Best way to shim a tank?

[budsreef]

Ok, my 120G is about 3/4s full of RO/DI and it is a little out of level. I need to raise the front right corner about a 1/4". It is sitting on carpet and I plan on emptying it so I can level it. What is the best way? Do I just put a shim under the corner? Should I use a tapered shim? Inputs are greatly appreciated.

 

[flyingarmy]

I used normal wood shims. Jacked it up about .5" and tapped them in. I tell you jacking up a 1/2 ton cube with one scissor jack was on my top ten pucker moments of my life!

 

[mojo]

I'm not sure which way is actually best, but the conclusion I came to was to get the corners level first with regular, tapered shims (between the stand and floor). Then gently tap a whole bunch more around the edges of the stand to help take up any load along the edges, and not just the corner. Otherwise, one or two shims won't be enough and your stand may sag over time (even if minute amounts, still possibly stressing your tank). Shims are cheap, anyway...

 

[gwhiz]

mojo;129350 wrote: I'm not sure which way is actually best, but the conclusion I came to was to get the corners level first with regular, tapered shims (between the stand and floor). Then gently tap a whole bunch more around the edges of the stand to help take up any load along the edges, and not just the corner. Otherwise, one or two shims won't be enough and your stand may sag over time (even if minute amounts, still possibly stressing your tank). Shims are cheap, anyway...

Yep. A shim in the corner may level it now, but you're setting it up to sag in the middle later--use 'em every 6" -12" or so.

 

[budsreef]

I went to HD and bought tapered shims that are over a foot long. I'm thinking since it is the front right corner that is a little low, I'll be able to put one shim front to back in that corner and it will go half the width and then another along the front edge from right to left. Hopefully that will keep everything equally loaded.

I also picked up two jack-posts to put in the basement for a little more support on the floor joists under the tank.

 

[schwaggs]

Like Chris said, put the shims between the stand and the floor, not between the tank and the stand. You don't want pressure points on the tank bottom. This might be obvoius but it is worth confirming...

 

[budsreef]

Schwaggs;129671 wrote: Like Chris said, put the shims between the stand and the floor, not between the tank and the stand. You don't want pressure points on the tank bottom. This might be obvoius but it is worth confirming...

Thanks, that is where I plan on putting them. I bought wooden ones yesterday and as soon as I got home I saw a thread on RC talking about plastic ones so I may head back to HD and see if they have those.

 

[mojo]

The plastic ones are really tough to cut, even with a good tool, after they're under the stand. Better? Probably. But unsuable for that application, in my opinion...