60 Gallon Stand On Carpet

So yesterday I got my new 60 gallon aquarium and stand! I was definitely excited to get that giant for sure. Despite measuring 20 times, I was still surprised by how tall it is.

Anyways. My issue is that when I got the aquarium stand on the carpet, it doesn't sit level. On the kitchen tile it does, so the stand is level but on carpet it isn't. This greatly concerns me.

Some things I've read say that the weight of a full tank will level it out and cause the stand to sink into the carpet. My issue is that I live in an apartment on the second floor. It's totally cool with my landlord. But I don't want to be filling the whole tank and find out it didn't help at all. Please help! My head is full of doubts now!

 

I have a 39 gallon on carpet, it's sunk into my carpet now and it looks completely level
You could fill half of the tank and let it sit for a couple of days
If it doesn't go level, siphon the water and move it to the kitchen I suppose

 

I've thought about buying a piece of sanded plywood and putting it under the stand. But I'm no engineer. I don't know if that's a huge no no. Not sure what to do

 

I've thought about buying a piece of sanded plywood and putting it under the stand. But I'm no engineer. I don't know if that's a huge no no. Not sure what to do

I levelled a bookcase with a small piece of spare carpet once
Best thing to do is to make sure all the weight is evenly distributed
Do you have a spirit level?

 

I don't know exactly the difference between a level and a spirit level. I don't have a level, but plan on buying one today.

 

A spirit level is one of those bars with the lil tubes on them
And the bubble moves depending on how level it is
Here's an

 

Oh okay. Never heard it called a Spirit Level before. Yea I'll be buying that today.

From what I'm reading the carpet will compress itself. Think I'm going to put in some water today and have it compress the stand down a bit. See if that helps.

 

Oh okay. Never heard it called a Spirit Level before. Yea I'll be buying that today.

From what I'm reading the carpet will compress itself. Think I'm going to put in some water today and have it compress the stand down a bit. See if that helps.

I live in the UK so that might be why the names are different haha

But yeah, mines on carpet and it's kinda sunk in now

 

A spirit level is one of those bars with the lil tubes on them
And the bubble moves depending on how level it is
Here's an

That's a torpedo level. At least in the US.

 

Technically that is both a torpedo level and a spirit level. The spirit level is the liquid and bubble in a glass tube, torpedo is just the spirit levels form factor. But there are levels that are not spirit levels, such as water levels (water in a clear plastic hose) and laser levels. There are probably even more types.

 

Technically that is both a torpedo level and a spirit level. The spirit level is the liquid and bubble in a glass tube, torpedo is just the spirit levels form factor. But there are levels that are not spirit levels, such as water levels (water in a clear plastic hose) and laser levels. There are probably even more types.

Interesting fun fact there.

 

Don't forget the carpet is stapled down at the edge of the wall to a thin piece of wood (usually) I'd pick up the carpet a bit and take a look.

 

I checked the carpet and made sure the stand isn't on the tack strip. What do you think is a good thing to use to weigh the stand down? I was almost thinking sand bags. Not sure if trying to just throw the tank on the stand with it off level and filling it with water is a good idea. The last thing I need is for it to tip over full of water.

 

Indeed this is a engineering question, because of the consequences. Unfortunately I'm not one, however I can ask more questions. Did you look under the carpet? It does look like it isn't on the edge where the carpet tack strip is. How far off level is it? Does moving it around to a different place on the carpet help? Is there movement when you walk by the tank?

 

I have moved the aquarium to other places on the carpet with the same effect. On the kitchen floor it sits perfectly level.

I currently don't have the tank sitting on the stand for obvious reasons. But when I walk by either, I don't see movement. If I throw a level.on the tank sitting on carpet, it's level.

 

I just set up a 90G in my second floor apartment and it was quite the hassle. First I had to verify that the trusses were running perpendicular to my tank so the load would be distributed across multiple trusses and not be centered in the middle of a truss. Being on the second floor (And not sure where you live or when your apartment was built) I would suggest you place anything over a 55 on a load bearing wall where the trusses are perpendicular from the tank.

When I set mine up I had to put some cardboard shims under it and I was noticing the other day that everything must have compressed because the tank is off about a half a degree now.

If there is matting under the carpet (usually there is, anyone that has done carpet installation before, feel free to chime in) maybe you could pull the carpet back enough to cut out the foot print of your tank so you have carpet directly over subflooing??

 

I would personally notch out the skirting board shape on the stand so the stand can sit tight to the wall then with 2 little metal angle brackets I'd fix to the wall the you can level the stand and fix the brackets to the stand to hold it level and perfectly stable.

Or if you don't want it tight to the wall buy some L brackets with the longer side against your stand holding it level.

 

As a disclaimer, I am not an engineer but do work with all types and ran my situation past my structural engineer and he said if you have anything over 55, and it has four legs and not a continious base, he would glue and screw a sheet of 3/4" plywood under the tank to distribute to load more evenly. My tank is approximately 125 pounds per square foot for my foot print. (90G+Tank+Stand+Media+Sand = +/- 1000 pounds. The tank is 48"*24* or 8 square feet)

On paper any engineer can make the flooing system fail every time with the weight we are distributing in such a small space, but if you take precautions, you should be fine.

 

Do you think that the plywood alone is enough? I could probably even use brackets to hold the stand to the wall on the top and the bottom of the stand to secure it more. I work at a hardware store, so getting the materials isn't an issue. Just need to know what to get and if it'll work. Obviously you can't say 100% it'll work. Honestly think everything from this thread makes me more confident. I was honestly ready to throw in the towel and return it.

 

Most engineers are idiots I fix their mistakes weekly at work. You can do the plywood it won't hurt having it there, but screwing the plywood wood be a mistake and make it structurally weaker... wood glue would work but isn't needed. You can l bracket it to the wall and prevent movement, that should help prevent damage. Your sides look like they run the width if they do you're fine and just l bracket it. Your floor is more than strong enough if it's built to code. If it's more than say 50 years old I'd double check

Oh I'm a carpenter... so that's where my knowledge comes from.

 

I have the same tank and it did not set level at first either. It is because the back of the tank is one straight piece while the front has a cut out allowing the carpet to push the back up higher while the front sinks in more due to the smaller area it is sitting on.

 

I have the same tank and it did not set level at first either. It is because the back of the tank is one straight piece while the front has a cut out allowing the carpet to push the back up higher while the front sinks in more due to the smaller area it is sitting on.

How did it work out for you? Really interested in the outcome.

 

How did it work out for you? Really interested in the outcome.

If the sides are touching the ground all the way across do not add spacers to the front.

 

Did yours just settle into the carpet?

 

Boy oh boy, there gonna keep you in suspense. Or there cleaning up all the water. Lol

 

Boy oh boy, there gonna keep you in suspense. Or there cleaning up all the water. Lol

Lol. For sure!! Haha

 

Lol. For sure!! Haha

I think you'll be ok. Just fill it slow keeping your level on the tank .

 

How did it work out for you? Really interested in the outcome.

Yeah it turned out fine for me and at the time I had fish waiting on buckets as I bought a used tank and just went with it. I haven't checked it with a level but it's been fine for almost a month. But the idea of just cutting out a piece of plywood seems like a fairly good idea as it would distribute the weight evenly. My carpet is on the thin side so it might be different in your case. I wish you goodluck!!

 

Yea. My carpet is like of higher. But I think I will try the plywood idea. It can't hurt. Thank you!! If it works out, I'll post a final product of the tank!

 

Nooooo, be careful on carpet, it will be disaster if you have kids at home.

 

Yea. My carpet is like of higher. But I think I will try the plywood idea. It can't hurt. Thank you!! If it works out, I'll post a final product of the tank!

Just don't screw it in. Glue is okay but no screws. If you want you could put a thing strip on the bottom of the plywood to make it more level. You want it within an 1/8 meaning bubble in the bars, outside edge can be touching.

 

I'd try putting some water in and seeing if it levels after about a day. Don't shI'm it with anything until you try that. You don't want to shI'm it, fill it with water, and then it's off level because you shimmed.

 

I have a Python coming in the mail so I should have that tomorrow. Then I'm going to give filling it a little a try. If I see an improvement with just adding water I'll be a little happier. Probably leave it with water for like a week to really let it setting into the carpet right