll configure some shimming solution using flat shims as practical to afford best support where I can.

I really appreciate the seasoned hands jumping in. That gives me more confidence that I'm on the right course.