View Full Version : Tank not level....grrrrrrr
DaveG99
05/12/2006, 05:44 AM
Well I just got my 125 going. My right side overflow was dumping almost all the water through it and the left almost nothing. Looks like the damn stand is uneven by about 1/4"-1/2". I restricted the flow on the overflow tube and it helped a little to even things out as far as flow. But in a couple weeks I am taking everything out of the tank due to tile being installed. What would be the best way to shim up the stand or the tank to make this thing level? Its a six foot long tank. Thanks.
fsn77
05/12/2006, 06:34 AM
It's best to shim the stand, not the tank. You don't want to create pressure points on the bottom edge of the tank, which could lead to cracks / leaks. I've always used standard wood shims, and shimmed under the stand with the empty tank on top of it. Since you'll be taking the tank down for the tile install, that shouldn't be too much of a problem.
DaveG99
05/12/2006, 06:41 AM
Does HD or lowes sell 3-4ft long shims that go from 0"-1/2". Or maybe 0"-1/4"? I need to find out exactly what size I need. I was thinking I had to make my own shims.
If you are taking down the tank to install tile, why not fix the problem correctly and forget the shims.
DaveG99
05/12/2006, 07:01 AM
I am not taking apart the stand. That would be a lot of work. What eactly do you mean by fixing it correctly?
Dave,
I thought the whole tank was coming down for the tile install. so my comment was instead of using shims to level out the tank, to find the unlevel source and fix it. That is all
DaveG99
05/12/2006, 07:45 AM
In order to do that I would have to take off the skin and take apart the 2x6's that connect to the supports and re fasten them. Just thinking about the work involved is making me cringe. I guess I am going to install shims under the whole stand and hopefully that will help the problem. I should have checked the levelness of the stand when I built it. Hind sight is always 20/20!
Amador
05/12/2006, 07:45 AM
I had this same problem on my 125. I bought a package of shims from HD (in the doors section) and used those to shim between the stand and the floor. The good thing about shims is, if a single shim isn't thick enough, you can stack shims up to however many you need to level it out. I think I stacked 2 or 3 up and used those stacks at 3 or 4 places on one end of the stand until it was level.
john rochon
05/12/2006, 07:52 AM
I think he means if the floor is uneven then level the floor not the stand. if the ''stand'' is uneven then you should do it right and find the problem. you can use leveling cement on the stand if you build a little lip around the stand once the floor is all done
DaveG99
05/12/2006, 07:57 AM
When I get home from work today I will figure out if it is the floor or the stand. I suspect the stand. The house is 4 months old so I would assume the floor is level. The shims sounds like the easiest solution to my problem. Taking apart the stand is not really an option.
DaveG99
05/12/2006, 08:08 AM
I mis understood you bone. Thanks for the help!
gvibes
05/12/2006, 08:12 AM
I know it's a little late, but "making sure the stand is level" is one of those things you're supposed to do before you put water in there.
dave,
no problem, my bad for typing before the morning coffee
maxima k2
05/12/2006, 08:20 AM
What kind of floor is the tank on? If it is sitting on a concrete slab it is very possible that the floor has a bit slope to it. If you have it on a wood framed floor it can be out of level, plus you must think of deflection from the weight. Everything could be level until you put the water in it then the floor sinks. If it is on a wood floor I would fix it from underneath. Use adjustable lolly columns and tou are set.
DaveG99
05/12/2006, 09:35 AM
Its a concrete slab. I didnt check it with a level tool when I built it but I thought I cut the pieces of wood exactly the same length which would make it level. The stand I built before came out perfect with no level checking. When I get home from work I will figure this whole thing out with a level and see if the floor or my stand is to blame.
kevensquint
05/12/2006, 09:59 AM
How 'bout this, my 125 is on a floor that is 1" lower on one side of the tank, and the tank itself does'nt sit even all the way around the stand ( I checked on a level floor). What I did was put a 5/8" piece of ply under the stand and shim under that to level the stand/tank. Then for the small space here and there between the bottom of the tank and the top of the stand I got these ultra thin rolls of wood trim from HD, that have glue on one side of them. Using a cloths iron, I stuck them to the stand in the places where there were gaps. Now the tank is even on the stand and the stand is even on the floor.
AcroSteve
05/12/2006, 09:59 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7352428#post7352428 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DaveG99
The house is 4 months old so I would assume the floor is level.
That is not a very safe assumption.
For example;
I have a 110 gal freshwater that was level when I set it up, but one end settled nearly an inch when I filled it with water. This took about 6 months to occur.
Granted, yours is concrete and is much less likely to settle, but new homes are often out of square and level.
If you shim under the stand at the pressure points, you should be fine.
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