# leveling a filled tank!! HELP!



## elroach (Oct 26, 2007)

I have a tank that is not quite level. It is filled and wondering how I could level it. Its a 5ft 120 gallon tank.

Thanks, Eric


----------



## Laurel (Jun 17, 2007)

You could always take about 70% of the water out(70% WC) and then get those little shims that they sell at the hardware store and level it the way that many people on the forum suggest.


----------



## remarkosmoc (Oct 19, 2005)

I have a big rubbermaid container that I drain water into if i want to reuse it. 70% as laurel says woud be necessary to drain.

FYI a $.99 plastic level is easier to check for level than 120 gal of water, but they are both quite effective :lol:


----------



## HONDO (May 4, 2008)

i actually have a 29 that has always been a little off level. you guys reccomend putting something under the one side of the stand to level it out?

what is a shim?


----------



## elroach (Oct 26, 2007)

Well when I place is on the floor everything was level. It was when the 1200 lbs of water and rocks made the stand settle since it has not been setup in a few years. I'll try the shims.


----------



## Laurel (Jun 17, 2007)

HONDO said:


> i actually have a 29 that has always been a little off level. you guys reccomend putting something under the one side of the stand to level it out?
> 
> what is a shim?


â€"noun
1.	a thin slip or wedge of metal, wood, etc., for driving into crevices, as between machine parts to compensate for wear, or beneath bedplates, large stones, etc., to level them.


----------



## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

> i actually have a 29 that has always been a little off level. you guys reccomend putting something under the one side of the stand to level it out?


I don't think I've ever had a tank that was perfectly level. For me, close has always been good enough. I've never seen a post where someone had a tank blowout who said, "man I wish I had leveled that tank".

Regardless, level it best you can if you can. Cheap way to get peace of mind.

If you can get the edge of a wooden shim under it without removing a bunch of water, you can tap it in until it raises it up enough to level it. Then cut off any part of the shim that's still sticking out by scoring it with a razor knife and snapping it off.

Just be careful if it's full of water. Add shims all along the edge that needs to be raised and tap them in slowly and evenly so you're not causing any stresses by raising one corner at a time. This is why if it's close I just leave it alone.


----------



## Donfish (Dec 24, 2007)

Probably obvious but don't level the tank, level the stand.

It may not apply here but I had a 40 gal with a wooden stand on carpeting that wasn't quite level, the level bubble was still between the lines but the tank was low towards the front. After a few months the carpeting settled and the tank became perfectly level. If I had shimmed the front then it might be out of level now.


----------



## HONDO (May 4, 2008)

cool, thanks. i think i will probably leave it be. the tank and stand are on a hardwood flor and i have a feeling i would do more damage to the floor than would help level the tank. i dont think it is a huge deal. its been ok for the past couple years.


----------



## elroach (Oct 26, 2007)

Well tell me what you think. Its 5 feet long and i would say its around 1/4" difference from each end. Just afraid of 120 gallon going everywhere but now I'm worry I'll be creating torsion on the tank as I raise each spot.


----------



## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

Unless the water line is visible and it's bugging you, I'd leave it alone. 1/4" over 5' isn't going to cause a tank to leak or break. JMHO


----------

