Help!!! Tank not level!

[corally]

I usually keep my tank topped off pretty high, but the water level recently dropped below the strip around the top of the tank, and I was VERY unhappy to see that one side is lower than the other. So, my husband gets his level out and starts checking things, the stand is not sagging or anything, and it's not level either so the only thing we can figure is the floor's not level! Won't this crack the seal on my tank?

 

[oceanists]

shoot , your having a bunch of problems , depending on the size and weight of your tank , your probably going to have to empty it and shim up your tank stand .... make sure you use a level to do this ,,,,,,,, and yes if your not level , your seals will break eventually

 

[saltyguy]

What size tank is it? Do you have a basement or crawl space? You might be able to level it without emptying it.

 

[tizzo]

Yeah, the weight should be evenly distributed to all 4 corners. It it's not level one side is holding a heck of a lot more weight. If it's well established or to late (or to inconvenient) to change, just make sure your insurance covers it.

 

[corally]

It's a 55 gallon and the room it's in does not have a crawl space or basement. Using my husbands work level we think it's about and eigth of an inch higher on one side

 

[tizzo]

That water line is prolly the best indicater you've got!

 

[saltyguy]

Do you have a plush carpet, and is there concrete or wood under your flooring? 55g have a shallow depth so it is easy for them to lean from front to back especially if it sits on plush carpet.

 

[rev]

an 1/8" over 4 feet is not bad.That's .125 thousandths of an inch.

 

[tizzo]

I took it as they corrected it 1/8 inch but the tilt was more...

 

[mudplayerx]

I agree 1/8" is not going to hurt anything. You can have up to 1" on a 4 foot tank before you need to worry about it compromising the seals. Actually, trying to correct the tank by placing objects under the stand is WAY worse for the seals than if you just left it unlevel.
When you place items under the stand to correct it, this causes severe strain on the stand, which can lead to an acute crack in the wood, possibly leading to a shattered tank.
Regardless if you take my advice or not, never move or lift your tank with any water or sand or anything inside of it. This WILL stress the seams and possibly crack the tank.

 

[mrsdorothy]

I agree, I would not worry about it being 1/8" off. If it was to the point where you had to shim it, I never put shims directly under my tank. Cut a piece of plywood to fit the bottom of your stand. Do all shimming beneath the plywood. That way your stand sits on a flat surface.
HTH
Dorothy

 

[1journeyman]

You can also do the styrofoam thing if you decide to drain the tank.