Stand/tank leveling?

[johniii]

What's the best way to level a tank/stand when the stand has a flat bottom?

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[ff337]

Shims have served me well. Normal wood shims used for door frames

 

[grouper therapy]

FF337;812764 wrote: Shims have served me well. Normal wood shims used for door frames

I agree. If it is not ridiculously out of level.

 

[eagle9252]

how much 1/16, 1/2"

 

[johniii]

eagle9252;812767 wrote: how much 1/16, 1/2"

About 1/4" - 3/8" over 6 foot and maybe 3/8 front to back. The back has to lift up.
I can probably get the 1/4" that's the long way when I reinforce the floor. When I first moved in my house I removed some shims for a settling issue which has now been corrected. So I can add those back.
I guess I could borrow a Johnson bar from work. Shoot the floor with my transit. And lay out shims accordingly. Then just set the tank on top of them.
Then I could fill half way with water let it sit a couple days and check again. Does this sound right?

My sump is in the stand so I take it I will have to add shims under the middle too?


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[eagle9252]

i would shim about every 6" to 12" apart to spread the load. if you are building a stand then shoot for level and scrib cut the bottom board then you would have a solid foot all the way across the floor. kinda like the do for cabinets. the mark the biggest gap and then run a line across the rest and then remove to the line to make a flush custom fit.

 

[wds1215]

If you decide to use shims get the composite ones they will last longer and hold the weight better.

 

[jef4y]

Just thinking out loud here, but the problem I have with shims is the tiny contact point they have.

An alternative if you don't mind adding an inch of height would be to take some type of backer board like used for a tile floor, cut to the size of the base on the stand, make a temporary (or even a permanent) side-wall to it extending up 1" above the backer board and pour some self-leveling floor compound into it. That would get you a level surface and have 100% contact.

Just an idea.

 

[grouper therapy]

Any where the gap is the same for any distance rip a strip that height and use it
Turn the shims long ways and slide them together to give you a larger area loading the weight

 

[rdnelson]

JeF4y;812883 wrote: Just thinking out loud here, but the problem I have with shims is the tiny contact point they have.

An alternative if you don't mind adding an inch of height would be to take some type of backer board like used for a tile floor, cut to the size of the base on the stand, make a temporary (or even a permanent) side-wall to it extending up 1" above the backer board and pour some self-leveling floor compound into it. That would get you a level surface and have 100% contact.

Just an idea.

If the floor has a wave in it the backer board will not deflect until the load of the tank is placed on it which then would cause the concrete to crack.

 

[jef4y]

Good point Rich. Never thought about that.

 

[mc524]

I have been thinking about this lately as well. Since I have time, and will be sanding down the stand that came with my tank. I am brainstorming ways of adding adjustable leveling pads to the stand. We use Leveling Pads for our machines we sell. So I'm thinking along the same lines. Since my tank/stand is 6' long. I was thinking 2 in each corner, and 2 at the 2' & 4' mark both front and backside of course. I would think a 6" foot print on each leveling pad would be plenty to spread out the weight.
Thought process included:
-Easy to level
-No lifting of stand or tank once water is installed
-Ability to have stand .250" off the floor incase of leaking water...the floor under could be dried.

Anyone seen this done?

 

[grouper therapy]

2ruble;816894 wrote: under my old 180 I used a piece of that 'hard insulation board' from HD/Lowe's. I can't remember what it's called, but that's basically it, they have insulation that's in sheets like mdf/particle board/etc. and bigger. They have different varying 'thickness' and 'firmness' (kind of like tempurpedic).

But whereas the stand I made was level, my BS 'hardwood' floors in my basement were wavy and uneven. The one inch insulation boarding let everything level out once the water was put in. went from being about 1/2" difference from side to side to being totally level.

So how did the foam know to squeeze thinner on one end than the other end?

 

[rdnelson]

I could see it compressing more a bulge either at an end or in the middle to a point where all of it was in contact with the bottome of the floor but I can't see it actually leveling it's self as it settled. But I could be wrong. I am sure Dave will point that out to me at his first opportunity. hehehehehehehe

 

[grouper therapy]

Foam can actually make things worse in some scenarios. because it does compress. If a tank was heavily loaded with rock in one area it could compress more and actually cause the tank to be out of level. Foam will assist in cushioning acrylic or no rim glass tanks and help provide a flat surface if the substrate had minor irregularities. I do not doubt that it is as you say but to rely on it in general is a crap shoot. Because it does vary in compression it can create point loads that may put stress on the tank.

 

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