Tank Tilting

[shaheed]

Just starting to get my new tank set up (on carpet...) and noticed that its now leaning to the back... how big of a deal is this -- if at all?  Hope the picture illustrates my description well.

[JetJumper]

Fix it ASAP!  that will place a lot of strain on the Silicone joints.  You don't want all that water on the floor do you? !!

[shaheed]

fix it how?

[Monte]

Use small wooden shims and hammer them under the legs. 

[shaheed]

thanks all - just got some shims, gonna try now *fingers crossed*

[androo303]

Shims work phenomenally. I had moved my tank from the hardwood/concrete floor of my old apartment which was nice and level to my new house in Orleans on an unlevel and carpeted floor. Woof, was it off kilter, kinda like a drunken sailor.

Quickly (well 2to 3 weeks later), I ran over to homedepot for shims. I had to empty 3/4 of the water and lift the tank up for my girlfriend to shimmy the shims (horrible alliteration) and now it is level enough (front to back and side to side).

[shaheed]

yea i hear yea -- i was too lazy to empty everything, and struggled with the shims -- but got enough to get it level.  it still looked odd -- but then i realized that the black 'trim' for the tank rim may not be 'even' -- everything seems to be OK with the level -- ok enough at least.  Carpet is weird.. hahaha -- i've always had carpet -- but my tanks have been small -- and never anything noticeable really.   So for all the carpet people out there -- should a tank on the carpet be absolutely solid upright? like i feel like if i really scrub the glass with the magfloat im almost 'gently rocking' the tank -- ITS WEIRD... lol

[androo303]

yea i hear yea -- i was too lazy to empty everything, and struggled with the shims -- but got enough to get it level.  it still looked odd -- but then i realized that the black 'trim' for the tank rim may not be 'even' -- everything seems to be OK with the level -- ok enough at least.  Carpet is weird.. hahaha -- i've always had carpet -- but my tanks have been small -- and never anything noticeable really.   So for all the carpet people out there -- should a tank on the carpet be absolutely solid upright? like i feel like if i really scrub the glass with the magfloat im almost 'gently rocking' the tank -- ITS WEIRD... lol

I rock the tank when cleaning the front windows, but it doesn't rock enough to scare me about tipping.

[Dakotamay]

You might want to just consider moving the tank to a more suitable location in your home!  Why risk it? 

Our floor literally started to give under our 180g. We had to drain 3/4 of the water and pull rock then use a car jack to jack each end and put under it those move anything furniture movers. Then it took 3 of us to push the tank to the other side of the room where the joists met the wall as opposed to where it had been with the joists running lengthwise to the tank.

As JetJumper said it's really hard on the silicone joints. Just move it or do the work to get it dead level. Will save yourself the headaches in the future. You wouldn't want to come home and find all your tank inhabitants on the floor after investing so much time and money.

[shaheed]

oh i got it level -- not dead level -- but yea.   It just gently rocks if i scrub the glass. I say 'just' only because I don't know if thats normal or not.  Its not tilted anymore, or anything like that.  Im wondering if thats normal or not.  I feel like I could rock it with my bare hands enough to maybe possibly eventually drop it?  I don't think I could rock it if it was on hardwood floor tho -- so just wondering if thats normal for carpet.  I assume yes, but what do I know! 

[Dakotamay]

Here's another thought for you. Why not drain the tank down enough to move it. Cut out the carpet where you want to place the tank. This way it sits on the bare floor. You wouldn't see where the carpet had been removed.
This of course works if you plan to keep the tank and in that spot for a long time.  If it were me. That's what I would do. I think others on here have done this too.
We are all hardwood floors here. Thankfully.

[shaheed]

Believe me -- I wish I could do that...  I'm not trying to be difficult -- and that's a great logical solution -- the wife won't let me cut it that's for sure.  I have anti fatigue/anti stress mats under the stand -- but .. yea .. lol that's not doing much.  I think there's a lot of carpet people as well -- At least in general.  I don't think its rare for tanks to be on carpet?  I might be completely off..!

[exv152]

If you can gently move the entire tank and stand with your hands, and it sways even slightly, then you have a potential disaster waiting-to-happen. Especially if you have young kids, pets or any possibility of something bumping the stand, it can topple. I wouldn't suggest cutting a hole in your rug, instead I suggest selecting a good location for the tank where it's solid. It's possible the flooring under your tank has some give, which means the location is not ideal, or your tank is not perpendicular to the floor joists. Tank location is crucial and you can't cut corners with this first important step of setting up a new tank. It's well worth doing right the first time even it that means emptying the tank and starting over!

[shaheed]

agreed -- its definitely perpendicular to the floor joints.. before moving in, during our inspection i went over all possible sites to put a tank with the inspector. lol -- but yes, its perpendicular.  the only other problem is that everything is carpeted in the house.  except parts of the kitchen and halls that are parallel to the floor joists. 

You think the floor mats are causing issues as well? the anti stress mats?  Maybe I should have just put a rug under the tank instead of those mats.  Anyways, looks like I'll have to empty this tank... CRAP!

[exv152]

...You think the floor mats are causing issues as well? the anti stress mats?  Maybe I should have just put a rug under the tank instead of those mats.  Anyways, looks like I'll have to empty this tank... CRAP!

Yeah, the anti fatigue mats are really intended for high traffic areas and to help reduce stress on your feet, I don't think they help stabilize an aquarium on carpet.