Ideas to fix my stand

[rrasco]

I finally put my new tank on my stand last night, but I have a problem. The side and back of the tank trim are flush on the stand, however, the middle section of the front does not make contact 100% along the trim. I knew this would happen, it always does, but I need ideas how to fix it. Ideally, I'd like to keep the style of the stand as is, but I think I may have to shim it and add a lip to hide the shims and trim. Here is where you can throw your last ditch efforts at me before I do just that and ruin my perfectly planned stand.

This is the gap, it's about 1/4" at the middle.

http://www.rrasco.com/AquaticPics/210reef/IMG_0895.JPG

[FireWater]

Is the stand off that much or is the trim of the tank off?
Shimming would work, but my concern would be creating any pressure points. You would have to evenly distribute the weight.

[rrasco]

The stand is off. The board the top frame attaches to was slightly warped to one side, causing the board I attached to warp downwards along that curve.

The biggest issue is there is so much mixed information out there about glass tanks with trim. Some say they doesn't need any support in the middle of the stand because the trim supports the tank and all of the weight is distributed to the four corners. If that is true, I don't have any structural issues to worry about. However, I don't know if that is true or not. I'm thinking of cutting dozens of shims to size and gluing them together in order to make one really big shim to support it 100% across the length.

Needless to say, after a couple hundred bucks and a few weeks of build time, I'm slightly frustrated at the moment.

[txmike]

WHAT SIZE TANK IS THIS ON?

[rrasco]

It is a 210. If it was a 55 or something smaller, I wouldn't care. Due to the size and weight, it bothers me.

[FireWater]

I am sure you are frustrated.

Any way to add the shims to the stand itself. Such as make a cut and beef up the stand where the board is warped to straighten it up instead of adding the shims between the tank and stand?

[allan]

Man,

I don't know how big your tank is off hand so this may not be correct, but...

Your stand my be a bit skewed, wouldn't the weight of the tank with water in it flatten it out? Is the tank stand perfectly true across both the top and bottom? Are the individual measurements from top to bottom exactly the same at each corner and in the middle? Is there a like, and opposite, gap between the stand and the floor? Is your floor perfectly true? How about a level, is the stand and the floor perfectly true?

What does it look like when you fill the tank with water? Is the gap still there? If not, how about the level?

My only problem with the leveling shims is that without any water in the tank, you may be creating pressure points that will occur after the settling that occurs after filling the tank. Fill it with tap water and check the level and tight points.

[rrasco]

Any way to add the shims to the stand itself. Such as make a cut and beef up the stand where the board is warped to straighten it up instead of adding the shims between the tank and stand?

I don't think so. I mean, in theory, yes, but trying to match the contour of the warp is going to be very, very difficult. I've tried to sand stands out to be flush and it only ever got worse for me. I think shimming is really my only option. There is the styrofoam option, but there are so many different opinions on that too, I don't know what to believe.

[rrasco]

Man,

I don't know how big your tank is off hand so this may not be correct, but...

Your stand my be a bit skewed, wouldn't the weight of the tank with water in it flatten it out? Is the tank stand perfectly true across both the top and bottom? Are the individual measurements from top to bottom exactly the same at each corner and in the middle? Is there a like, and opposite, gap between the stand and the floor? Is your floor perfectly true? How about a level, is the stand and the floor perfectly true?

What does it look like when you fill the tank with water? Is the gap still there? If not, how about the level?

My only problem with the leveling shims is that without any water in the tank, you may be creating pressure points that will occur after the settling that occurs after filling the tank. Fill it with tap water and check the level and tight points.

The stand is level and straight, along with the floor. Essentially what I have is one of the long boards the tank sits on is 'sagging' for lack of a better description, thus not making contact with the trim. It's only 'sagging' to make contact with the board below it, that is actually warped to one side.

Oh, and there is no way I am willing to fill this thing up until I know it will hold. It is a 210, in case you missed that above.

[txmike]

I would think about using self leveling compound to fix the stand .They sell some for leveling floors.

[rrasco]

I would think about using self leveling compound to fix the stand .They sell some for leveling floors.

That has come up, but I'm not sure how I could make it work and look good. Whatever I decide to do, has to be aesthetically pleasing as well as work structurally.

[allan]

I caught the size after I posted.

I'd go with the self leveling compound that Mike mentioned. Or shim under the board running the length of the stand, on top of the board that's causing the offensive gap.

[rrasco]

I'd go with the self leveling compound that Mike mentioned. Or shim under the board running the length of the stand, on top of the board that's causing the offensive gap.

That's what I am leaning towards. I just don't want unsightly shims, so I may have to add a lip, which I also don't want to do. Somebody scream for me, I'm at my office where it wouldn't be appreciated.

[rrasco]

This is the other solution I came up with. Basically add a second top frame and use spacers like stilts to raise that frame to level. Not sure what I'm doing yet or if I like how this would come out.

http://www.rrasco.com/AquaticPics/210reef/210gallon-3.png

[rrasco]

I caught the size after I posted.

I'd go with the self leveling compound that Mike mentioned. Or shim under the board running the length of the stand, on top of the board that's causing the offensive gap.

Actually, after reading this again, that's not what I am leaning towards. I wish I could shim under the board running the length of the tank, but it's pocket jointed and glued with Tite Bond III. That board will give out before the glue does. I meant I was leaning towards cutting some shims and placing them under the trim of the tank.

[kkiel02]

I would use foam and then add wood trim to cover that. I always used the stuff from home depot. Its cheap and easy.

[hobogato]

put a temporary lip on to hold the self leveling compound. once it cures, take the lip off and paint the showing edge of the compound black to match the rest of your stand.

[beareef19]

I agree with Ace a tank that big has got to sit on a solid flat foundation .
Barry

[BBQHILLBILLY]

get your filler and cut you a piece of oak plywood on top

[rrasco]

After getting home and looking at it, I think I'm just going to shim it in a few places across the bottom. It should be discreet and not create any pressure points because of the trim.

[Bill S]

I've always used foam under my tanks. I like how it compresses where it needs to. Just my opinion.

But, I'd put a layer of marine plywood on top of the stand - maybe 2. You can cut holes for overflows, etc., and shim where you need to. That's how the Oceanic stands are built.

BTW, welcome back Barry!

[rrasco]

FWIW, I was getting ready to start putting the plumbing in place and got uneasy about the shims under the tank trim. I ended up getting a 1/2" piece of hardwood ply and shimmed under it where necessary. Then used putty to fill the visible gaps to make it look nice, painted it up and now it's ready for the tank. Having done this I feel MUCH better. I was about to use the self leveling method, but it was going to add more work/cost to the situation and I was worried about my execution. In the end, it's moot, I think my problem has been solved.