GrimReefer82
Roll Tide!!!
the stand is absolutely solid! it's just a cushion. if the tank is on something that is absolutely solid and it's not perfectly square the result would be very bad. glass is very rigid and could bust.
Do i need to Shim...?
- Thread starter uvijaya
- Start date
No, the one corner would actually compress less, as there would be less weight there pushing down on that part of the foam due to less water being in that corner. You have to remember that fluids always level themselves out independently of what their containers do. So there will be less water in that one corner, and thus less pressure to cause compression. If this was a solid that we were talking about then yes, the one corner would compress more as there would be the same amount of weight in each corner. Good thought though.
I just thought of a good example. Go to the fridge and pull out a half full 2 liter of soda. hold it in your hands with it lying down. Then lower one end so that the bottle is at a 45 degree angle. As soon as you feel the increased weight in the lower side, and the decreased weight in the higher side, you'll understand why the higher corner in a tank wouldn't compress the foam more.
GrimReefer82
Roll Tide!!!
heres the thing.......technically humans are liquid filled meat sacks....we buy matresses that reduce pressure points. same concept imo. the glass structure being rigid should benefit even more than humans on soft matresses.
GrimReefer82
Roll Tide!!!
what about this. take an aquarium and put it on a matress that is made of foam on an unlevel bumpy floor. i would bet that it would actually be level and straight regardless.
the aquarium still wouldn't be level. It would slope same as the floor. And humans are fluid filled meat sacks, however there is no water shifting that occurs when you lay down. Your circulatory system compensates for any sloping of your body unless it is extreme (like standing on your head) Foam beds reduce pressure points on our bodies because the bony prominences on our bodies sink lower due to all of our weight being spread over a small contact area resulting in increased pressure. As the foam compresses due to the ridges in our body, the pressure is dispersed over a larger area due to an incresed body foam contact area, thus decreasing the pressure per squre inch of contact. A tank is flat to begin with, so it will compress equally over the entire surface, irregardless of the slope of the floor.
What will happen with an aquarium on a mattress of foam on a bumpy floor is the bottom of the mattress would compress to compensate for the floor bumps. But if the floor was bumpy and sloped, the tank would still be sloped.
What will happen with an aquarium on a mattress of foam on a bumpy floor is the bottom of the mattress would compress to compensate for the floor bumps. But if the floor was bumpy and sloped, the tank would still be sloped.
jbird69
New member
if I am wrapping my brain around the predicament correctly, its the back of the tank thats low since the water is higher ther, so the shim would be in the back of tank and out of sight. The sides could possibly look like you said but it could be done cleanly with a little care.
Since we are talking about shimming under the stand, it would work with glass or acrylic. The weight of the tank is broadcast across the surface of the stand and transmitted down the perimeter of the stand.
I agree that 1/4" isnt a big deal. It would bother me because its just how I am, but it probably wont hurt anything.
If the stand was poorly constructed and had a bumpy surface that the tank was sitting on, then I would use foam to ensure that the tank was sitting on the flatest surface possible. The foam would compensate for any ridges and valleys in the stand, and provide a more solid surface for the tank, but it wouldn't compensate for any even slope. If it was me, I wouldn't put any tank on a stand that wasn't perfectly flat to begin with. So there shouldn't be a need for the foam.
GrimReefer82
Roll Tide!!!
Thats what I mean....if only one corner was off due to an unlevel stand or the stand was wavy on top then the foam should compensate. I agree that foam wont help with a slope.
oh, well then in that case then yes the shims would be hidden, except from the sides. I thought it was lower in the front. Either way your thinking is correct. So then it comes down to which is the lesser evil, shims on the sides that you can see, and possibly cover with something, or 1/4" of water height difference. If he's using a hood, you wouldn't even see the water height difference as it would probably be covered.
GrimReefer82
Roll Tide!!!
My opinion is that foam couldn't hurt....it would either have no effect or it might even help.
GrimReefer82
Roll Tide!!!
My freinds 120 had a stand included with it that was very close to perfect but it was off very slightly. He was on a budget so we just reskinned the stand and used foam. So far it seems that the tank is perfectly level and that one corner of the foam is compressed more. That's why I was stressing my point so much. It appears that in this situation it helped.
Ok, the main reason why i am leaning towards shimming is that my tanks is 3/4" 3-Sided starphire, 3/4" all sides and its rimmless tank, so if there is a slight difference in level it will show greatly.
I understand the foam theory thats its good for a stand thats not levelled but in my case its the floor so little the foam does to help. But its 350 lbs aquarium and its not easy to remove the foam, i would need atleast 4 people to get it out, so ifts no harm i would rather leave it there.
Now my concern is the shims, shy should i shim the sides? i thought i only need to shim the back as thats where the water is high?
Thanks,
Uma
I understand the foam theory thats its good for a stand thats not levelled but in my case its the floor so little the foam does to help. But its 350 lbs aquarium and its not easy to remove the foam, i would need atleast 4 people to get it out, so ifts no harm i would rather leave it there.
Now my concern is the shims, shy should i shim the sides? i thought i only need to shim the back as thats where the water is high?
Thanks,
Uma
jbird69
New member
once you shim the back it will leave a void on the sides. imagine puting a pencil under one edge of a peice of cardboard. One edge will be on the ground and one will be on the pencil, the rest of the cardboard will be suspended between the two. Same goes for your stand when you shim the back. As stated earlier, the load from your tank is carried down through the perimeter of the stand so you souldnt need to shim any more than the back and the 2 side edges.
serpentman
part time superhero
Foam will help absorb any variances in the stand, eliminate pressure points and might help level it a little. However, it probably won't make much difference in your overall leveling.
Quite frankly, 1/4 inch out of level should not be a problem as long as its consistent along the length of the tank (to prevent twisting). However, if you would like to sleep easy, I would consider shimming it along the back to at least 1/8. You can place shims on the sides but just snug them in for structural support so you don't throw things off level side-to-side.
Quite frankly, 1/4 inch out of level should not be a problem as long as its consistent along the length of the tank (to prevent twisting). However, if you would like to sleep easy, I would consider shimming it along the back to at least 1/8. You can place shims on the sides but just snug them in for structural support so you don't throw things off level side-to-side.
