The best way to level a stand - Advice and Pics!!!

[Mercer]

I just used the plain wood ones. I still think you could park a car on them without any trouble.

 

[Shadowramy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15477239#post15477239 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mercer
I just used the plain wood ones. I still think you could park a car on them without any trouble.

I think you right, but sometimes when I try to hammer the wood ones in they break at the tips.

 

[Mercer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15477465#post15477465 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Shadowramy
I think you right, but sometimes when I try to hammer the wood ones in they break at the tips.

Oh heavens yes. From the ends they are amazingly unstable.

 

[AquaWave523]

Hmmm...so we're talking about those cheap thin wood shims from Home Depot?

I was directed to go to similiar shims at Home Depot when referring to plastic shims..

Here are a few shims I found online....not sure what's recommended.

Pine Shims

Red Cedar Shims

Heavy Duty Shims - Plastic

 

[frank40]

the regular wood shims are fine

 

[AquaWave523]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15477657#post15477657 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by frank40
the regular wood shims are fine

Are you referring to these Frank? These are the ones found at Home Depot, they seem fairly light and thin....I'm not sure if i trust them.

I seen the other ones where they are wider and bigger piece shims....at home depot.

 

[Mercer]

Save your money for corals. Just get the cheap ones. As long as they're not made out of styrofoam you're good to go.

 

[AquaWave523]

Hahah, you can never be too careful, especially with all that hard earn money invested. Just being cautious and Im sure this will help those with the same question in the future. Not a bad idea to have this well documented.

 

[seapug]

Both my display and refugium are shimmed up about 2 inches to compensate for the slope on my basement floor. I used the cheap wood ones, and took a lot of them. They've worked fine for 3 years for me, but I would have used the nice plastic ones if I would have come across them.

 

[AquaWave523]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15477777#post15477777 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by seapug
Both my display and refugium are shimmed up about 2 inches to compensate for the slope on my basement floor. I used the cheap wood ones, and took a lot of them. They've worked fine for 3 years for me, but I would have used the nice plastic ones if I would have come across them.

Do you have pictures to share with us Seapug?

 

[Mercer]

Aqua "mailbox full" ... I can't PM you right now buddy. Delete some of your other mail, perhaps mine

 

[AquaWave523]

ok, its cleared.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

My tank was off front to back so I slid the regular pine shims under there. If you are really concerned about the stability of the pine shims, go ahead and use the heavy duty shims. I understand what you're saying about the areas where there are no shims, but you also have to consider that the weight of the tank is distributed evenly.

 

[AquaWave523]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15477884#post15477884 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sugar Magnolia
My tank was off front to back so I slid the regular pine shims under there. If you are really concerned about the stability of the pine shims, go ahead and use the heavy duty shims. I understand what you're saying about the areas where there are no shims, but you also have to consider that the weight of the tank is distributed evenly.

Ok, so I dont have to stuff anything under the tank if I put the shims on the corners since it's distributed evenly...i read somewhere that people was using cardboard box and even paint stick stirers to fill the gaps.

 

[troylee]

Is the stand wood or steel????and how much is it off over the length of the tank??? You have a couple options if this not set up if its steel you can drill and bolt some adjustable feet on it.."works well" if its wood use the shims as shown if your worried about the gaps between them shim it every foot or so untill its rite.....if the floor was crazy off like 2 inches I would cut a big shim from a 2x4 or something similiar and run it across the whole bottom of the stand....just my 2.... dunno

 

[AquaWave523]

It's a wood stood made of Ash/Oak...it's a 4 foot stand...and the difference would be less than 1/4.

 

[AquaWave523]

Enough said.....final conclusion, pine or cedar can support over 1,000lbs even at the tip.

Thanks everyone for their inputs!