Leveling a tank on heavy carpet?

J

jackie dh

Guest
I just got a 120 that's 5'x 26" tall and I have to super thick carpet were the tank is going. How do I know if every thing is level before I fill the tank? Evey time I set up a tank here, it ends up leaning a little forward, even if the stand is made even all the way around? Maybe the floor slopes away from the wall?Should build my stand with the front 1/4" higher than the back to compensate? :notsure:
 
jlem

jlem

Active Member
High much does it lean. A 1/4 inch is no big deal if the tank is 24 inches front to back. How close to the wall are you putting the tank. Simply moving it out a few more inches may help level it out.
 
J

jackie dh

Guest
I'll put it 4" to 6" out from the wall. I'm even considering bolting the stand to the wall after it settles into the carpet. I'm scared to death of this big boy tipping over!
How tall should I make the stand? The one in the display was around 24" more or less, flimsy stuff to! Pine 1x4's and partical board! Yikes! No thank you! I'll be using lots of 2x4's and oak ply wood.
I had a 115 long set up a few years ago on a metal stand, and that sucker was unsteady! I was working under it one day and I bumped it and felt it sway so much, I just knew that I was about to be squished! It was on a concrete floor too, no way I'd put it on any carpet!
 
B

bluedolphi

Guest
Did you use a level to see if the floor is unlevel? If the floor is unlevel I would seriously consider taking some material off the front legs of your stand.
 
B

bluedolphi

Guest
I built a stand for my 120, I have some photos of it when it was being built.
I added cross member supports across the top that were attached with joist hangers. These are not shown in the photos. Also the end 2x4's were attached with deck screws (all weather), and I also added small "L" brackets for the end 2x4's that went underneath them.
I used (8) 4x4's notched for the 2x4's. You can see how I notched created the joints in one of the photos.
You can skin the tank stand with whatever you like (barn wood, etc.). I used 1/4" plywood to skin and that way you can add whatever you want over that or just paint. You can add doors into the front also.
All of the tank stand plans I had found on the net, seemed flawed. So I designed my own.
Here are some photos:
Stand
Stand
Stand
Stand
I used 3/4" plywood on the top that the tank sat on.
With my design you may not be able to have holes drilled out the bottom on the very corners however. As the 4x4 corner posts may be in the way.
 
J

jackie dh

Guest
Thanks! Your pictures gave some ideas that I can use and I hadn't even thought about the lag bolts, that would add a lot of strength to the stand. :joy:
 
B

bluedolphi

Guest
These are not lags. They are bolts w/washer and nuts. You can counter sink them and go with 3" lengths to make sure you can drop the inside shelf if you need to adjust for a tall skimmer etc..
Also another idea you may consider is creating a door on the END of the stand, and install a shelf that would slide out to allow you to easily get to the sump and equipment. I am still thinking this over, as it will require a stout shelf/roller system. But for some would be very convenient to slide the shelf outward on occasion if needed.
And be sure you create FEET on the stand. This will make it much easier to settle down into a carpet. Other wise it will be certainly not level when set up. Also this will allow you to take off minute amounts of wood on any particular leg to make sure you have it level. There are lots of floors that were not built level.
Good luck.
 
B

bluedolphi

Guest
Lol.....
It ain't goin nowhere!
I have kids, and the last thing I ever want to find is one of them lookin like a rug.
 
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