ADVICE PLEASE! Unleveled tank

Biglittlerockreefer · Mar 26, 2016

Setting up my 120 w/ 40g sump. After making sure the tank was leveled in every direction I felt good enough to start the process of filling the tank. The water level finally reached the top (bottom of rim) when i noticed that there's a slight difference in the water level from left to right. Any advice? Should I be worried

rayn · Mar 26, 2016

Uneven water will put more pressure on the one side, not sure if its a major concern though.

Curious as to how this is with a level level.

TheHarold · Mar 26, 2016

Shim it. Don't have an unlevel tank.

ngvu1 · Mar 26, 2016

There is a video on youtube from the DIY king regarding this. I don't like unleveled tank, not good. Make sure it is not just left but also front and back.

rayn · Mar 26, 2016

Make sure you shim the stand, not the tank. Shimming the tank also puts undue pressure on it and can lead to tank failure.

DMan · Mar 26, 2016

rayn said:
Uneven water will put more pressure on the one side, not sure if its a major concern though.

Curious as to how this is with a level level.

I came across something awhile back, but for the life of me I can't find it now. It basically said the pressure will remain equal regardless of the level. I may not have worded that exactly right, but the jist of it was that by the time the pressure exerted by a liquid in an unlevel container becomes an issue the water (liquid) would be spilling over the sides. There was all kinds of equations involved so maybe it was all in "theory".
For me I'm more worried about a twisted stand or tank than an unlevel one. And I've heard that theory alot to. Something I do know is that water will always be level. So when looking at a tank with a plastic trim make sure it is not the just the trim that is off a bit. The glass itself may be level. BTW from what I understand whatever you are trying to level, your "Level" must as long or longer. In other words you can't level a 4' tank with a 3' level.

Biglittlerockreefer · Mar 26, 2016

I actually did have to shim it beforehand. I thought it was asn perfect as it could be at the time. [QE="TheHarold, post: 2828324, member: 58675"]Shim it. Don't have an unlevel tank.[/QUOTE]
I act

Biglittlerockreefer · Mar 26, 2016

I checked front, back, left, middle and right side until it was leveled in all directions. I wonder what caused the shift.

ngvu1 said:
There is a video on youtube from the DIY king regarding this. I don't like unleveled tank, not good. Make sure it is not just left but also front and back.

Jlobes · Mar 26, 2016

how long is the level you are using? what surface is under the tank/stand?

rayn · Mar 26, 2016

What type of flooring? How big of tank?

rayn · Mar 26, 2016

Jlobes said:
how long is the level you are using?

Length of level shouldn't really matter, unless your using a level on your phone.

Figure it this way. Using a 12" or 1 foot level and it is off 1". You are off 1" in 12".

Using a 48" or 4 foot level and you are off 1". You are off 1/4" in 48". Same amount, just read differently as the length of level changes.

Jlobes · Mar 26, 2016

rayn said:
Length of level shouldn't really matter, unless your using a level on your phone.

Figure it this way. Using a 12" or 1 foot level and it is off 1". You are off 1" in 12".

Using a 48" or 4 foot level and you are off 1". You are off 1/4" in 48". Same amount, just read differently as the length of level changes.

thats not really how it works...if you are off 1", youre off 1" doesnt matter how long your level is. However, a longer level is better suited to leveling a large object as it takes into account a larger surface. A 12" level may read level, depending on placement. whereas a 72" level is "reading" and displaying the whole length, rather than a short segment. Its kinda the reason builders use 6' levels and not 1'...

Biglittlerockreefer · Mar 26, 2016

Its a 2' level...12" shows the same so i don't think the length matters but i do understand the concept of having a longer one. Also i have hard wood floors.

damon.strange.5 · Mar 26, 2016

Are you trying to figure out how to level it? Sorry I just skimmed through. Is your cabinet/stand enclosed or can you see the floor through the bottom?

damon.strange.5 · Mar 26, 2016

I built my first stand for a 200 gallon tank and I'm now carpenter so it was way out of whack, I shimed the stand and never had a problem with it. I even had to shim that monster after I filled it.

Biglittlerockreefer · Mar 26, 2016

damon.strange.5 said:
Are you trying to figure out how to level it? Sorry I just skimmed through. Is your cabinet/stand enclosed or can you see the floor through the bottom?

No just wondering if its going to be a problem later on

Biglittlerockreefer · Mar 26, 2016

[QOTE="damon.strange.5, post: 2828610, member: 51067"]I built my first stand for a 200 gallon tank and I'm now carpenter so it was way out of whack, I shimed the stand and never had a problem with it. I even had to shim that monster after I filled it.[/QUOTE]
I bet that was an event! Lol

rayn · Mar 26, 2016

Biglittlerockreefer said:
Its a 2' level...12" shows the same so i don't think the length matters but i do understand the concept of having a longer one. Also i have hard wood floors.

Not what type of floors, what type of floor system we should say. Slab of concrete, crawl space, over a basement? Maybe the floor system itself is moving due to the weight and a floor jack is in order.

damon.strange.5 · Mar 26, 2016

It shouldn't be a problem IMO, but don't take that as gospel maybe I was lucky. I just got to the point that it bothered me to look at OCD I guess. Ya it wasn't fun leveling it out but being I built it the bottom was open so I used a small floor jack and 4x4's [emoji15] but I managed to straighten it up haha