Yoccm's 300G DD In Wall Build

[yoccm]

VERY reasonable concern! That is a alot of weight that needs equal distribution or catastophic failure is the end result. Glad you got them to fix it.

Thanks - years ago my dad built a stand for my 50 gallon tank and it was just a bit to narrow and the tank hung off the back a bit. About 18 months later my wife called me at the office in a panic telling me water was pouring out of the bottom seam of the tank. Still doing pennance for that one .. can't afford a repeat performance :fun2:.

While on the topic of stand integrity .... there are several spots where the tank bottom is not sitting fully on the stand top. The gap is 1/16" or less. I am hoping that once I get water in it will distribute the weight in a way that I will get full contract without having too much pressure at any one point. Anyone have similar experience or have any advice?

 

[mrmore]

My 210 on a custom stand had the same gap, I thought the same thing. But after I filled it with water same gap. I came to the conclusion it is the trim. I used a long level to figure it out. Still like that after a year and I still worry a little about it. Oh well that's reefin !

 

[mrmore]

By the way... Don't let me know if your settles out I don't want to have to rethink my little gap!

 

[yoccm]

My 210 on a custom stand had the same gap, I thought the same thing. But after I filled it with water same gap. I came to the conclusion it is the trim. I used a long level to figure it out. Still like that after a year and I still worry a little about it. Oh well that's reefin !

By the way... Don't let me know if your settles out I don't want to have to rethink my little gap!

Good to know that everything looks good after a year even with the gaps. But I don't blame you for worrying about it ... and I am sure I will worry about mine as well. I guess the best I can do is know that the tank is sitting level and squarely on the load bearing areas of the stand and hope and pray that is good enough!!:worried:

 

[yoccm]

O.K. I need some help!!!!!

The finish trim is fixed and the tank is now sitting fully on the stand.

The problem is there is a pretty significant gap along 2/3 of the length of the back of the tank between the frame and the stand. It is at least 1/16 and as much as 1/8"+ in some places.

I think what happened is that the carpenter put the horizontal 2x8 crown down so it creates the gap.

My question is ... can i shim between the stand and the frame? Do you think that will give enough support to distribute the weight across the length enough to eliminate the stress enough to prevent failure?

I am freaking out right now!!!! Really worried this is just too big of a gap!!

Please help!!!!

 

[d3hree]

I think I would use some spray foam. Squirt it into the gap and it will expand into the space. The tanks glass will be too heavy and wont move so the foam will just spread where it is needed. Once cured the foam can be trimmed and will even out the support.

 

[yoccm]

I think I would use some spray foam. Squirt it into the gap and it will expand into the space. The tanks glass will be too heavy and wont move so the foam will just spread where it is needed. Once cured the foam can be trimmed and will even out the support.

I thought of that as well but wasn't sure if the cured foam would provide enough support to prevent the deflection of the glass when tank was full??

 

[d3hree]

I think that you could probably fill the tank now and wont see any deflection without any shims or support. What you want is even support under the glass so not to put added pressure on certain joints over time. The foam is sufficient for that, like adding a sheet of polystyrene whats more is it will spread into gaps that you probably couldnt add a shim to.
I think it is what I would do, I would prefer it over wooden shims but maybe someone will have a better idea

 

[dave.m]

It's hard to tell what type of flooring you have under the tank from the photos. It looks like poured concrete. If so, you can use a leveling cement within a prescribed area to give you a more level pad for the tank and stand to sit on.

Dave.M

 

[yoccm]

It's hard to tell what type of flooring you have under the tank from the photos. It looks like poured concrete. If so, you can use a leveling cement within a prescribed area to give you a more level pad for the tank and stand to sit on.

Dave.M

The stand is sitting on the cement basement floor. Unfortunately, they shot nails thru the boards into the floor and then nailed the stand together. I have no ability to tweak the stand at this point other that dealing with the surface of the plywood top.

What about putting leveling compound on top of the plywood to level it out? Someone suggested that on another thread - not sure if it would work or not

 

[d3hree]

leveling compound could work, you could apply it with a turkey baster maybe? As long as it is fluid enough to flow into the gap.

 

[dave.m]

Leveling cement is essentially a weak tea of cement plus some agents to speed up drying. You would have to remove the tank from the stand, build a water tight frame around the top to about 1-2 cm like a mold, and then fill it half up with leveling cement like a cake tin. As it is a liquid, it will naturally seek its own level. Once dry, you can gently remove the mold frame.

You would have to be extremely careful remounting the tank onto the frame. One knock and you could crack the cement and have to start all over again. It really would be best to start over and remove the stand and then level the floor first.

Dave.M

 

[elegance coral]

I would simply pull the tank and place 1/2" styrofoam on top of the stand, then replace the tank. I had an idiot help build the stand for my 200gl DD, so there are some imperfections. When I filled the tank with water, the styrofoam depressed to about 1/8".

 

[yoccm]

I would simply pull the tank and place 1/2" styrofoam on top of the stand, then replace the tank. I had an idiot help build the stand for my 200gl DD, so there are some imperfections. When I filled the tank with water, the styrofoam depressed to about 1/8".

I've heard people say that you shouldn't put foam under tanks with plastic frames? would it still cause uneven pressure points?

 

[redneckgearhead]

Check with the tank maker before putting foam under the tank and spray-in foam will do nothing to support the weight of the tank in these areas. And by the sounds of it, I would be hunting a new carpenter. You learn to crown your boards up on day one. Can you remove the board and replace it?

 

[yoccm]

Check with the tank maker before putting foam under the tank and spray-in foam will do nothing to support the weight of the tank in these areas. And by the sounds of it, I would be hunting a new carpenter. You learn to crown your boards up on day one. Can you remove the board and replace it?

He also didn't learn to use screws vs nails :smokin::furious::smokin:

The whole thing is nailed together and then nailed into the cement floor!!

 

[launchnukes]

Can you hammer a board in there to raise the lower part of the stand?

Can you raise the tank? If so, maybe put a piece of 3/4" plywood on top, shim that level, screw it down, and place the tank on the ply.

Shimming the tank is one of those things that would probabally be ok but I would not recommend it. Try to remove as many probaballys as possible when dealing with 300 gallons of water in your home.

 

[yoccm]

Can you hammer a board in there to raise the lower part of the stand?

Can you raise the tank? If so, maybe put a piece of 3/4" plywood on top, shim that level, screw it down, and place the tank on the ply.

Shimming the tank is one of those things that would probabally be ok but I would not recommend it. Try to remove as many probaballys as possible when dealing with 300 gallons of water in your home.

I do have some head room so I could take down the tank and put another piece of plywood on top. The simplest solution would be the shims but I don't want to take any chances. I could try jacking up the middle of the board and putting a vertical support in the middle - might close the gap.

 

[launchnukes]

I'm no expert by any means but personally I would try one of those two options over shimming the tank itself. I would try jacking up the stand first and if that doesnt work try the additional plywood option. Maybe someone better qualified can chime in though.

 

[RootsRockReefer]

I do have some head room so I could take down the tank and put another piece of plywood on top. The simplest solution would be the shims but I don't want to take any chances. I could try jacking up the middle of the board and putting a vertical support in the middle - might close the gap.

DON'T Shim the Tank!

If you add another board ontop it will eventually settle into the opening there now.

You kinda have two options. Pull the plywood up and re-level the framing.

or Sand down the high spots and level out the lows with polyurea style epoxy resin or similar.

Third option is best. Make yourself a big pitcher of lemonade and watch your contractor fix his mistake!

Bummer scenario, if you had a rimless tank this part of your thread wouldn't exist, 1/2" styrofoam works perfect on rimless tanks.