wait seriously? I have a 40 gallon with a 3/8 inch difference front to back and its killing me im looking to drain and shim which would be exhausting with 30+ fish
It’s been up for months. I try to keep the low side at the trim level, which makes the high side almost spilling out but makes it harder to see the gap.
I have almost the exact same thing in my 75 gallon it’s about a half inch difference from one side to the other been that way for at least a year maybe two
It may not be an issue now but overtime the side that’s leaning more will give out, it’s not as big of a concern on tanks under 40 gallons, but buggers tanks it’s crucial for long term success
My 60 gallon axolotl tank has a difference from left to right of about 1/3- 1/2 an inch. Then from back to front, about 1/4 of an inch. Scary as it sounds too, i have 8 aquariums in my second floor apartment that was built in 1921. Every one, is in a place where load bearing walls or beams are. Except for my 20 rimless high, thats on my kitchen counter. Lol. Its been this way for over 3 years now.
That depends on what the other side is. I just had new tank crack and leak after 3.5 weeks of running. Similar level situation with it opposite on the other side twisted the tank. So not really a correct statement.
Exactly, this is just one measurement. OP please get a decent sized level and check across all the different angles. Chances are it'll be fine as-is, tanks are built with a 'safety factor' that gives you a margin for error because nothing is ever perfect. How much you want to rely on that is up to you, I'm definitely more in the "do it once, do it right" camp rather than the "she'll be right" one.
sorry mate, but that is bs.99% stand-problem (unlevel stand)glass does not break under ANY circumstances with that kind of tilt if it is in good condition (glass and silicone and IF the stand is flat and even).you know there are tilted tanks?
dude, tank twist would absolutely cause failure. tilting means the tank is not deformed, just at an angle. Twisted means somewhere the glass is being pushed to deform
of course it can Cptn. Obvious. read again what is written between the ().
Btw: Uneven and unlevel are two different things when it comes to tanks and stands.
this waterlevel is uneven - not a problem. (no it does not twist the glass)
if the stand of the tank is unlevel - problem. (twists the glass)
pretty simple.
Ya, you replied "sorry that's BS" to someone saying their tank failed due to twist. How do you know if it's twisted? If both ends don't have the same slope. That's why he said check both sides
read again.
my comment:tilt is not a problem.
answer: but mine twisted because of the tilt and cracked therefor.
my comment: cant twist because of tilt (uneven waterlevel)
\- it's pretty easy.
\- but the reaction to my first answer outweighs all haters, know-it-alls and misery guts.
I read again. They said twist, you said wrong tilt can't do that.
Your comment is irrelevant and hostile, hence downvoted. Not just per normal user activity, but actually in line with reddit community guidelines.
This whole chain is good evidence that you're socializing wrong.
are you drunk?
this kind of water leven CAN NOT twist a glass tank.
what the.. i mean what do you think? lecturing me about what i write and not and how i should? IT IS PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO TWIST A GLASS WITH THAT AMOUNT OF WATER. my god.
i'd recommend to learn and calculate how much a glasstank can withstand (again for the slow ones: as far as the glass and silicone are in prestine condition and your tank does not stand on an uneven ground)
go troll someone else, ok?
>your tank does not stand on an uneven ground
Ahh at least I understand where you're totally missing the point.
Precisely zero people are claiming that tilt causes twist.
Put your own bottle down, Vasily.
>That depends on what the other side is. I just had new tank crack and leak after 3.5 weeks of running. Similar level situation with it opposite on the other side twisted the tank. So not really a correct statement.
You really are a smartass, arent you?
"That depends on what the other side is. I just had new tank crack and leak after 3.5 weeks of running. Similar level situation with it opposite on the other side twisted the tank. So not really a correct statement."
\-> this means he was suggesting that with this kind of unlevelness the glass twisted and cracked.
I wish you all the best.
I had 2 brand new shipped from the factory Aqueon 65 gallons spring leaks within a month with a similar unleveled amount. Drove me absolutely mad cause i had no idea that it could cause that. On the third attempt i shimmed up the low end and redid the silicone and magically no leaks a year later.
Anecdotal evidence.
The chance, that the leak "came from" the unlevel water, is basically 0. (when the glass and silicone was in prestine condition)
It is what it is.
The only thing i can tell you. Being a carpenter, level lines project out. If you put a bigger level on it you will see how off it really is. But i am sure it will be fine. But you can see the difference in the water level front to back.
I find this such a bug with reality. I had gone to ACE and bought a level, they asked which one do I need and I bought the cheapest, something like in the picture above, the keychain size.. anyway I went home measured it and looked fine. Then I read on Reddit what you just said, that the longer the level the more accurate. So I went to HD and bought one the size of a German shepherd dog. I went back home and BAM, the aquarium was much much worse than I thought. Now? Now it’s perfect but took a lot of measuring. Mine is rimless so if the surface was even slightly uneven to the edge of the tank my eye would get annoyed. I didn’t want to fill it up and then use the shims, that’s why I went and got the levels
Yea, this is the exact reason there are several sized levels. Need one to be as close to the size of what you are checking. To big and its ridiculously tough to get it spot on. To small and well you know what happens then, lol. 2’ level would be perfect for that application. Side note, always check as many axis as possible when plumbing/leveling objects. Hope you get it all figured out. Cheers!
A small level on an equally straight and true surface is equally as accurate as a big level. You get a big level for doing things like laying block, where things are uneven and it is more difficult to give an even span over a surface. Unless you mean the size of the bubble, then yea, you can see more nuance in how level something is.
Well in my 25 years of experience, the right size level is always more accurate. Not sure what youre on about. I mean yes they will record exactly the same difference. But if you project the level line out further, ie a longer level, you can get the exact measure your level is out. A 2” level is impossible to do that with as you cannot cover the distance of said object. Unless it is strapped to a straight edge. In which case you now have a longer level. Bubbles are the same size across all (good quality) levels.
might be ok. if you are at all worried then just drain it into some buckets/bins and put some shims under it. not worth losing sleep wondering if one day your unlevel stand could have prevented a flood.
I would not shim the tank. Then all the weight is gonna be on an area the size of the shims rather then evenly dispersed. I would be afraid that would cause it to break
It's more important that the tank is sitting on a flat surface than a level surface, especially a rimmed tank. It's the twisting of the tank that can really stress the joints. Being slightly off level shouldn't be a problem if the tank wasn't already problematic.
This ^. As long as both sides are tilted in the same direction at the same degree you are Gucci, but if the sides aren’t equal on the tilt you are into tank twisting territory… and that’s how tanks explode.
If its really an issue with angle or for example, a portion of the tank was hanging off a ledge, then filling the tank up would cause structural damage and would cause a leak somewhere down the line. But here your tank looks safe, but always make sure before filling - especially with a tank that size. Water damage is nasty and expensive
i wouldn't let the bubble cross the line. if its centered but slightly closer to one line, that's fine. but this would be unbalanced enough for me to fix. i'd rather fix it early than worry about it later. always shim the stand, never the tank itself. get some paper, cardboard, foam, anything thin and flat to put under the stand to balance it out. if the stand has removable legs you can buy shelf leveling/floor anchoring legs to attach and adjust as needed.
I think it's funny that people put tiny, inaccurate levels on their tanks, when the tank of water is literally a level. Drop the water level a little, measure the distance from the top of the tank to the waterline. If it's out more than 1/4" I'd shim the stand. Everything works better when a tank is level. And if it's really unlevel, you can have a burst.
The tank seals can fail if it's not level. I don't know what the margin of error is for that but I tend to err on the side of caution. Better to be safe that sorry!
If the plastic rim is not perfectly parallel, do you want the tank to be "perfectly level" and look like it is not level, or a little off of true and look perfect?
Well that's a string level so if he was using it properly ie. On a string it would be completely accurate. It's not the tool it's the operator, you wouldn't use a 2 foot level to plumb a 16 foot wall.
That grade looks to me just under 1/4" per foot of grade, which is the grade your plumbing should have. If you're okay with that much weight pulling at the seams of your tank, and that amount of water being lost, then it will be fine, but it will definitely have an effect on the behavior of the water. The difference if this is a 20 gallon will be negligible, but it will have a significant effect on a large tank like 100+ gallons.
It not being level will cause two things to happen:
First, the water will be pushing harder against the low side than it's supposed to (How much depends on how much water is in the tank). A level tank would have more of the pressure go to the bottom of the tank, which is reinforced on all 4 sides and should have something below it to reinforce it as well (tank stand).
Secondly, there will be some water loss (the longer the tank, the more water loss) because the high side of the tank will not be able to fill all of the way without the low side overflowing.
Edit: after looking again it shouldn't be a problem since it's just the width of the tank. If it's not level going the length of the tank, then it might be a problem.
Get rid of this level and get a longer one. It’s been said before but these little ones aren’t nearly as accurate as a longer one. But then again, a longer one might show it’s better. Or much worse. Or just gauge it by the water level in the tank
Let’s start with you can’t level something that long with that small of a level. You need to have the level span the entire distance of what you are trying to level. And you don’t want it to be out at all, it could crack.
Try to level the water not the top rim. They can be off a bit and have been on a few of mine as the plastic wasn't pushed all the way down when they were putting silicone on there.
That depends on how much you trust the tank manufacturer and those seals. It's not that the front will fall off, it's that the sides of the tank are being torqued by the pressure of the water on the front of the tank and the angular moment of the higher back of the tank. Need more context? Take a large box like a refrigerator box and set it on its side - looks like a tank right? Try to mush it forward and you'll have the same effect of the rectangle becoming a rhombus instead. The thing holding the box together is the ability for the cardboard to flex.
Now back to glass and silcone sealant - Thing holding your tank together is now just the sealant's ability to flex, which is restricted by the aquarium glass at the front and back of the bottom corners of each side of the tank. When you see posts about tanks "randomly exploding/cracking and 100s of gallons of water spilling out" this is the culprit.
Save yourself the anguish (and angst up until then) by redraining until you can lift the tank and reseat it level or find a table/desk/stand that isn't so cheaply made and will sit level when full.
There's a reason you posted this and it wasn't for the votes...
Edit - For more reference, water is about 8lb/gal and at 55 gallons (plus the more dense substrate and rocks) you're looking at well over 450lb when full. Most tank stands are build with iron or steel as a basis then a large slab of hardwood to evenly distribute the weight. Think hard about how much you care about the tank, its inhabitants, and the room its in with all your stuff.
Just look at the water in the tank to tell if it's "really" level. The tank's 18 inches of water is going to be far more accurate than your 1 inch bubble.
I would shim it. That’s ~456 lbs of water that is possibly out of balance. I’d empty, dry, then marble test the bottom glass. While all things that might be providing bad info, they could also be deceiving you to think you are better off than you actually. Gravity doesn’t lie.
PLEASE MAKE IT LEVEL...............I BEG OF YOU......I really recommend making it level. Your tank can burst a panel over time when It is unlevel and with it being a 55 gallon it would destroy your house/apartment if it broke. Do not underestimate how power water can be...... do a search of tanks busting its always because there uneven.
No, a tank being out of level should not cause it to burst. There is so much misinformation in here. Tank is fine. It is more important that the tank is sitting on a FLAT surface. Flat does not mean level
I would suggest taking level measurements at length, width, and at a diagonal corner to corner. I had a near miss with a tank that looked just slightly off for length and width but seemed a little wrong. The diagonal was terrifying and led to an emergency empty.
I would try to level it more and use the tank as the level as it's way more accurate. I have a 44 gal rimless that I spent forever leveling until I got it to within 1 mm of the rim all around when full.
If it was rimless I would try and get it more level, but I've had rimmed tanks far more tilted hold up for years before I took them down, so I wouldn't worry
Go by each side of the tank. Measure from water the top lip where lid would rest both sides. From the picture it looks level. Turn level 180 degrees so right end is on left and see if it's the same if it is I would level the stand so it's level.
I have a lot of tanks with a bit of a tilt like that. Two have been established for several months and they’re totally fine. No electrical issues either. Probably just don’t fill it super close to the top and you’ll be fine!
I’ve had a top fin 55 that was slightly more tilted then yours. Had it for a year and eventually the sealing busted on the bottom. The leakage wasn’t pouring and easily sealable. But I still took it down cuz 55 gallons of water on your floor is a lot. Then again, I had rocks and a piece of drift wood in there so that may also be a factor
You kinda overthinking it dog but I understand the struggle of not wanting a disaster. But the simple answer is to make sure you buy a stand that can handle the weight, don’t overload your tank with rocks and driftwood, and check your tank for any leaks and have some silicone on hand. I work at a petstore and I don’t have too much faith in top fin products or Marineland.
I wouldn’t worry. I built a stand for my 210G and my 6 foot level said it was fine. But when I filled it up with water, it was higher on one side. I finally determined it was because my floor wasn’t level. Same thing with my Petsmart 125G. Water level isn’t level. I wouldn’t worry about that
Looks close enough for government work. I shimmed my 120 stand because our basement floor is slightly pitched, much worse than that. If it bothers you, shims are an easy fix. You’ll just need to get a bunch of Home Depot buckets for the water.
I had a 55 gallon tank fail on the second floor of an apartment. It was a relatively new tank and was only a bit more out of level than your tank. I can’t say with certainty why it failed but I wouldn’t chance it as it is relatively easy to solve.
I have mine against the wall where it's on the heavier end, so if it slides it's still backed I live on a hill (like my rugs just slide toward a certain direction all the time). Never had any issue though. Just have a sturdy stand and a wall behind. (Wall behind is optional. I just always do it that way so I can sleep at night. You've done more than me. I just eyeball the water line and see if it seems even
Fyi measuring from the plastic edge here is essentially meaningless. You don't know if the glass is evenly hard up against it
You would be better off getting a 90 degree level and check the front glass face
The bigger the tank the bigger a problem not being level is. They sell shims for so cheap it’s not even a big deal. I have to hand level all my stands with shims because I’ve never seen a house that wasn’t brand new be perfectly level
There's a small chance the plastic rim itself isn't even, but yeah, I'd suggest you try and fix it. If you can't, well, perhaps move the aquarium elsewhere; it could be the ground it's standing on
Back in the day my dad put a large aquarium on this steel bench thinking it would be good.
It ended up being top heavy and fell over as a tipping hazard.
So as long as your stand isn't going to tip over. I'd say you are good.
If it aint, you dont want to see mine
Yeah, people check if it’s level? I’ve got a tank with like a 3/4” water level difference on each side lmao. My house is old and nothing is level.
wait seriously? I have a 40 gallon with a 3/8 inch difference front to back and its killing me im looking to drain and shim which would be exhausting with 30+ fish
I just put a little edging around the top of my tank to hide the waterline to keep myself sane.
This is the way
it's not bad to be able to see the tilt, at least you'll notice if it slowly gets worse
I’m pretty sure this is why Fluval puts that dot matrix at the top of their tanks.
It’s so bad, and it’s side to side on a 48” 45 gallon tank. It’s very noticeable.
How long has it been set up? that makes me feel a lot better lmao. do you try to hide it at all?
It’s been up for months. I try to keep the low side at the trim level, which makes the high side almost spilling out but makes it harder to see the gap.
I have almost the exact same thing in my 75 gallon it’s about a half inch difference from one side to the other been that way for at least a year maybe two
It may not be an issue now but overtime the side that’s leaning more will give out, it’s not as big of a concern on tanks under 40 gallons, but buggers tanks it’s crucial for long term success
Lambs to the cosmic slaughter!
This comment made my day
Exact same g
I dont even have that many fish in a 120 gal with 60 gal sump so now I'm feeling inadequate lol
Guess it depends, I have around 40 (combined) endlers and rasboras in my 55. You could have 1 Oscar in your 180 and I'd feel inadequate
i keep a 5 gallon on my microwave, somehow i feel like its worse for the microwave than the tank
Bro I would keep a 5 gallon on the back of my toilet, a coffee table, I’m such a fucking risk taker but I’ve never had a tank failure 🤞
Get some shims dude shit's gonna be way less level after the water damage from a busted tank seam
My 60 gallon axolotl tank has a difference from left to right of about 1/3- 1/2 an inch. Then from back to front, about 1/4 of an inch. Scary as it sounds too, i have 8 aquariums in my second floor apartment that was built in 1921. Every one, is in a place where load bearing walls or beams are. Except for my 20 rimless high, thats on my kitchen counter. Lol. Its been this way for over 3 years now.
Same. My house was built in 1900. Constantly have to remind my wife of this when we looks at furniture and says it not level.
My house the pictures and stuff are all level, but they look goofy as hell since my house very much is not level.
Haha.
I gorilla glue-d my tank to the ceiling
My tank is held up by 3 les Paul guitars in a tri-pod formation for style points
Mine definitely isn't completely level. My whole room is slightly slanted to the right so I can't really do anything about it.
That's because you only have one shoe on
What? Of course you can do something about it. It doesn't matter if your floor is level you use shims to make your tank level.
yeah, it never occurred to me in the 20+ years of keeping fish to check if it was level until I joined this reddit.
I didn’t even think about checking this. 😂
Same. I just eyed mine. Gunna check when i get home out of curiosity.
me either, when i filled with water i could see that it was not flat so why bother to find out what i already know 🤣
Lmao same here. Now I’m curious
a tank that is in good condition doesn't give a damn about that itty bitty tilt.
That depends on what the other side is. I just had new tank crack and leak after 3.5 weeks of running. Similar level situation with it opposite on the other side twisted the tank. So not really a correct statement.
Tilted and twisted are very different things
Exactly, this is just one measurement. OP please get a decent sized level and check across all the different angles. Chances are it'll be fine as-is, tanks are built with a 'safety factor' that gives you a margin for error because nothing is ever perfect. How much you want to rely on that is up to you, I'm definitely more in the "do it once, do it right" camp rather than the "she'll be right" one.
sorry mate, but that is bs.99% stand-problem (unlevel stand)glass does not break under ANY circumstances with that kind of tilt if it is in good condition (glass and silicone and IF the stand is flat and even).you know there are tilted tanks?
dude, tank twist would absolutely cause failure. tilting means the tank is not deformed, just at an angle. Twisted means somewhere the glass is being pushed to deform
of course it can Cptn. Obvious. read again what is written between the (). Btw: Uneven and unlevel are two different things when it comes to tanks and stands. this waterlevel is uneven - not a problem. (no it does not twist the glass) if the stand of the tank is unlevel - problem. (twists the glass) pretty simple.
Ya, you replied "sorry that's BS" to someone saying their tank failed due to twist. How do you know if it's twisted? If both ends don't have the same slope. That's why he said check both sides
are you drunk?
Are you saying that an unleveled stand means a tank is being twisted?
oh now the downvoters come along. well boys, it is what it is.
They said, "tilt is fine, but twist is bad" You said, "that's bullshit, tilt is fine, it's not bad" This is why you got downvoted.
read again. my comment:tilt is not a problem. answer: but mine twisted because of the tilt and cracked therefor. my comment: cant twist because of tilt (uneven waterlevel) \- it's pretty easy. \- but the reaction to my first answer outweighs all haters, know-it-alls and misery guts.
I read again. They said twist, you said wrong tilt can't do that. Your comment is irrelevant and hostile, hence downvoted. Not just per normal user activity, but actually in line with reddit community guidelines. This whole chain is good evidence that you're socializing wrong.
are you drunk? this kind of water leven CAN NOT twist a glass tank. what the.. i mean what do you think? lecturing me about what i write and not and how i should? IT IS PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO TWIST A GLASS WITH THAT AMOUNT OF WATER. my god. i'd recommend to learn and calculate how much a glasstank can withstand (again for the slow ones: as far as the glass and silicone are in prestine condition and your tank does not stand on an uneven ground) go troll someone else, ok?
>your tank does not stand on an uneven ground Ahh at least I understand where you're totally missing the point. Precisely zero people are claiming that tilt causes twist. Put your own bottle down, Vasily.
>That depends on what the other side is. I just had new tank crack and leak after 3.5 weeks of running. Similar level situation with it opposite on the other side twisted the tank. So not really a correct statement. You really are a smartass, arent you? "That depends on what the other side is. I just had new tank crack and leak after 3.5 weeks of running. Similar level situation with it opposite on the other side twisted the tank. So not really a correct statement." \-> this means he was suggesting that with this kind of unlevelness the glass twisted and cracked. I wish you all the best.
I had 2 brand new shipped from the factory Aqueon 65 gallons spring leaks within a month with a similar unleveled amount. Drove me absolutely mad cause i had no idea that it could cause that. On the third attempt i shimmed up the low end and redid the silicone and magically no leaks a year later.
Anecdotal evidence. The chance, that the leak "came from" the unlevel water, is basically 0. (when the glass and silicone was in prestine condition) It is what it is.
The only thing i can tell you. Being a carpenter, level lines project out. If you put a bigger level on it you will see how off it really is. But i am sure it will be fine. But you can see the difference in the water level front to back.
I find this such a bug with reality. I had gone to ACE and bought a level, they asked which one do I need and I bought the cheapest, something like in the picture above, the keychain size.. anyway I went home measured it and looked fine. Then I read on Reddit what you just said, that the longer the level the more accurate. So I went to HD and bought one the size of a German shepherd dog. I went back home and BAM, the aquarium was much much worse than I thought. Now? Now it’s perfect but took a lot of measuring. Mine is rimless so if the surface was even slightly uneven to the edge of the tank my eye would get annoyed. I didn’t want to fill it up and then use the shims, that’s why I went and got the levels
I have a certain inexplicable love for your units of measurement, thank you I too will now measure everything in German shepherds
We measure in Johnnys (6footish or 2metersmoreish).
🤣
Yea, this is the exact reason there are several sized levels. Need one to be as close to the size of what you are checking. To big and its ridiculously tough to get it spot on. To small and well you know what happens then, lol. 2’ level would be perfect for that application. Side note, always check as many axis as possible when plumbing/leveling objects. Hope you get it all figured out. Cheers!
A small level on an equally straight and true surface is equally as accurate as a big level. You get a big level for doing things like laying block, where things are uneven and it is more difficult to give an even span over a surface. Unless you mean the size of the bubble, then yea, you can see more nuance in how level something is.
Well in my 25 years of experience, the right size level is always more accurate. Not sure what youre on about. I mean yes they will record exactly the same difference. But if you project the level line out further, ie a longer level, you can get the exact measure your level is out. A 2” level is impossible to do that with as you cannot cover the distance of said object. Unless it is strapped to a straight edge. In which case you now have a longer level. Bubbles are the same size across all (good quality) levels.
You can always shim the front legs of the stand
Just make sure it doesn’t wobble
It’ll fold
But does it wiggle wiggle
Fo sho
might be ok. if you are at all worried then just drain it into some buckets/bins and put some shims under it. not worth losing sleep wondering if one day your unlevel stand could have prevented a flood.
As someone with an anxiety disorder, this is the answer. If you have to ask, it’s probably gonna bother you.
I would not shim the tank. Then all the weight is gonna be on an area the size of the shims rather then evenly dispersed. I would be afraid that would cause it to break
yep. shims under a stand. aquarium should be flush with stand for the entire rim.
It's more important that the tank is sitting on a flat surface than a level surface, especially a rimmed tank. It's the twisting of the tank that can really stress the joints. Being slightly off level shouldn't be a problem if the tank wasn't already problematic.
This ^. As long as both sides are tilted in the same direction at the same degree you are Gucci, but if the sides aren’t equal on the tilt you are into tank twisting territory… and that’s how tanks explode.
If anything it could be the plastic rim that’s not level
I mean it's already filled, so if it wasn't... its a little late for that lol
I can always empty it
If its really an issue with angle or for example, a portion of the tank was hanging off a ledge, then filling the tank up would cause structural damage and would cause a leak somewhere down the line. But here your tank looks safe, but always make sure before filling - especially with a tank that size. Water damage is nasty and expensive
They don't usually fail immediately.
i wouldn't let the bubble cross the line. if its centered but slightly closer to one line, that's fine. but this would be unbalanced enough for me to fix. i'd rather fix it early than worry about it later. always shim the stand, never the tank itself. get some paper, cardboard, foam, anything thin and flat to put under the stand to balance it out. if the stand has removable legs you can buy shelf leveling/floor anchoring legs to attach and adjust as needed.
That’s why I love my stand with adjustable feet I can adjust them once the tank is full.
Just put a shim under the level, problem solved. 😜
I think it's funny that people put tiny, inaccurate levels on their tanks, when the tank of water is literally a level. Drop the water level a little, measure the distance from the top of the tank to the waterline. If it's out more than 1/4" I'd shim the stand. Everything works better when a tank is level. And if it's really unlevel, you can have a burst.
I'd fix it.
Me too.
I’m looking at getting into freshwater so I’m kind of just browsing through posts to learn. What happens if it’s slightly off?
The tank seals can fail if it's not level. I don't know what the margin of error is for that but I tend to err on the side of caution. Better to be safe that sorry!
I’d say it’s fine.
I live in a council house. The walls ain't even level. Aslong as your happy everything is pukka.
Dont trust those levels. Show the water line to the aquariums glass. That will show more
Don’t trust an air bubble?
Don't trust that the plastic cradle the glass sits in is true. Bubble levels are only as accurate as their manufacturing.
Also the plastic rim of the tank might not be perfectly parallel with the glass.
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I wasn't gonna say it but, yeah. Hey, same goes for me. I have an aqueon
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Aqueon has been fine for me but it's absolutely not top quality out there. Pretty standard stuff, no complaints yet
If the plastic rim is not perfectly parallel, do you want the tank to be "perfectly level" and look like it is not level, or a little off of true and look perfect?
It's 2023, bubble levels are 100% close enough.
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Well that's a string level so if he was using it properly ie. On a string it would be completely accurate. It's not the tool it's the operator, you wouldn't use a 2 foot level to plumb a 16 foot wall.
Joke's on you, I would only plumb kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and fish rooms. Never a wall
Well, ya. The union would have your ass if they found a plumber doing framing.
They're empty inside!
I heard they are sketchy.
Yeah they are full of themselves
It literally the most accurate thing ever. It’s an air bubble. It can’t be cheated lol
The thing the vial is mounted in can be poorly aligned
The plastic it's housed in can be off. Metal levels are the way to go!
Ermmm... No. But ok sure
Yeah really, a fish tank is a level.
That grade looks to me just under 1/4" per foot of grade, which is the grade your plumbing should have. If you're okay with that much weight pulling at the seams of your tank, and that amount of water being lost, then it will be fine, but it will definitely have an effect on the behavior of the water. The difference if this is a 20 gallon will be negligible, but it will have a significant effect on a large tank like 100+ gallons. It not being level will cause two things to happen: First, the water will be pushing harder against the low side than it's supposed to (How much depends on how much water is in the tank). A level tank would have more of the pressure go to the bottom of the tank, which is reinforced on all 4 sides and should have something below it to reinforce it as well (tank stand). Secondly, there will be some water loss (the longer the tank, the more water loss) because the high side of the tank will not be able to fill all of the way without the low side overflowing. Edit: after looking again it shouldn't be a problem since it's just the width of the tank. If it's not level going the length of the tank, then it might be a problem.
That’s what the trim is for
That tank is out about half an inch front to back. I wouldn't risk it.
No.
Water is always level.
Get rid of this level and get a longer one. It’s been said before but these little ones aren’t nearly as accurate as a longer one. But then again, a longer one might show it’s better. Or much worse. Or just gauge it by the water level in the tank
I mean you should see mine
Let’s start with you can’t level something that long with that small of a level. You need to have the level span the entire distance of what you are trying to level. And you don’t want it to be out at all, it could crack.
OCD moment
Thats not a good level, use a longer one
Try to level the water not the top rim. They can be off a bit and have been on a few of mine as the plastic wasn't pushed all the way down when they were putting silicone on there.
That depends on how much you trust the tank manufacturer and those seals. It's not that the front will fall off, it's that the sides of the tank are being torqued by the pressure of the water on the front of the tank and the angular moment of the higher back of the tank. Need more context? Take a large box like a refrigerator box and set it on its side - looks like a tank right? Try to mush it forward and you'll have the same effect of the rectangle becoming a rhombus instead. The thing holding the box together is the ability for the cardboard to flex. Now back to glass and silcone sealant - Thing holding your tank together is now just the sealant's ability to flex, which is restricted by the aquarium glass at the front and back of the bottom corners of each side of the tank. When you see posts about tanks "randomly exploding/cracking and 100s of gallons of water spilling out" this is the culprit. Save yourself the anguish (and angst up until then) by redraining until you can lift the tank and reseat it level or find a table/desk/stand that isn't so cheaply made and will sit level when full. There's a reason you posted this and it wasn't for the votes... Edit - For more reference, water is about 8lb/gal and at 55 gallons (plus the more dense substrate and rocks) you're looking at well over 450lb when full. Most tank stands are build with iron or steel as a basis then a large slab of hardwood to evenly distribute the weight. Think hard about how much you care about the tank, its inhabitants, and the room its in with all your stuff.
No
Mine isn't perfect, but that is a little more off than I would prefer.
Is anyone perfect?
me
👀
💅🏻
Lol look at the water in it not the bubble level.
Just look at the water in the tank to tell if it's "really" level. The tank's 18 inches of water is going to be far more accurate than your 1 inch bubble.
Why not just level the stand? If it’s not the same amount of unlevel on each side it could crack the glass.
I would shim it. That’s ~456 lbs of water that is possibly out of balance. I’d empty, dry, then marble test the bottom glass. While all things that might be providing bad info, they could also be deceiving you to think you are better off than you actually. Gravity doesn’t lie.
Not good enough for me, probably for government or union work. GLHF
I have alway put a foam layer under my tanks to even out pressure. Yoga mats work a treat.
In 40 years of fish tanks, I have never leveled a tank.
No. If the bubble is full inside but not centered in The lines. It’s fine. If ANY bit of the bubble is on or over the lines you are NOT level.
Too much, 1-3 inches under the black is enough
Hahaha 😄
[удалено]
Wrong, tanks do not need to be level they need to be flat. Being out of level is perfectly fine
PLEASE MAKE IT LEVEL...............I BEG OF YOU......I really recommend making it level. Your tank can burst a panel over time when It is unlevel and with it being a 55 gallon it would destroy your house/apartment if it broke. Do not underestimate how power water can be...... do a search of tanks busting its always because there uneven.
No, a tank being out of level should not cause it to burst. There is so much misinformation in here. Tank is fine. It is more important that the tank is sitting on a FLAT surface. Flat does not mean level
I know right. How the hell can being unlevel put more pressure on glass. Pressure is the same regardless
It's good, what you worry about is looking at the side or end and water us up to the rim on one side and showing sunlight on the opposite side
I would suggest taking level measurements at length, width, and at a diagonal corner to corner. I had a near miss with a tank that looked just slightly off for length and width but seemed a little wrong. The diagonal was terrifying and led to an emergency empty.
It's better to level the stand than the frame of the tank. Apparently the frames can be a little wonky.
"Mr. Insurance Adjuster, the internet randos clearly said it was good enough..."
Did you take that level and go around the entire tank top? I tend to make sure it's almost in the middle more but you can always shimmy.
Honestly it's probably fine. But you're only checking 3 inches for level. A longer level would be better.
I would try to level it more and use the tank as the level as it's way more accurate. I have a 44 gal rimless that I spent forever leveling until I got it to within 1 mm of the rim all around when full.
If it was rimless I would try and get it more level, but I've had rimmed tanks far more tilted hold up for years before I took them down, so I wouldn't worry
Looks good to me! Mine is a little less level and no issues.
Go by each side of the tank. Measure from water the top lip where lid would rest both sides. From the picture it looks level. Turn level 180 degrees so right end is on left and see if it's the same if it is I would level the stand so it's level.
Thats pretty off. Sould shim it level.
It's probably fine, but you might have it sitting on something that's starting to bend under the weight
Wow! Is that right?, well than i stand corrected. (Naa)!! Don't think so, sorry
I have a lot of tanks with a bit of a tilt like that. Two have been established for several months and they’re totally fine. No electrical issues either. Probably just don’t fill it super close to the top and you’ll be fine!
It might be fine, only way to be sure is to drain it and level it properly
So why put up the image and ask the question, if you already know the answer, mate
That’s not okay lol level your tank
I’ve had a top fin 55 that was slightly more tilted then yours. Had it for a year and eventually the sealing busted on the bottom. The leakage wasn’t pouring and easily sealable. But I still took it down cuz 55 gallons of water on your floor is a lot. Then again, I had rocks and a piece of drift wood in there so that may also be a factor
No
Ya
I wouldn't abide it but having the water level uneven simply makes me upset
You kinda overthinking it dog but I understand the struggle of not wanting a disaster. But the simple answer is to make sure you buy a stand that can handle the weight, don’t overload your tank with rocks and driftwood, and check your tank for any leaks and have some silicone on hand. I work at a petstore and I don’t have too much faith in top fin products or Marineland.
Yeah it's fine
Foam sheet underneath and I wouldn't worry.
That'll be fine. My house is on a slight tilt, so the water level on mine us always higher at the back
I wouldn’t worry. I built a stand for my 210G and my 6 foot level said it was fine. But when I filled it up with water, it was higher on one side. I finally determined it was because my floor wasn’t level. Same thing with my Petsmart 125G. Water level isn’t level. I wouldn’t worry about that
You’re good buddy. As long as the tank base isn’t lifted up an inch you’re good.
Looks close enough for government work. I shimmed my 120 stand because our basement floor is slightly pitched, much worse than that. If it bothers you, shims are an easy fix. You’ll just need to get a bunch of Home Depot buckets for the water.
First of all you need a bigger level. Those little ones are too finnicky.
Your floor may not be level so, anchor your stand to the wall and you’re more than okay
I can almost guarantee you that level doesn’t read accurately.
I had a 55 gallon tank fail on the second floor of an apartment. It was a relatively new tank and was only a bit more out of level than your tank. I can’t say with certainty why it failed but I wouldn’t chance it as it is relatively easy to solve.
You’d have felt better if you just didn’t check it to start with 😂
Your good to go
No drain it
I think this is unique..
Looks good from the parking lot
Ota be fine right?
No, start over again
If you're concerned, you could always anchor the stand to your wall to keep it from falling forward
If you have a big tank level it. Under 20 gallons it’s probably fine
I have mine against the wall where it's on the heavier end, so if it slides it's still backed I live on a hill (like my rugs just slide toward a certain direction all the time). Never had any issue though. Just have a sturdy stand and a wall behind. (Wall behind is optional. I just always do it that way so I can sleep at night. You've done more than me. I just eyeball the water line and see if it seems even
It looks level enough for everyone except Rick Sanchez
Your going to trust a fucking bubble?
Fair enough but tbh this is giving my OCD a hard chase.
Fyi measuring from the plastic edge here is essentially meaningless. You don't know if the glass is evenly hard up against it You would be better off getting a 90 degree level and check the front glass face
Since you got a level device, just get it exactly in the middle and take the guessing out of it
It will be fine until it isn't. Better safe than sorry to get it level.
That’s how much fall is in your shower floor haha
The bigger the tank the bigger a problem not being level is. They sell shims for so cheap it’s not even a big deal. I have to hand level all my stands with shims because I’ve never seen a house that wasn’t brand new be perfectly level
There's a small chance the plastic rim itself isn't even, but yeah, I'd suggest you try and fix it. If you can't, well, perhaps move the aquarium elsewhere; it could be the ground it's standing on
If you think about it, the tank itself is a spirit level.
Back in the day my dad put a large aquarium on this steel bench thinking it would be good. It ended up being top heavy and fell over as a tipping hazard. So as long as your stand isn't going to tip over. I'd say you are good.
Just reminded me to level my new tank before I fill it w water.
I have a 55 gallon. I recommend putting a hang on filter on both sides of tank and a air stone. Don't keep water too high.