# tank leveling



## splur (May 11, 2011)

It's been a while but I need some advice on my tanks. Slight freakout last night, but some bubbles in the seams of some of my tanks got me started in wondering how strong they really were. I'll get some pictures on here later tonight when I get home, but what are your experiences with bubbles in the silicone of the seams of a tank? I'm pretty sure they've been there from the start when I set them up a couple years ago, but I've also heard silicone weakens over time so that isn't necessarily reassuring.

Also my condo unit floors are unfortunately not completely level, you'd never notice unless you looked at the water level of the tanks. Over 3 feet the water level goes down by a bit less than ~1/8" or 3 mm. Once I get home I can take some pictures with a level, but is that off-level enough for me to empty the tank and try to shim the stands?


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

What is more important than level, is that all four corners are in the same plane. If they aren't, than the tank will be torquing, which can be cause for failure. A few bubbles in the silicone are not usually a problem. It takes a long time for silicone to weaken. I have a tank I built in the 60s that still holds water, and if you saw the number of bubbles in the butt joints you would wonder how it stayed together in the first place.


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## splur (May 11, 2011)

BillD said:


> What is more important than level, is that all four corners are in the same plane. If they aren't, than the tank will be torquing, which can be cause for failure. A few bubbles in the silicone are not usually a problem. It takes a long time for silicone to weaken. I have a tank I built in the 60s that still holds water, and if you saw the number of bubbles in the butt joints you would wonder how it stayed together in the first place.


Yeah, the bubbles are in the butt joints which really scares me. I must have really bad luck with tanks cause they all have bubbles in them.


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## carl (Feb 11, 2010)

Do you have a sheet of white styrofoam between the tank and stand, that will take a lot of stress off the seams


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## splur (May 11, 2011)

carl said:


> Do you have a sheet of white styrofoam between the tank and stand, that will take a lot of stress off the seams


I don't actually, I guess I'll go grab some. What width is it usually?


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

here are a couple of photos in 
of the tank I built about 49 years ago.


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## carl (Feb 11, 2010)

splur said:


> carl said:
> 
> 
> > Do you have a sheet of white styrofoam between the tank and stand, that will take a lot of stress off the seams
> ...


I use the one from Home Depot that goes under a floor, it's shiny silver on one side and green and writing on the other side, around an inch thick


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## splur (May 11, 2011)

BillD said:


> here are a couple of photos in
> of the tank I built about 49 years ago.


Holy... that doesn't scare you?! Makes my seams seem fine... blarggg


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

Still holds water, even without the inner seal.


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