Leveling A Tank

[tenke56]

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to level a 55 gallon tank? I just noticed today that my tank seems to be a little bit off. I could always do a 100% water change and level it but I would prefer to not have to resort to that just yet.

 

[rabbut]

How badly off is it? My 74 gal is also not level, but it is only a difference of about 1/4 of an inch at ether end of a 4 foot tank If it is a small lean to one side, I'd leave it. If it is bad, the only ways I know of to make it better involve draining the tank

All the best
Rabbut

 

[tenke56]

It is leaning to one side. Mabye 1/4 inch off on the left side. It isn't bad but it just starts to annoy me when I look at it when I am filling my tank up after a water change. I guess I will have to leave it. Thanks Rabbut.

 

[Rooster]

Sorry, but that sounds a LOT to me..... you will be adding a lot more stress to that side of the tank, I would fix this ASAP.....

 

[tenke56]

Sorry, but that sounds a LOT to me..... you will be adding a lot more stress to that side of the tank, I would fix this ASAP.....

How would I be adding a lot more stress to that side of the tank?

 

[rabbut]

Simple answer is that more weight than intended acts on the lower side of the tank, so more force is pushing on the seams than the seams were intended to take. It can lead to premature failure of the tank. 1/4 of an inch could be massive for the tank, or nothing, depending on the other dimentions. What height, lenght and wideth are we talking about?

In a 55g long, it will be nothing, 55g tall, massive issue and in a normal 55g, could go either way....

Is it just leaning in one direction, or is it tipping foreward/back as well as side-to-side?

All the best
Rabbut

 

[T1KARMANN]

just fill the tank up passed the tank hood you wont notice it thats what i done

 

[tenke56]

It is 48"x13"x21". The right side is higher than the left side and that is it. I normally do fill it above the hood so it will not be noticed but if it could effect the tank in the long run, I want to try and level it so that my tank will last a while. I will probably wait till this weekend to do a water change. It will probably end up being around a 60-75% water change as I can then do the leveling I need to.

 

[rabbut]

hum...I'd leave it. Thats the amount of off-level I have in mine, so do as T1KARMANN says and fill above the hood.

Distributing the weight evenly may be hard to do. Un-even weight distribution will be more stressing than not being level

All the best
Rabbut

 

[tenke56]

The weight distribution should not be a problem as I have the same amount of substrate all over and have very few rocks right now. It will probably change after I get my new lighting in as I will be getting some plants and doing a lot of aqua-scaping.

 

[rabbut]

The weight of the tank needs to be spread evenly over the stand. Raising one edge of the stand will make some points on the bace that the tank sits on, higher than others. This will almost certainly crack the base pane I have bust a 20g bace pannel, with a single grain of sand on a ply base. Sounds extream, but when you consider that arround 10+kg is resting on an area of glass with the same contact area of that sand grain, you see why cracking occurs. The warping of the tank base in a stand won't be as extream, but it is still likely to caurse an issue, as more weight is pressing on the stressed glass, increasing the chances of a crack forming

All the best
Rabbut

 

[tenke56]

The weight of the tank needs to be spread evenly over the stand. Raising one edge of the stand will make some points on the bace that the tank sits on, higher than others. This will almost certainly crack the base pane I have bust a 20g bace pannel, with a single grain of sand on a ply base. Sounds extream, but when you consider that arround 10+kg is resting on an area of glass with the same contact area of that sand grain, you see why cracking occurs. The warping of the tank base in a stand won't be as extream, but it is still likely to caurse an issue, as more weight is pressing on the stressed glass, increasing the chances of a crack forming

All the best
Rabbut

My tank is on a wooden stand and has support below it. It should not allow it to warp too much, I would think. I might just have to take the time to level it and make sure that everything is properly braced below and the decorations are spread out evenly.

Thanks again!

 

[rabbut]

Could level the stand, and then line the base area with 1/2 inch polestirien (spelling) to even out any bumps

 

[tenke56]

Could level the stand, and then line the base area with 1/2 inch polestirien (spelling) to even out any bumps

You mean Polystryene? Wouldn't that require me to totally break down my tank and put it in? I would hate to do this but if it requires me to do it, I could always start another tank cycling for housing while I do it.

 

[rabbut]

It would ensure than any worping of the stand diden't caurse cracking. You will need to strip the tank to wedge up one end of the stand safely anyway, so I'd add it while you're at it, just for safetys sake

When ready, fill your holding tank with water from the main tank, add your heater and filter and keep them running in that water. Move your fish across, strip the tank, level the stand, line the bace, re-build the tank, add the filter and heater and then move the fish back. Phew, not a lot to do realy..... Seriously though, it looks like a long list, but probibly won't take more than 2-3 hours to do

All the best
Rabbut