# Big Als tubeular metal stand not true



## jonstreets (Feb 27, 2013)

So ive had one of those generic metal tubular stands from big als for about 2 years now. i had stacked a 29g on top and a 20g long on bottom. its a 30x12 stand built with 3/4" tubular metal. and i thought something looked a little off. so i went and got a level and noticed that it has warped. the legs are at an angle. enough of an angel that the bubble in the level was all the way to the side. should this be a concern? does anyone know the warranty of these stands? what should i do?


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## 12 Volt Man (Sep 26, 2011)

if the level is that far off then it is not safe to leave it the way that it is.

I have been using these steel stands for about 25 years now and they are rock solid

but, it is not uncommon for the horizontal steel bar to not be 100% straight. Tube steel almost never is. quite often, the center of the tank will not be supported, but as long as the corners are, and the whole thing is flat and level it doesn't matter. the tank does not need support in the middle, contrary to popular misconceptions. 

However, it sounds like this is not what the problem is.

Can you post a pic of the stand/level bubble? that would help

not sure what the warranty on these stands is, as I have never had one have an issue. You could contact big als and see what they say.


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## blunthead (Jan 24, 2011)

maybe its warped from not being shimed properly on an uneven floor?


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

Sounds like the stand is out of square. Easy to check, by placing a square in the corner between the shelf and the leg. If you don't have a square you can use a small box, as they are usually square. One of the guys I worked with used a cigarette package as a square, because he kept losing his combination square. If the stand is out of square there isn't much you can do about it, except possibly return it. If it is square, then the stand isn't levelled properly, and this can be fixed. if the deviation is slight it is unlikely to be an issue. Even though those stands look chintzy, they are still very string.
While it is true that steel is seldom straight, and the welding operation warps it more, I disagree that the bottom of the tank doesn't need support. An aquarium is basically a box beam, which is a very strong structure. Supporting it on the ends alone is possible and it will probably hold up. However, it puts a lot of stress on the structure which is eliminated when the entire bottom/edge is supported. Styrofoam can help with this, as it will make up for discrepncies in flatness of the shelf, transferring the weight to the stand.
I have 3 steel stands I built a number of years ago, of heavier steel than used in commercial stands (1 1/4" x 1/8" wall square tube). I carefully chose every single piece that went into them, used methods of joining to ensure precision, and still ended up with pieces that weren't perfectly straight after the welding. The Styro makes up for this.


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## jonstreets (Feb 27, 2013)

whats the best way to level one of these stands? my floors are very uneven


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

There are numerous ways to level the stand from using wooden shims to bits of metal or even coins.


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## zenins (Sep 17, 2013)

BillD said:


> There are numerous ways to level the stand from using wooden shims to bits of metal or even coins.


I love DIY


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

I often used pennies to level machinery, because you always had some in your pocket.


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## 12 Volt Man (Sep 26, 2011)

BillD said:


> I often used pennies to level machinery, because you always had some in your pocket.


yeah, but times have changed esp here in Ontario


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## SKurj (Oct 26, 2011)

I use wood to get everything level, then I measure the thickness used on each corner. I then go to metals plus in Whitby and buy steel in the dimensions I need. I recently did that for the 125 I have in progress, 3 pieces of steel 2"x2" in 1", 3/4" and 1/4" thickness cost me $9. 

For a big tank I wouldn't trust wood personally.. a 125 full will run over 1200lbs

I used toonies and loonies to level my 55, it cost less to level the 125 +)


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