Tank level?

[Fishninja]

I recently got a JBJ 45 gallon aquarium and filled it up with water I noticed that the tank isn't perfectly level. I believe it is due to the floor not the stand.

is this something I need to worry about? If so how can I fix it?

 

[kashman100]

I would empty most of the water so it's light enough to move and shim it as needed. It doesn't need much to be level but water is heavy and I would be concerned in the long run.

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

That's not enough to make me worry.

 

[madweazl]

In 26" that is probably around 1/8" and wouldnt concern me all that much.

 

[Duke4Life]

I'm with the rest and wouldn't be concerned.

 

[Fishninja]

Ok thanks everyone!

 

[AZDesertRat]

I'm on the opposite side. Now is the time to fix it, once you have inhabitants it is much more work.

If it is worth doing, it is worth doing right the first time. Don't cut corners, it will catch up to you. Shimming the load bearing points of the stand is simple. I lost a tank because of not being level and would never do it again. Uneven stresses on glass joints are a weak point.

 

[TRPlacek]

I would fix it. Especially if the tank is frame less (not saying yours is). My frame less 60 cube was about that off level when I first set it up and cracked within a couple months after setting it up. I'm with AZDesertRat, better safe than sorry. Coming from a guy who woke up at 3 am to find water pouring out of my tank onto the floor. Not saying yours will Crack but it's an easy fix to give you that extra confidence of the glass not being over stressed.

 

[Fishninja]

How do I go about shimming the stand?

 

[AZDesertRat]

For a 45 wooden shims will be fine, you can pick them up at Lowes or HD. They use them to shim doors and windows level and plumb.

Leave 2-3" of water in the aquarium then use a hammer to slowly drive shims under the low corners of the stand between the floor and stand and to fill any long gaps in the side or back. The idea is to support load bearing points whick are usually the corners with smaller tanks.
Once the tank is level take a utility knife and score the part of the shims sticking out then snap them off flush with the stand.
I like levelling it with some water in the tank so it has some weight on the stand and floor, it's easy to measure the water surface too with a measuring tape.