tank in not level

[cogburn]

okay... picked up the 180 gallon tank today... its 3.5 degrees out of level on the right side and the front is 3.5 degrees low... is this something i need to worry about or do you think ill be fine?... and IF you think i should level it... how the heck do you shim something that is going to be 2500lbs when all is said and done... LARRY NEEDS HELP!!!!! thanks in advance guys i know youll know what i should do... btw tank looks AWESOME... pics will be coming VERY soon...

thanks in advance...

Larry

 

[angeltank]

did your tank come with a stand? is it the stand that's off or the tank?
i don't see any problems with it being unbalanced as long as the intake and heater stay under water. if you do need to balance it wood shims should work as far as i know.

 

[cogburn]

yes perfecto 180 with prestige series stand and canopy... the stand is out... well... the floor is out... its brand new hardwood floor... has to settle a bit... its natural hardwood so there will always be slight variations in the level... i just dont see how 3.5 degrees is really that much and i should worry... but if this tank breaks i would DIE... im so worried

 

[cogburn]

well im just gonna let the tank sit tonight... my father in law (and also builder of my house) is bring his handy dandy contractors level tomorrow and we'll measure it and shim it if necessary... we installed adjustable columns in the basement to adjust level if necessary so we'll get it all resolved i guess i just panicked a bit... hopefully we'll be filling it tomorrow YAY!!!

 

[angeltank]

well that's convenient!! well best of luck keep us updated!

 

[jsoong]

A tank that is out of level will put stress on the seams when filled, potentially weakening them & causing a leak. Generally, it is OK to have the tank within 1/4" of level in all directions, although some would aim for perfection. <You don't really need a contractor's level for the job. Just fill the tank with an inch of water & measure its depth all around the tank to find out if your tank is level.>

To shim the stand for an uneven floor, use hardwood shims. But if your contractor is going to level the floor, that is even better! <It's nice to have relatives skilled at house repairs!!>

 

[cogburn]

well here's an update... my father in law came today... we checked pretty much every single inch of the tank... its all within 1/8th of an inch... so thats gotta be good enough... i dont see it getting any better than that... the floor is perfectly level its just the stand that is 1/8th of an inch or less in 2 spots... so im gonna continue... it cant be that bad... 1/8th of an inch is nothing... im so friggin excited to start... obviously because im rambling hahaha... im gonna start working on it tomorrow ill post some pics very soon... thanks to all who responded...

 

[jsoong]

For a stand that is slightly off at the top, some people lay a piece of styrofoam insulation on the stand & put the tank on top of that. The weight of the tank will crush the styrofoam down so that any gaps or unevenness is removed. <Plus the insulation at the bottom help hold in heat.> This is what the perfectionists will do. I think 1/8" is good enough!

 

[cogburn]

yeah me too... im not gonna cry about 1/8th of an inch... naturally im going to keep checking the level once its filled and the sand and full weight are in it... ive heard mixed feelings on the foam idea so im kind of wary of using it...

 

[JWALK2828]

iuno my tank is out by a 1/8th from left to right on the front and im kinda frustratd about it. if i had a 150 or w.e u got i would b pissed

 

[cogburn]

its no biggie... anything made of wood is gonna have slight variations it happens... as long as it wont leak or break who cares... nobody will EVER notice 1/8th of an inch... including me... that not even enough to make the water look out of level