styrofoam under tanks

[justincgdick]

I'm confused. All of the store bought tanks I've had are raised bottom pain with the four sides surrounding it, black trim over that. I've fired them on a million different things without foam. Most makeshift stand bow in the middle and I've had many tanks where I could slide a card under the center of the tank. I'm not saying this is good, but I've never had a tank leak. I usually just try to find a stand that is pretty darn flat.

If you add foam to this kind of tank it shouldn't push on the bottom pane.
The bottom is supposed to float and be supported by the trim. I've actually seen a tank that was half over a flat bar top, lengthwise, and the two floating corners propped with 2x4s on end. Once again, bad bad idea, but the point is you don't support the bottom and you would be hard pressed to blow a tank supporting it by a couple points on the trim as long as they are flat and level to each other. A leak would be caused by twisting or torquing the tank.

Custom build tanks/ quality tanks generally have the sides sit on top of the bottom pane. Smaller tank go on a rubber-esqe mat on a flat surface. Large tanks on a very flat surface followed by 1/2-1" dense foam (not the white stuff) and then the tank. Usually it's fine to remove the support material around bulkheads within reason.

Have a high point with this tank and you could cause the pane to crack.