Tank Level Floor Is Not Help

[casper1875]

I have a thread on here for my 180. I have a problem and I need to know if my tank will be alright. I have it setup in the basement. I made sure it was level, front to back, in the corners and side to side. I used 2 levels also, a 36 inch and the small one in the picture below. When I put water in the tank, the right side is less than a 1/4 inch lower. The floor slopes in the basement.
Will this be too much stress on the tank? Should I add more shims so the water is level in the tank? That would mean that the tank would not be level.

 

[flukes]

Can you cut the bottom of the stand to match the slope of the floor?

 

[casper1875]

I'ld have to take it down. I already have part of my rock work, some sand and about 50 gallons of water.

 

[mkroher]

I don't think it's that bad. If the right side is 1/4" lower than the left.. if it's a 6' tank, that's a .04" pitch per foot.
I would rather have all the sides of both tank and stand resting solid all the way around. Adding shims puts uneven pressure on those points. I would also only add shims if you have a gap between the floor and the stand.
just my .02

 

[flukes]

Originally Posted by casper1875
http:///forum/post/3161107
I'ld have to take it down. I already have part of my rock work, some sand and about 50 gallons of water.
Ouch that is alot of work. Sounds like casper has the best advice for you.

 

[xcali1985]

Originally Posted by mkroher
http:///forum/post/3161109
I don't think it's that bad. If the right side is 1/4" lower than the left.. if it's a 6' tank, that's a .04" pitch per foot.
I would rather have all the sides of both tank and stand resting solid all the way around. Adding shims puts uneven pressure on those points. I would also only add shims if you have a gap between the floor and the stand.
just my .02
If he dosen't level it that will result in extra pressure on one side of the tank. Stressing the silicone joints. You can stress the joints simply by carrying a tank wrong let alone lots of pressure.
Its a basement floor correct? If so, why not spend the money and save the headache. Tear it down, by some concrete and level the floor. Would be much better than a year or two down the road watching your tank start to bead then shot water out the side.
Just my two cents, if you cut a corner here could be very very costly in the future.

 

[deon nyc]

Originally Posted by Xcali1985
http:///forum/post/3161144
If he dosen't level it that will result in extra pressure on one side of the tank. Stressing the silicone joints. You can stress the joints simply by carrying a tank wrong let alone lots of pressure.
Its a basement floor correct? If so, why not spend the money and save the headache. Tear it down, by some concrete and level the floor. Would be much better than a year or two down the road watching your tank start to bead then shot water out the side.
Just my two cents, if you cut a corner here could be very very costly in the future.
+1

 

[johnr2604]

Just use some shims, Shim the side thats high and under the center braces of the stand if it has them.

 

[mkroher]

Or put the tank on a layer of foam, and let it level itself out.

 

[florida joe]

Just use some shims, Shim the side thats high
I believe you mean shim the low side. As far as using foam, I would not. Foam compresses easily and you will soon end up with you tank being out of level. I would only shim with hard wood

 

[johnr2604]

Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/3161166
I believe you mean shim the low side. As far as using foam, I would not. Foam compresses easily and you will soon end up with you tank being out of level. I would only shim with hard wood
LOL, yep thats what I meant.

 

[casper1875]

Here are some pictures. The level still shows that the bubble is right in the center.

 

[mkroher]

That doesn't look very...optimal.
That's quite a slope there. I would have bought some concrete and made the tank it's own little level slab.

 

[johnr2604]

Originally Posted by mkroher
http:///forum/post/3161288
That doesn't look very...optimal.
That's quite a slope there. I would have bought some concrete and made the tank it's own little level slab.
Have you ever tried to lay 3/8" of concrete to existing concrete? It would have busted up the minute he tried to put the tank on it. The shims will be the best option. If you want to hide them then drop the trim on the stand down some.

 

[casper1875]

I tried to talk my husband into it but he doesn't think it's a problem. I have it now to about an 8th of an inch off.

 

[deon nyc]

if u need to put 3/8 slab on top of the floor u could predrill 1/2 in holes about 4in apart in a grid for and add short stubs of re-bar sticking up the 3/8 out of the floor then use chicken wire inbetween the rebar then por your slab with a
4000 or 6000 grade mix. or u can dig up the floor and re poor that section.
the wood u are using is one way to go but it is a water condition u are usin. if the wood was to get wet overtime it may crack or even rot. your tank will be with you for a long time and i dont think u would want to deal with the headake of tring to save a unlevel tank 5-10 years down the line. the 2weekend of work u are going around just might cost u years of planing and the love of you tank.
sory for sounding like that but i dont wanna sugar coat it.

 

[johnr2604]

Originally Posted by Deon NYC
http:///forum/post/3161359
if u need to put 3/8 slab on top of the floor u could predrill 1/2 in holes about 4in apart in a grid for and add short stubs of re-bar sticking up the 3/8 out of the floor then use chicken wire inbetween the rebar then por your slab with a
4000 or 6000 grade mix. or u can dig up the floor and re poor that section.
the wood u are using is one way to go but it is a water condition u are usin. if the wood was to get wet overtime it may crack or even rot. your tank will be with you for a long time and i dont think u would want to deal with the headake of tring to save a unlevel tank 5-10 years down the line. the 2weekend of work u are going around just might cost u years of planing and the love of you tank.
sory for sounding like that but i dont wanna sugar coat it.
Well, wouldn't that be a problem with the stand itself?

 

[deon nyc]

Originally Posted by johnr2604
http:///forum/post/3161375
Well, wouldn't that be a problem with the stand itself?
not realy because the added wood is a different type of wood and becasue it is at the bottom of the tank it have more of a chance of being dammaged rather than your stand itself.

 

[globaldesigns]

My tank is on the 2nd floor of my house, it was perfectly level prior to filling, now it is full, it is out a few mm or so... You can slightly see it in the water level, but overall when using a level to check the bubble is still in between the lines... I have never worried about mine, and it has been 1.5 years so far. FYI, my tank is 5 feet long.
I like the fact that my tank/stand is resting absolutely flat on the floor, with no shims.

 

[johnr2604]

Originally Posted by Deon NYC
http:///forum/post/3161399
not realy because the added wood is a different type of wood and becasue it is at the bottom of the tank it have more of a chance of being dammaged rather than your stand itself.
Well, being a GC I would never trust the reinforced concrete being that thin so the only option would be to get a messy concrete saw and jackhammer in there. Seams like overkill to me

I would take a couple 2x4s and run it through a table saw so the angle of the floor is on the bottom when the board is laying flat basically creating two long shims that supported the stand all the way across before I would mess with concrete ruining your floor for future projects like flooring ETC. If your worried about water then use PT. This would take about 20 min.