New Tank And Floor Level Issues..

[Tokis-Phoenix]

We are currently working on the kitchen floor where my new tnaks are going, we are chosing a liner to go on the concrete floor currently but i am worried wether the floor is flat enough for the new tanks.
The floor is made out of concrete, but is slightly bowing in the middle (couple of mm's, not much at all really i guess, but still a bit noticeable), so i know the floor will take the weight, but i worried wether it is flat enough for the two new 125gal tanks i want to put on it.
The stands the tanks will be going on both have 4 little legs on each of them (i know the stands themselves will be able to take the weight of the tank as they are designed for the tanks i am getting)- but will the unlevel floor be to much for the tanks, and i will end up with getting two cracked expensive fish tanks over my floor?

My fiance thinks i am worrying over nothing, but i thought i should ask you guys to be on the safe side .

 

[Tolak]

I would level out the stands. Get some shims from any diy shop, the kind they use for door & window installs. Shim the bottom of the stands, between the bottom of the legs & floor.

Most of my tanks are in the basement, it slants towards a floor drain. My longest rack, a 5 footer, is shimmed better than 1/2" on the front right leg. The whole right side is up a little less then 1/2".

 

[vic]

Level the stand by shimming the feet. The tank will then be level. You might have a look in a hardware store or ask the frame supplier if you can get leveling feet for the stand. Better than shims as this will be more permanent and not likely to come out.

 

[puddle_inc]

i wouldn't take chances. i suggest doing what others say, or do the old fashioned way. take some copying paper, fold it, and you know the rest

 

[Tolak]

Actually a bigger concern is compression strength. The shims won't come loose, they have too much weight on them. A 125 full is 1400 pounds per All-Glass. Add the weight of the stand & other equipment puts the weight closer to 1600. Divide that by the legs, and you will see how much weight is holding that piece of wood.

Wood does have limited compression strength. I level machines at work with steel plate shims, the machines weigh several tons. Wood would just crush, it isn't even considered. For a secure level job, have some thin sheet steel cut to the size of the base of the legs. It will blend in being the same size, and will not budge.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Actually a bigger concern is compression strength. The shims won't come loose, they have too much weight on them. A 125 full is 1400 pounds per All-Glass. Add the weight of the stand & other equipment puts the weight closer to 1600. Divide that by the legs, and you will see how much weight is holding that piece of wood.

Wood does have limited compression strength. I level machines at work with steel plate shims, the machines weigh several tons. Wood would just crush, it isn't even considered. For a secure level job, have some thin sheet steel cut to the size of the base of the legs. It will blend in being the same size, and will not budge.

Thanks for the advice Tolak, i think i may try that out because then at least my mind will be more at rest, i would dred waking up in the morning only to find 250gallons of water and expensive glass over my kitchen floor .
Its also makes me worry about my other tank in the kitchen (its been there for almost a year now, although i know how tanks can unexpectadely crack over time as i once had a 10gal crack after 6months of sitting on an un-even surface), which is of the same gallons and dimensions as the new tanks (5ft long and about 2ft wide and 2ft tall).
I may cover half the floor with the lino (or paint, we havn't totally decided yet, although i'd prefer lino), get at least one of the tanks set up on top of it with the shims in place, move the fish from my current tank to the new tank, move the old tank to get the lino and shims in place under it, and then move a selection of the fish back to it. And then set up the third tank once everything else is in place.
It will be a long process, but it will be worth it hopefully .