Leveling a tank

[AquaBarb]

Shims will sort it. I used steel shims on my Central tank.

 

[Wills]

Shims will sort it. I used steel shims on my Central tank.

I wanted to go for steel ones but couldnt find the right kinds for a reasonable price... I think the ones I've got should be ok they are billed as being heavy duty.

 

[Wills]

The shims I ordered last night arrived this morning and it looks like I just need the height of one to get level which is great news as that will be easy enough to fit under the stand. I can put one across each of the 4 braces and then double up two to make a rectangle along the back to make a solid plastic structure.

I'm so glad I didn't add the sand!! Hopefully have a friend coming tonight to help me move it all around. Decent chance I'll get the sand and water in too, just depends if he wants to claim his trip to the pub straight away or not haha!

 

[Oldspartan]

Is there a millwork place nearby? If so use tempoary shims and measure from low point to zero. A good millworker with the proper tools can easily shave the necessary shims that will level the tank. Put a piece of plyscore on top, glued and screwed, walla a level floor area. If the shims are unsightly to the eye trim with some baseboard that matches the the house trim as closely as possible. Probably 4 shims underneath 1/2" plywood would do.

ADDED -- The shims should be hard not softwood and predrilled before attaching to the existing floor.

 

[Oldspartan]

Whoops, just noticed the problem is solved.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Shims can be snapped to size, You need a box cutter with a sharp blade, You make an incision on the shim directly below the end to leg. The you can snap of the protruding part. I also use wooden shims in multiples. I usually insert them at the corners. That way they create a space towards the unshimmed end. What this does is to create a place I can insert more shims if I want better support (rarely) or if I need to raise things more.

If I add new shims in that space, it effectively raises the corner and that means I can add a shim there. Once I do I can usually remove the second set of shims if I want. Shims are your friend. You can always use the above technique to allow you to insert a thicker single strip of hard wood in place of the shims.

Not long after a began building my own wood stands I got too old to work low down to the floor. So when I needed to raise the bottom level of a stand to raise the bottom tank off of the floor. I did this using 2x6 boards. I build a rectangle from them on end and then set the stand with its 4 inch long corner legs on top of the frame. The result was that the bottom glass of the under tank was then about 13 inches above the floor making it easier to work in and much easier to vacuum.

I was also able to shim the riser frame anywhere along the left and right sides as well as acriss the front anywhere I wanted/needed to do so.

 

[GaryE]

If you want to permanently level an aquarium, you put it on a flat outdoor surface. Then you get a bulldozer or a tank. A tank can easily level a tank.

 

[Wills]

Thanks for all the advice guys I got the shims in place tonight and got it spot on level. I had to split the shims up a bit to make the right slope but its worked and spirit bubble is central in all directions.

I had to take everything apart to make it work and now I cant get the rocks quite right again! I left it for tonight as wasn't getting anywhere but really want to manage to reassemble the structure I had built earlier in the week! Once thats in, I'll get all the sand in.

Wills