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#1 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: cocoa beach florida
Posts: 74
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300 gallon stand/slab issues
So I have a 300 gallon (96X24X30)reef ready stand aquarium and canopy. I had quite a few aquariums and they were all set up on carpet or tile. I wanted to do something different with this tank. My idea was to have a really clean look that is easy to clean up any water around the tank so I am going to put it directly on the slab, I am going to acid wash the concrete then I've got the concrete paint that's colored and after it's painted I'm putting a wet-look concrete sealer. I cut out the carpet to prep today and before going any farther I decide to check with a level to see how level the concrete actually was. That's where I had a snafu, right where my the middle of my stand is going the concrete isn't flat it actually is a little bit higher than the rest of the area I ripped up which is 120" by 42". The concrete actually is like like a fulcrum to my stand, the middle brace of my stand rests upon that raised up section so that stand\tank can rock a little. I put the stand on the bare concrete to further prove what I saw with the level. I even moved the stand around a bit to no avail. So my first plan of action is tomorrow I'm going to grind that little section of concrete down. I'm talking about 1/16 to1/8 of an inch is all that it is. My main question is though i know they make rubber mats to go between the tank and the stand, I'm wondering if I could do the same under the stand? Just to make sure that the entire stand is completely touching and supporting all that weight. Then I'll cut the rubber( or whatever material) that I use to exactly match my stand keeping the clean look all the way around the stand. I'd rather not float the entire section with concrete it's only one place that I'm having a problem with. I would appreciate any ideas or suggestions of materials that I can use under the stand. Also any advice or ideas in general is welcome. Thanks for reading!
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#2 |
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Join Date: May 2013
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 528
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I think you will find that not only are floors not level, walls rooms also tend to be not square by a surprising amount. This is why stands have adjustable feet, or are shimmed. Personally my large stands have been wooden, so I have shimmed them. If the stand is to be open a little trim around the bottom of each leg hides the shim and unless someone measures the shim to platform height. If your stand is enclosed you won't see it anyways.
Edit: I shim with hardwood or metal plates, then put a felt pad under either the lowest shim, or directly on the stand if there are no shims on that leg. Once you fill the tank the whole stand will want to bend and you want your shims giving full support to that leg. The felt is the same thickness on all legs, and so compresses equally. |
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#3 |
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Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Middle Tennessee
Posts: 59
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I see no problem with your current plan as long as the area to grind down is relatively small. Also if your stand is one that touches ground all the way around the bottom as is sounds like it does I think the rubber mat idea is a good one. That will allow any other minor imperfections in the floor to be negated.
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#4 |
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Bakersfield
Posts: 54
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They make a number of self leveling compounds that could be used, if you form an area that coresponds to the shape of your stand base you could retain the finished concrete look around the base you desire. To me this would garentee a more even loading then some sort of flexible underlayment.
Bill |
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#5 | |
Registered Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: cocoa beach florida
Posts: 74
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![]() Quote:
Yes you are correct in that my stand is made with 2X4's around the bottom but it entirely closed with 3/4" oak plywood in the front and sides and the back is another full sheet of 3/4" birch or something else, it isn't oak but it isn't regular plywood it's really nice looking. So those oak and(birch?)front, back, and sides needs to touch because they are also load bearing. As much as I don't want to put anything down in between the shiny floor and the stand, because of water issues in between the rubber and the floor it's gonna take longer to dry out any spillages, I believe that it is the safest plan to make sure my stand can bear all that weight. Which is about 5000lbs. total weight. I'm also still considering floating it with the proper heavy duty epoxy mortar something like ABE epidermix 500 or 520. But that is a good deal of work. Thanks for your input, I appreciate it. |
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#6 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: cocoa beach florida
Posts: 74
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floating the area with concrete
[QUOTE=wirewiggler;24779484]They make a number of self leveling compounds that could be used, if you form an area that coresponds to the shape of your stand base you could retain the finished concrete look around the base you desire. To me this would garentee a more even loading then some sort of flexible underlayment.
Yes I agree that the absolute safest way is to just make sure the entire area is level by doing it myself. You mentioned that there are a number of self leveling compounds. I have looked at ABE epoxy mortar but if you have any names to be more specific I would greatly appreciate it. If want just pm me with them. Thanks for your advice. ![]() |
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#7 |
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Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Miami
Posts: 73
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If it is a small gap, use a wood shim. If it is large, then grind it down.
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In 100 years we have gone from teaching Latin and Greek in high school to teaching Remedial English in college. - Joseph Sobran. Current Tank Info: 14 Biocube mini reef, 75 reef |
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#8 |
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: San Diego County
Posts: 131
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We had some leveling issues at our house. The leveling compound is extremely easy to use and once poured in the area, self levels. It would be the easiest solution. Don't remember the brand but bought a bag of it at home depot.
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#9 |
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Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 233
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I think the consensus of everybody sounds good. Grind the middle down. Self level. Shim if there is any gaps. Do you have pictures of the area?
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#10 |
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Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Kenmore, WA
Posts: 1,542
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Grinding concrete can be super messy. Fine dust everywhere...
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375g DT 125g sump acrylic, Mixed SPS/LPS tank with anemones and fish. Current Tank Info: 375g Build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2608197 |
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#11 | |
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Lake of the Ozarks, MO
Posts: 344
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Quote:
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#12 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: cocoa beach florida
Posts: 74
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Yes I agree with the general consensus, I'll grind down the floor(yes it completely can and does make a mess, the concrete dust is so fine that even though I have it completely enclosed in visqueen it will find the tiniest hole to escape) then use a bag of level quick over the entire 120"X42". Then prep and use the colored floor paint at least one coat probably two, once dry and cured I will put my wet-look concrete sealer Lastly I will put red guard on the bottom of my stand for water protection and if everything works right and it looks great,fingers crossed, I will not need the rubber mats. I really appreciate everbody who responded!! If the most important piece fails due to it not being properly supported then besides the mess I also lose any aquatic life and probably some equipment. Oh and the tank too. So this has been a major stressor and just having your posts reaffirms what I want to do. If anybody has any other advice or ideas please share them with me! I am taking pictures and will be starting a build thread in the upcoming weeks. Thanks alot everyone!!!
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#13 |
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Cape Coral, FL
Posts: 10,431
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I don't know what kind of colored floor paint you plan to use. But I would seriously consider the 2 part epoxy paint they make for garage floors. I've seen a lot of garage floors painted with 'special concrete paint' and it doesn't take long before they become a mess. Even ones that have been etched and washed with muriatic acid. My wife and her ex did the garage floor in our house before I met her and it didn't hold up well at all. I raced sports cars and a friend and I rented a small warehouse (new construction) and we epoxy coated the floor. It held up to spills of gas, oil, gear lube, antifreeze, brake clean, lacquer thinner... you name it, we probably spilled it... even a beer or two!
I'd love to empty the garage at our house, strip all the old paint off the floor and epoxy coat it, but the darn thing is so full of aquarium stuff it would take me 3 days to empty it!
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#14 | |
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: cocoa beach florida
Posts: 74
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![]() Quote:
Hello Ron, yeah That is a valid point I know exactly what your talking about (two part epoxy paint) and I was considering buying it but went with the gallon of grey colored concrete paint. I'm still easily a few days away from painting so another trip to HD or lowes isn't a biggie to do it right the first and only time. On the other hand I can't feel too bad for a man that can't paint his garage floor becuase he has too much aquarium stuff on it.LOL. IMO that's a good problem to have. ![]() |
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#15 |
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Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Southern CT
Posts: 818
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Is there a concern for how thick the self leveling stuff should be, as well as how long it should set? If it's too thin, will it crack?
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120g mixed reefer. |
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#16 | |
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: cocoa beach florida
Posts: 74
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Quote:
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#17 | |
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Cape Coral, FL
Posts: 10,431
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Quote:
![]() But I'll be selling a lot of stuff locally and here on RC over the next few months. I even sold my leaking 180g tank to a guy that wants to tear it apart and rebuild it. ![]()
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The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. (Neil deGrasse Tyson) Visit my build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2593017 |
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#18 | |
Registered Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: cocoa beach florida
Posts: 74
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no room
Quote:
sorry to offend I was making a joke. ![]() ![]() |
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#19 |
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Cape Coral, FL
Posts: 10,431
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No offence, I was just explaining our situation. It seems pretty common here in Florida.
I don't remember the brand of epoxy paint we used, but it was close to 20 years ago and I'd wager the stuff for sale now is better anyway. Talk about needing room, here is the stand and tank system I put together about 6 years ago. ![]() I just tore it out due to the 180g tank failure and my desire to downsize and improve the looks of the overall system. The old set up when it was done: ![]() The new system 9only 2 months old). ![]()
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The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. (Neil deGrasse Tyson) Visit my build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2593017 |
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#20 |
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Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 160
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Why do t you scribe the bottom on the stand and grind it down?
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#21 | |
Registered Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: cocoa beach florida
Posts: 74
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reply to scribing
Quote:
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Tags |
concrete slab, large tank, stand |
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