New tank not level!

Tidal Gardens
Jump to Last
Matt Miller said:
All the joists are pretty level from one to another in the basement. The idea of draining it is hard to swallow.
Click to expand...
Do you have empty totes you can drain it into?
 
Chewy.com
jsker said:
It could be the carpet is compressing and the tac board is pushing the tank forward. shim it from the front and problem solved. If you really want to do it right I would, yes drain the tank. cut up the carpet around the system, pull the tac board, and brace the system with 2x4's between the joists and then come back with some molding to hide the 2x4 bracing
Click to expand...
It's a few inches away from the trim so I thought I would miss the tac strip.
 
Top Shelf Aquatics
You need to drain and reinforce the joist. You've got over 500 pounds on each joist and the one away from the wall is deflecting downward when you add water.

Talk to a structural engineer.
 
Matt Miller said:
I do have some but most of what I used left with my help lol.
Click to expand...
I feel for you.

Not sure what to tell you. It really sounds like your joist is sagging if it isn't sitting on a tac strip, and I'm not sure how it could be sitting on a tac strip.

Personally, I wouldn't leave a tank filled with that much of a lean but the picture could be deceptive. I've heard of leans getting worse over time, not likely to get better over time. :(
 
Chewy.com
Tidal Gardens
Put your level across the bottom of the joists on the ends, and then in the middle. The level should be the same. If it changes in the middle of the span where the tank is you've found the problem. The giveaway here is that it was level when dry.
 
Deltec
TylerS said:
Put your level across the bottom of the joists on the ends, and then in the middle. The level should be the same. If it changes in the middle of the span where the tank is you've found the problem. The giveaway here is that it was level when dry.
Click to expand...
Joists are almost dead on down the wall.
 
Hrm.. if they are level while the tank isn't then my thought goes to deflection of the stand. But that would surprise me. Measure the length to the floor at each corner of the tank.

One other possibility is the joist is normally not level.

Are the front feet right on the OSB on top of the joist, or are they on the OSB spaced away from the joist by 4 inches or so. Maybe the OSB is deflecting right under the feet?

5/16 should be measurable somewhere to figure out where the problem is.
 
Deltec
TylerS said:
Hrm.. if they are level while the tank isn't then my thought goes to deflection of the stand. But that would surprise me. Measure the length to the floor at each corner of the tank.

One other possibility is the joist is normally not level.

Are the front feet right on the OSB on top of the joist, or are they on the OSB spaced away from the joist by 4 inches or so. Maybe the OSB is deflecting right under the feet?

5/16 should be measurable somewhere to figure out where the problem is.
Click to expand...
That's my thought, that the joist is normally higher before a load.
 
Thx for all the quick responses, my panic has partially subsided and I'm cleaning the extra tank to siphon water into. Tomorrow I'm going to brace it in the basement and rip down a spacer shim to raise it up.

So far the fish seem good in the 10g and hopefully tomorrow I'll get back on track
 
Tidal Gardens

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%

  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%

  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%

  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%
See comments…

New Posts

Top Shelf Aquatics
TCK Corals
Deltec
Chewy.com
Nutramar Foods
Tidal Gardens
World Wide Corals
Dinkins Aquatic Gardens
New Posts
Back
Top