how level is level? DIY stand 75 gallon

maevepotter · Mar 4, 2020

Please help my husband sleep at night. He builds miniatures and dabbles in machining, so he worries if anything is off by even a thousandth of an inch.

How level is level for the diy wood stand? We're putting a framed aqueon Petco 75 gallon tank on top. Should we add plywood top, foam? I read foam is unnecessary with framed tanks. I think our stand is only off by a 1/16th of an inch last time I checked with him.

Meghan

maevepotter · Mar 4, 2020

He informs me that he cares about whether it's flat. Not level. Because he can fix that part.

Mhart032 · Mar 4, 2020

you can use foam, or leveling mat.

InvertsBestVerts · Mar 4, 2020

A 16th of an inch is pretty noticeable, I think your husband is right to he concerned. You could always add some shims to the legs to level the stand out.

InvertsBestVerts · Mar 4, 2020

maevepotter said:
He informs me that he cares about whether it's flat. Not level. Because he can fix that part.

So the entire top of the table is off a 16th of an inch from one side to the other?

Smokey101 · Mar 4, 2020

maevepotter said:
He informs me that he cares about whether it's flat. Not level. Because he can fix that part.

Level is good, flat is better. You don't want to stress the glass

maevepotter · Mar 4, 2020

It's like 1/32nd of an inch lower at the corners compared to the center. I don't think a credit card would fit, but there is visible light coming through the gap. What tolerances are we aiming for here? Should the tank only be sitting on the ends like a bridge?

maevepotter · Mar 4, 2020

Note the stand is on leveling casters.

C_mo97 · Mar 4, 2020

If it is framed you should be fine. I don't see this affecting anything and a sixteenth of an inch is definitely not noticeable. If you are really that worried about it a leveling mat would be fine to use. No need to over think it.

theatrus · Mar 4, 2020

C_mo97 said:
If it is framed you should be fine. I don't see this affecting anything and a sixteenth of an inch is definitely not noticeable. If you are really that worried about it a leveling mat would be fine to use. No need to over think it.

Agree. Remember the frame is basically hand siliconed into place, and its not going to be very level compared to anything machined. Wood will also deform, as will most of the glass panels. You shouldn't have it rocking around when empty and hand wiggling it. 1/16th gaps edge to edge is plenty.

InvertsBestVerts · Mar 4, 2020

maevepotter said:
It's like 1/32nd of an inch lower at the corners compared to the center. I don't think a credit card would fit, but there is visible light coming through the gap. What tolerances are we aiming for here? Should the tank only be sitting on the ends like a bridge?

Oh okay, that's not bad. If the corners are only 1/32nd lower than the center you could just use a piece of foam cut to fit the bottom of the tank, that'll distribute the weight more evenly across the areas that otherwise might have teetered due to the center being slightly higher.