Aquarium underlay
The suitable underlay for your aquarium
You can, of course, position your aquarium on an absolutely flat and clean surface without an underlay. But even a tiny sand grain or stone may cause the bottom panel to crack and to turn your living room into a wetland. It is therefore highly advisable to invest a small amount in purchasing a suitable aquarium underlay. This compensates for unevenness to a certain extend and prevents tiny stones from becoming a problem. A few insurance companies ask in case of a water damage whether an aquarium underlay was in use. JBL offers you foam underlays ( JBL AquaPad ) which are cut to an appropriate size. Please also think about the future weight of your aquarium, when selecting the aquarium cabinet! Roughly calculate the water volume of your tank in kg for the weight (you actually need to allow a further 10 % for the glass weight and decoration, such as gravel and stones).
By the way, the aquarium underlay not only prevents glass damage, but also insulates and thus saves energy (and energy costs)!
Another advantage of the dark-coloured underlays which usually pass unnoticed (in contrast to the styrofoam from the DIY store) is their thermal insulation. The foamed plastic has excellent heat-insulating properties and thus prevents significant heat loss to the cabinet or wall at which the aquarium stands. This means that the cost of a quality aquarium underlay is quickly recouped by the electricity saved on the aquarium heater. Often, but not always, it is also possible to cover the side panes with a cut-to-size aquarium underlay to provide additional heat insulation. Heating energy should never go to waste...
