Is this safe? Uneven support

[Mastiffsrule]

Stabila and Craftsman levels, I trust both. And the problem isn't if the tank is level, remember. I'm just using the level to see if the bottom panel was installed flat. I just don't understand how the bottom panel can be not flat or level on the bottom of the tank but fine inside the tank, but the bottom panel isn't compressing the mat evenly along the bottom... Very confusing.
And the manufacturer told me it was normal for them and extended my warranty. I just don't want a flood in my house.

I don’t blame you.

Sounds like typical answers. I deal with a company that refurbishes suspensions. They are supposed to magna-fluxed the parts to ensure safety. They don’t. They keep a crazy high policy to cover that 1 time the suspension failed due to a defect. Does nothing for that person until it actually fails.

 

[RobW]

Stabila and Craftsman levels, I trust both. And the problem isn't if the tank is level, remember. I'm just using the level to see if the bottom panel was installed flat. I just don't understand how the bottom panel can be not flat or level on the bottom of the tank but fine inside the tank, but the bottom panel isn't compressing the mat evenly along the bottom... Very confusing.
And the manufacturer told me it was normal for them and extended my warranty. I just don't want a flood in my house.

Stabila makes great levels! I have a full set of them myself.

 

[RobW]

Stabila and Craftsman levels, I trust both. And the problem isn't if the tank is level, remember. I'm just using the level to see if the bottom panel was installed flat. I just don't understand how the bottom panel can be not flat or level on the bottom of the tank but fine inside the tank, but the bottom panel isn't compressing the mat evenly along the bottom... Very confusing.
And the manufacturer told me it was normal for them and extended my warranty. I just don't want a flood in my house.

Poor glazing can happen. Not all glass comes out flat. Things happen.

 

[ReefSlice]

I have a sca 120 still in the box in a spare room and since I've been following this thread I have opened the box at least 3 or 4 times to check everything from the level of the euro brace to the seams to the overflow interior and exterior looking for any flaws or issues. I haven't been able to find any flaws but still a little paranoid..lol

I don't mean to frighten anyone! I'm sure most tanks are fine, but I feel like how it's being handled is not very professional. I just wish I had another 2 people around to help me move this thing around so I could just get a square on the bottom and see exactly what's going on.
Please check your corners carefully and let me know if you see anything weird, I'm just curious if it's a common thing that isn't going to cause problems.

 

[RobW]

Stabila and Craftsman levels, I trust both. And the problem isn't if the tank is level, remember. I'm just using the level to see if the bottom panel was installed flat. I just don't understand how the bottom panel can be not flat or level on the bottom of the tank but fine inside the tank, but the bottom panel isn't compressing the mat evenly along the bottom... Very confusing.
And the manufacturer told me it was normal for them and extended my warranty. I just don't want a flood in my house.

Also, one more thing... in your recent post you say that you are using stabila levels which are very expensive. Craftsman levels are junk. I can guarantee you would be getting 2 different readings from said levels. But in your pictures I see run of the mill Stanley fat max levels and a little torpedo level. So I'm a bit confused as to just how accurate of a reading you are getting across the board. A torpedo level is fine if you want to hang a small picture on the wall. Not for leveling a six foot tank. The 12" torpedo level is only going to give you the level distance of the length of the torpedo level itself. After that, well you're just asking for inaccuracies.

 

[ReefSlice]

The stabila is shown a few pages back... I have multiple levels because the stabila is 36" so too short to span the whole tank, and too long to go between the two panels inside the tank. They are indeed giving me pretty close readings! The 12" level is just to see if front to back, the tank is off on the inside. The stabila was used to level the tank, which it is level on all accounts. Just not touching the stand.

 

[ReefSlice]

This is what scares me, hard to see but if you look between the foam and tank, you can see the bottom of the glass past the silicone seal, meaning the bottom isn't making contact with the foam. And this is about 15" in from the lifted corner.

 

[RobW]

Ok, I don't mean to turn this into an argument here at all. I appreciate everyone's input greatly, and I need your guys help to get through this! Having said that, I just want to clear up some things to avoid confusion.

• This has nothing to do with the tank or the stand being level. The gaps in the corners prove that something is not flat, and that the corners of the tank are not in coplanar position
• Leveling mats do nothing to level, or make up for a surface which is not flat. They simply cushion the tank from very small imperfections, i.e sand or tiny bits of screw heads or splinters coming off of the stand
• The way the tank is sitting now, 1500+ lbs of water, sand and glass could basically be crashing down on 2 tiny 1/2" glass corners (the majority of it anyway)

I absolutely intend to tear it all down after seeing this. However, I work 12 hour days outside in South Florida, and took a whole week off of work to get this thing up and going. I also have basically no help other than my 55 year old father who I am afraid to injure every time this thing is moved. All of this combined with the fact that this really just has me bummed out, and it's going to be a bit before I can muster up going further. Again, I really appreciate all the help everyone, just trying to keep everyone informed so I can get to the bottom of this without so much confusion.

You're in south Florida? Where abouts? I'm in lighthouse point.

 

[fishybizzness]

I don't mean to frighten anyone! I'm sure most tanks are fine, but I feel like how it's being handled is not very professional. I just wish I had another 2 people around to help me move this thing around so I could just get a square on the bottom and see exactly what's going on.
Please check your corners carefully and let me know if you see anything weird, I'm just curious if it's a common thing that isn't going to cause problems.

I'm currently in the middle of renovations so I won't be able to take it out of the box for at least a month or two so I'm hoping that when I do, everything is fine. Hopefully you get your issues resolved.

 

[jsvand5]

I still think you should just add another pad but have it so it only touches the bottom pane of glass. Then the front and back panels would float and the tank would be totally supported evenly from the bottom panel.

 

[ReefSlice]

I still think you should just add another pad but have it so it only touches the bottom pane of glass. Then the front and back panels would float and the tank would be totally supported evenly from the bottom panel.

If the bottom panel isn't totally flat, which it looks like it isn't based on how one quarter of it squishes the mat and the other hardly touches, than this wouldn't do anything. I see what you're saying though, if it was just the walls that were off, this would work. However I'm pretty sure they aligned the bottom panel with these two lower corners, making the whole bottom panel off as well.

 

[ReefSlice]

You're in south Florida? Where abouts? I'm in lighthouse point.

I'm in Fort Myers.

 

[RobW]

I'm in Fort Myers.

Oh, you're west coast. I'm dead east across the alley and a little north of Fort Lauderdale

 

[MnFish1]

I don't mean to frighten anyone! I'm sure most tanks are fine, but I feel like how it's being handled is not very professional. I just wish I had another 2 people around to help me move this thing around so I could just get a square on the bottom and see exactly what's going on.
Please check your corners carefully and let me know if you see anything weird, I'm just curious if it's a common thing that isn't going to cause problems.

Does SCA recommend putting something below the tank? Could you just change the mat underneath to whatever they recommend? with just the weight of the tank - it would be surprising if the mat was partly causing a problem - but not unheard of - I guess...

Even if you flip over the tank and 'level it' 'somehow' - if SCA still says 'its ok' - what difference will it make? You will still be nervous (at least I would be).

I think you need to either take their word for it - or return it/exchange it

 

[ReefSlice]

Does SCA recommend putting something below the tank? Could you just change the mat underneath to whatever they recommend? with just the weight of the tank - it would be surprising if the mat was partly causing a problem - but not unheard of - I guess...

Even if you flip over the tank and 'level it' 'somehow' - if SCA still says 'its ok' - what difference will it make? You will still be nervous (at least I would be).

I think you need to either take their word for it - or return it/exchange it

They ship an 1/8" thick foam mat with the tank that fell apart during shipping. With my 1/4" thick mat you'd think I'd be more than fine. Just hard to take their word for it with no scientific basis backing it up. That's why I wanted to see if anyone else had this gap and had no problems long term. Seems like I will never know one way or another, and this tank will be scrapped unfortunately. If that's the case, funding will probably force me out of the hobby for a few more years. This has cost me a ton of money.

 

[Idaho-reefer]

Just put the pad only under the bottom pane and not the front and back panels and it will be perfect.

This

 

[FlyPenFly]

Probably it's 95% going to be fine. I don't think it'll fail suddenly one day but you'll get maybe a slow leak and you'll have to use some strap ties to keep the tank together while you get the water out. Tank failures are pretty rare and sudden bursting is exceedingly rare from what I recall or else we'd hear more about it.

One thought you might want to try is switching out the yoga mat for thick rubber or turning the yoga mat around if you ever have the tank lifted to make sure it's not the density of the mat that is causing your headache.

More likely than not, SCA is the cheapest rimless aquarium you can get and their glass suppliers aren't exactly making sure everything they ship is 100%. Very very few people will try to return a 100+ gallon aquarium so this business model works for them. I say this as a former SCA 65G owner.

 

[w2inc]

I've been super busy, but I did find a few hours to get the tank completely emptied, had to chisel my rockwork apart and scoop out sand by hand for a few hours. This is what it looks like empty on the worst corner. Not even touching for a few inches at least, and you can tell looking down through the bottom that it isn't touching the foam on the bottom panel, while the low corner is compressed.

Not sure where I will go from here... Basically looks like I need a new tank.

Sorry you had to go through all that hassle. Just my opinion, but I really think you have nothing to worry about. I had a 110 that sat on only 3 corners do fine for about 2 years. (It was too tall and I sold it, not broken.) The side glass does not need to sit on anything. There is not any downward pressure on it since your tank sits on the base.

There was a post a couple weeks ago with a similar concern. It got me curious so I went to the LFS to see if all of their tanks sat flat on the stands. They didn't. Some had corners sitting high. Check out the stand on this tank. Only supported in two places. 1/2" or 12mm glass supported on 4 sides is just really strong.

I have been in this since the 80's. I have had one tank base break. Home made tank built by me when I was 17, sitting on a home made stand designed and built by my 15 year old brother. We learned and build stronger stuff now.

 

[ReefSlice]

Sorry you had to go through all that hassle. Just my opinion, but I really think you have nothing to worry about. I had a 110 that sat on only 3 corners do fine for about 2 years. (It was too tall and I sold it, not broken.) The side glass does not need to sit on anything. There is not any downward pressure on it since your tank sits on the base.

There was a post a couple weeks ago with a similar concern. It got me curious so I went to the LFS to see if all of their tanks sat flat on the stands. They didn't. Some had corners sitting high. Check out the stand on this tank. Only supported in two places. 1/2" or 12mm glass supported on 4 sides is just really strong.

I have been in this since the 80's. I have had one tank base break. Home made tank built by me when I was 17, sitting on a home made stand designed and built by my 15 year old brother. We learned and build stronger stuff now.

Thanks for the reply! That helps a lot. But did any of the tanks have the bottom panel not touching on the corners? Strictly speaking of the bottom panel being raised in corners or sides. Mine seems to not touch the foam along the whole right half of the front of the tank (on the bottom panel and the front panel)

 

[ReefSlice]

By the way here's how far off it is front to back. This is measuring from the bottom of the plywood top to the top of the tank, front right and back right. And the panes look square, it just slowly goes up towards the front. Exact opposite on other side of tank.