Level Aquarium Help Needed

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eatsomepopcorn

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Jan 12, 2010
Messages
278
Location
Michigan
I need some ideas on how to level my new 120G Marine Aquarium. I had a custom build wooden stand built with canopy and I realized that my floor not exactly level from side to side, but it is level front to back. The floor is commercial ceramic tile and I am off 5/16 of an inch across the front from left to right over a 5 foot span. The stand is 5 foot by 18 inches. I do not want to put shims under the stand because my wife will kill me because the room that it is in is a nice office and it needs to look professional. I have 3/4 plywood that the aquarium sits on on top of the stand with a center board that is about 4 inches wide that runs front to back - otherwise it is open. The tank has two acrylic overflows center on each side from the center of the tank. I am worried that 5/16 is too much to be off on one side for the overflow, but also since I am setting up this new tank for the first time, I thought I might as well do it correctly. Your help is appreciated, especially if you faced this yourself and solved it.
 
Tapered wood shims (from a hardware store) slipped under the lower legs until level. Then using a box cutter score the shim at the leg, and pull up to snap off the excess. Trim any thing left over and your done!
 
...I do not want to put shims under the stand because my wife will kill me because the room that it is in is a nice office and it needs to look professional. ...

Shimming under the stand is really the only way to do it. Do NOT shim between the tank and the stand. No no no.
 
You could add adjustable feet to the stand if you're dead set against shims. Shims would be a lot easier though.
 
If you need some leverage against your wife on those shims, you can offer (not off her) to drill out the tile on the high side so the legs sit in and off set the uneven floor...I'm sure she will like that less.
 
use the tapered shimms and cut the extra off then put base board trim around the base of the stand put the bottom of the trim aganinst the floor and use finish nails or liquid nail to attach it to the stand. i hope that makes sense thats what i had to do to my 75gal
 
"I had a custom build wooden stand built with canopy and I realized that my floor not exactly level from side to side, but it is level front to back." Take it back and have the shop repair the crooket stand....NOT The shims are the way to go. Level the table before you add water to the tank.
 
Shim the stand for sure. I would not shim the tank (too dangerous in terms of stress), nor would I cut down the stand (permanent, and might alter structural integrity.)

Take your time to measure the exact height needed. <Use temporary shims to get it perfectly level, then measure.> Then make a wood perimeter stripe (all 4 sides, assuming the stand is resting on the floor on all sides & not raised, plus any extra supports the stand needs in the middle) that is the exact profile needed (lots of planing & sanding!). Use maybe a 3" wide stripe for ease of working (or as wide as the stand's support), and make it so it is just proud of the edge of the stand. <May be round off the edge for a nice profile, miter the corners so it all fits.> Then turn the stand over & nail the stripes to the base of the stand, finish it to match the stand.

You are basically making a low profile platform (that is tapered to fit your floor) for the stand to sit on. (I am thinking maybe 3/4 -1" so the difference of 5/16" won't be too noticeable.) Since it is all the way around the stand, it will look like part of the stand & not a hammered in shim job.

I hope I am making myself clear! :)
 
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