tank is sloping forward...

[Quinn]

yeah i'd say mine is out by 1/4", maybe a bit more at the top. it isn't a lot and i don't understand the physics of it, but since everyone says this is a problem, i'm going to treat it like one.

update: this evening, i will be cleaning out a drum, then taking 55 gallons of water out of the display tank. if all goes well, my father and i will then each use a hammer/mallet (and a piece of 2x4 if necessary) to knock a shim under the front two corners of the tank. then we will place another two in the middle. if necessary, we will add another underneath each of the first four to raise the front of the tank higher. write now or forever hold your peace... i should note that i don't think emptying the entire display tank is an option...

[Delphinus]

Not to overharp on a point, but how come? No rubbermaids or bathtubs that could serve temporarily?

Don't get me wrong I have no idea what I'm talking about when it comes to big tanks. I'm just thinking in terms of logic ... shimming up a tank that's empty has got to be less stresses than a tank with water ...

I'm assuming your reluctance comes from that the water must be mixed salt already ... if it was freshwater still I'd be suggesting just let it go, and refill.

If you want to wait until the weekend, I can lend you my 55g rubbermaid if you wanted. It's big and clunky and a real PITA to move, but hey it's another 50 gallons of water storage. OTOH it was only $30 or something like that at Walmart, why not just run over and pick up 1 or 2 of those (or a bunch of rubbermaids, they're about 30g)? Then you're set. Down the road you'll probably end up using those rubbermaids for something else anyways so it's not like it's a wasted investment..

Just my $0.02 ... good luck with whatever you decide!!

[Aquattro]

You could buy the tubs and return them when done.....

[Canadian Man]

He has many 55g drums. He just has to clean them out first

[Aquattro]

Ya know, it would really suck to log on later to find a thread about the tank cracking. I know it isn't fun taking out all the water, but for the amount of work vs. the amount of time and money you've invested so far, I STRONGLY recommend removing as much water as possible....we aren't saying this for fun. Whatever you decide, good luck!!

[Quinn]

jon is right, i guess i should have mentioned that. the reason i only want to take 55 gallons out is because i'm lazy. but really, it won't be that bad. i'll go clean out two of them tonight, that should easy hold all the water in the display tank, and then i'll shim it up.

i checked it at lunch and it actually looks like the right side of the stand is also about 1/16" higher than the left. which means the tank may actually be twisting slightly. is this an issue as well? you'd think the 1" styrofoam would correct this problem. there is no visible difference looking at the tank, except for the fact that under the eurobracing on the right side, occasionally air laps underneath, whereas on the left, this doesn't happen ever... maybe i should have stuck to a 75 gallon...

[EmilyB]

Well, good luck teevee........ FWIW our 155g is shimmed. I don't think we've ever put a level on the 120g............

[Dez]

hey quin,

I've shimmed a 180gal tank without emptying any water out at all.... But if it was my own tank, I'd probably drain as much as I could

Des

[Quinn]

well des, you're too late i've already pulled about 20 gallons out. because i'm lazy and i need to study, i decided to sit on my floor for the next three hours siphoning water into the barrels. my dad still isn't quite with me, he was talking about lifting the tank and sliding a length of wood under the stand until he finally realized that i was only draining about 2/3 of the water volume, and that the tanks, stand, equipment, sand and rocks probably weigh 1000 lbs on their own. needless to say, we'll be shimming it. i'll post as soon as something exciting happens - preferably a level tank with all its water back in it.

[Quinn]

well ladies and gentlemen, the job is done and the water is being pumped back into the tank. one small hassle for quinn, a giant leap for quinn's tank.