Help me save my leveling problem

[Markieb]

* I built my stand to perfection!
*I have my custom starhpire 4 feet by 3 feet finally arrive.
*With excitement I had my tank lifting party!
*I plumbed the tank all up through the wall!
* I fill it up with water!
* I realized I made a major goof up!

My stand is on a wood floor that is off by 1/4 of an inch. Won't work!

So I drained the tank and raise the stand as needed with some metal bars I found. All is OK minus the 1/4 " gap and small that needs to be filled under the 2x4.

My concerns! ...

If I use shims only a small part of the 2x4 will actually be supported by it.

My thoughts...

1. Suffer the down time and have a tank unlifting party. Sand the stand and start over. Best option I know but also the worst timing, pluming.

2. Make shims from 2x4 so that they support the entire weight bearing 2x4.

3. Get creative and find a filled, maybe resin? , to pour under the stand to fill the gaps...

Any thoughts or suggestions will be greatly appreciated. If at all possible and secure no redoing the tank is good, but if that is my only choice I will.

[OneReef]

I was told that 1/4" or less would not be a problem, as long as the front and back, or side to side lean is the same on both sides of the tank. In other words, you don't want torque, like front right low and back left low. I think it would be hard to get a tank perfectly level, but I could be wrong.

[sean2brown]

If you can get underneath the area that the tank rests on, you might be able to post the floor up and raise it the 1/4 inch. you could also try getting a piece of 1/4 inch plywood to shim the bottom.

[hairmonkey]

add another piece of moulding or trim around the bottom once you have it level to fill in the gap?

[ctripi]

Make a template of the gap. Then use a table saw or band saw to rip a gap-filler (tapered piece of solid wood) Place into gap. But first also consider measuring the gap before and after filling just in case your floor is moving under the weight of everything. Seabrown's idea is not too bad though.

[Markieb]

Thanks
I never even thought of the 1/4 plywood which sounds very doable.

[rbursek]

I guess it was not built to PERFECTION!!!!! LOL Shim the stand not the tank if I understood it right, with plastic shims not wood. wood shrinks and compresses.

[Markieb]

The stand was to perfection if I had a level floor! OOHPS!
Plastic shims? Where do you find those?

[MrSquid]

Lowe's has plastic/composite shims.

[Markieb]

Thanks
Ii will have a look.

[rbursek]

Home Depot and Menards has them too. Also in the plumbing department to shim a toilet.

[sean2brown]

can you get underneath the area that the tank rests on?

[Mouse]

Shim it at several points then slap some trim over it. Once the tank is running I doubt anyone will be looking down there =p

[Markieb]

Thansk for the reply''s!

I can not get under the area. First floor and concrete right under the hard wood floor. I am not worried so much about looks, I can patch that up to blend. I was more concerned about support.

Thanks to all!


<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11962270#post11962270 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sean2brown
can you get underneath the area that the tank rests on?

[Fiziksgeek]

You could level the stand and scribe the bottom edge to fit the floor.

[Markieb]

I know that is an option, but not a favored one. If shiming it is safe then that is a better choice for me right now.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11963984#post11963984 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Fiziksgeek
You could level the stand and scribe the bottom edge to fit the floor.

[Fiziksgeek]

Yeah, its a much harder process. Lots of shims is the easiest thing to do and will work just fine...

[Markieb]

TY Fiz