The importance of a leveled tank... ??? share your thoughts...

[kevinster_1]

Need some advice on the importance of a leveled tank...

1. How do you level a tank on wood stands...

2. Where can you put the tank while leveling the stand if it weights over 1500 lbs.

3. What do you use to level a tank other than shims?

4. If your tank is not leveled and has already cracked and fixed should you still try to level it? (tank's bottom glass cracked and another smaller piece was layed over it and siliconed)

5. What are the chances of it cracking again if not leveled...

any advice would be appreciated... good or bad.

 

[David K. Bradley]

Need some advice on the importance of a leveled tank...

1. How do you level a tank on wood stands...

2. Where can you put the tank while leveling the stand if it weights over 1500 lbs.

3. What do you use to level a tank other than shims?

4. If your tank is not leveled and has already cracked and fixed should you still try to level it? (tank's bottom glass cracked and another smaller piece was layed over it and siliconed)

5. What are the chances of it cracking again if not leveled...

any advice would be appreciated... good or bad.

kevinster:
From past experience of owning five 55 gal. tanks, I ALWAYS made sure, first and foremost that before I moved any of my tanks, I removed all the contents of my tank(s) with the exception of the sand. If there are pieces of rock decor in the tank that have been siliconed to the tank, leave those in as well. Do not remove those unless you plan to reposition them.

I would put my fish in several safe (so the fish can not jump out), clean and sanitary acceptable containers, running a temporary oxygen device at maximum capicity in each container, to keep unwanted harmful gasses completely out of the temporary holding container. You may want to circulate water too, if it's not to difficult to set up a temporary way to do this step.

Once this was done, I put my full attention into moving the stand, getting it leveled, using a carpenters 2' or 4' level, using shims, composition roofing shingles, or just about anything improvising would allow. Do not use roofing shingles on carpet . . . can leave a nasty black tar spot on the carpet. Maybe 1/8" plywood cut to fit the foot or bottom of your wood stand. Once my stand was leveled left and right, and then front and back (ON BOTH ENDS AND IN THE CENTER), I would set my tank on the stand and recheck for levelness, placing the carpenters level on the top of the tank, checking it again left and right and then front and back.

With my tank(s) and stand now level, I commenced to re-setting the internal contents of the tank, back into the tank, checking all parameters to ensure a healthy tank, before re-introducing the fish back into their tank.

In regards to QUESTION #4 . . . "ANY" FISH TANK THAT IS NOT LEVEL IS AN UNSAFE TANK. IT WILL ALWAYS BE SUCEPTABLE TO CRACKS AND LEAKS. WHERE THESE CRACKS OR LEAKS WILL OCCUR IS ANYONE'S GUESS. BUT, IT MAY AND POSSIBLY WILL HAPPEN.

I can not emphasize enough on when you do do this, care must be taken to not rush the job. Take your time. Make sure thing are in their proper place and the way you need them set up so that you and your fish will have a safe and enjoyable environment once you are done.

I hope this information is helpful to meet your needs. Send me a private msg. if you need more help, or have anymore questions you may have with this issue. Sincerely, David

 

[Pharaoh]

Need some advice on the importance of a leveled tank...

1. How do you level a tank on wood stands...

2. Where can you put the tank while leveling the stand if it weights over 1500 lbs.

3. What do you use to level a tank other than shims?

4. If your tank is not leveled and has already cracked and fixed should you still try to level it? (tank's bottom glass cracked and another smaller piece was layed over it and siliconed)

5. What are the chances of it cracking again if not leveled...

any advice would be appreciated... good or bad.

1. Wood shims.

2. Leave it on the stand. you would want the weight on the stand to ensure that the level is correct.

3. Shim is actually a broad term that covers anything that will help you level; cardboard, wood, metal, etc.

4. Always level a tank.

5. Odds are the same as the first time. They would be pretty high is you put it back on the same stand in the same spot without fixing the problem. I would call that a 100% of cracking.

 

[kevinster_1]

thank you guys for taking the time to reply... this is the best forum i've been on and you guys sure know what you're talking about. i will take my time and level the tank properly. Just needed that to continue. thanks again...

 

[Crazyfish88]

Need some advice on the importance of a leveled tank...

1. How do you level a tank on wood stands...

2. Where can you put the tank while leveling the stand if it weights over 1500 lbs.

3. What do you use to level a tank other than shims?

4. If your tank is not leveled and has already cracked and fixed should you still try to level it? (tank's bottom glass cracked and another smaller piece was layed over it and siliconed)

5. What are the chances of it cracking again if not leveled...

any advice would be appreciated... good or bad.

1. Dense styrofoam between stand and tank

2. Get strong help and lift tank off stand and have someone place plywood and styrofoam in between.

3. I've used coins before placed under corners on metal stands.

4. IDK, never had a cracked tank before.

5. I would assume a high chance.

 

[chefjamesscott]

All I can say is my 10 ft 300g with a straight front to back crack would not have cracked if I had done the foam under it.

I will never set a tank over 100g up again without having foam on the stand and wood under the foam and making sure it it level.


This tank has been empty since the test fill over 6 mths ago and finally I am about to get to fixing it.

It would almost certainly crack if not be worse possible explosion considering a crack in the bottom would have caused a slight change in the rest of the tank. I would prefer to make absolutely sure it is totally level before filling it again

 

[Pharaoh]

1. Dense styrofoam between stand and tank

2. Get strong help and lift tank off stand and have someone place plywood and styrofoam in between.

3. I've used coins before placed under corners on metal stands.

4. IDK, never had a cracked tank before.

5. I would assume a high chance.

All I can say is my 10 ft 300g with a straight front to back crack would not have cracked if I had done the foam under it.

I will never set a tank over 100g up again without having foam on the stand and wood under the foam and making sure it it level.


This tank has been empty since the test fill over 6 mths ago and finally I am about to get to fixing it.

It would almost certainly crack if not be worse possible explosion considering a crack in the bottom would have caused a slight change in the rest of the tank. I would prefer to make absolutely sure it is totally level before filling it again

Styrofoam will not level a tank. It may make up for some minor inconsistencies, but it will not fix an unlevel surface. I won't say that foam doesn't have it's benefits, but will not level an uneven surface.

 

[Nate77]

Only thing i saw left out was RECHECK LEVELNESS ON A TEST FILL.When i had my 220 and set it up leveled the stand sat the tank on and was out of level,leveled with the tank on,started filling got the water up to about 6" and was still out of level.Takes some filling and refilling but when messing with a large tank(55gal and over) definitely worth the time and effort.For shims i just cut up some scrap 1/8" and 1/4" plywood depending what i need.

 

[Stump]

In two of my tanks, I needed to put shims under my stands to make it level. All I used was a flatbar and some old floor tiles.