Uneven floor and granite slab?

[batang_mcdo]

I have a friend who is planning to move his 6 x 2.5 x 2.5 feet tank.
problem is the new area where the tank is supoosed to be has somewhat uneven flooring.
what can he use to make the floor even?
will a granite slab work?

 

[esoxlucius]

How uneven are we talking? Is it that bad that a few shims won't solve the problem. To me putting a large nice flat piece of granite on an uneven floor still leaves you with......an uneven floor!! You'd have to shim the granite!

 

[JK47]

Hello- when I level my stands I use 2" steel or aluminum bar stock cut to 2" length. I get a few of varying thickness as well. Most metal fab shops will cut you up a pile for a cheap. My tanks are on an uneven garage floor and these make it a non issue for large tanks.

 

[batang_mcdo]

Thanks , he was planning to use granite as shim.
Will aliminum be able to take the weight of 2 180 gallon with water?

The gap in the uneven floor is about 3/4 inch.
How about actylic sheet as shim? Will acrylic break?

 

[skjl47]

hello; I have never used granite so my opinion is a guess. Seems to me a large slab of granite on an uneven floor will crack. I have put down tile and a floor needs to be fairly level and strong to prevent cracking.
Using granite as shims might work if the granite has something on top like a metal plate if under the leg of a metal stand. Might not crack under a wooden stand.
One other thing that comes to mind is the granite will be heavy if very thick at all. The six foot tank will already be heavy with all it's equipment.

 

[poppalina]

What type of flooring is the new location ?

 

[batang_mcdo]

Thanks , the flooring is concrete

The granite is cute 4 x 4 inches not really a slab. Will acrylic sheets be better? How about aluminum?

 

[skjl47]

Thanks , the flooring is concrete

The granite is cute 4 x 4 inches not really a slab. Will acrylic sheets be better? How about aluminum?

hello; This is useful information as is knowing the floor is concrete. First my preference under most any tank is to have a fairly stout shim material. I use aluminum or stainless when handy. Softer materials may deform under a tanks weight over time. I would not use acrylic myself.

The 4x4 granite may work well under a wood stand as the wood stands often do not have concentrated point loading like a metal stand will. Is the stand wood or metal or what? Under wood the granite will also do the job of keeping the wood from touching concrete.

Is the granite all the same thickness? If so it is likely some additional shims of various thicknesses will be needed.

I am pretty sure the gravel I now have and have used since the 1960's and 1970's is made of crushed granite. It has been very stable in my tanks for decades. I have not found it for sale in a long while. My thinking being the granite squares may be useful as tank décor if not used as a shim

 

[batang_mcdo]

thanks The stand of steel and the legs of the stand is 2 inch Steel tube .
Will aluminum be able to hold or take the weight?

 

[skjl47]

move his 6 x 2.5 x 2.5 feet tank.

hello; This is a large tank. I gather it is a 180 gallon from one of your other posts.

Hello- when I level my stands I use 2" steel or aluminum bar stock cut to 2" length. I get a few of varying thickness as well.

Hello; As far as the ability of aluminum to take the weight, you may try to PM JK47 as he/she has current experience.

the weight of 2 180 gallon with water?

Hello; Are we discussing one 180 gallon tank or two 180 gallon tanks on a single stand? I have been assuming only one so far.

Will aluminum be able to hold or take the weight?

Hello; My best guess is that the aluminum will take the weight. But my guess is not a guarantee, it will have to be your friends call. There are some variables that may make a difference.

How many legs on the stand - the more legs you have will spread the weight. Four legs will concentrate the total weight onto four points, while six legs will spread it out and so on.

The wall thickness might make a difference about the concentration of the weight on a shim. The thinner the wall thickness, the somewhat more likely that thin edge will dig into the aluminum. Not very likely in my opinion but the useful information about the specs of the stand has been coming very slowly over many posts. There is not yet enough known about the stand and it's features. How thick in the leg tubing? How many legs? Are the bottoms of the leg tubes capped with a plate welded on to spread the weight?

Were I you and worried about the aluminum, I would do this. I would find steel washers to place directly under the stand legs and on top of the aluminum shims. Another way is to use steel shims.