Once you have chosen fishkeeping as a hobby, you will gain insights into a fascinating underwater world and, at the same time, have a decorative eye-catcher in your home. However, a filled aquarium with gravel and decoration can be heavy. Living room furniture is generally not suitable for supporting aquariums safely. The solution: practical and stable aquarium furniture that matches the rest of the interior design.

The right supporting surface is not necessarily the first thought that goes through your head when you purchase an aquarium. But you can’t just put a larger aquarium in a cupboard or on a shelf: apart from the typical lack of depth in this type of furniture, the enormous weight of a filled aquarium is too much for them to take. In addition, there is the aquarium equipment, which should be stowed away so that it is as out-of-sight as possible but still easily accessible. Aquarium furniture for smaller tanks, stable cabinets or tables are generally suitable. However, there are numerous advantages to a special fishkeeping cabinet base: aquarium cabinet bases are functional furniture that offer a safe surface for the tank and plenty of storage space for accessories. There are cut-outs for the cabling and space for attaching the filters; all of this is discretely hidden behind cabinet doors.

A weak spot with many aquarium furniture is the area between the bottom of the tank and the supporting surface. In between, you absolutely must have an aquarium mat

• to compensate for unevenness,
• for insulation against moisture,
• for heat equalisation.

However, a base is only suitable for tanks without frames on the base plate. Foam thermal or safety mats are available in various standard sizes.

Stability of the base frame is the most important factor to consider: The weight of the tank must be resting on the side walls. This load distribution is taken into account in the construction of furniture for aquariums. Height also plays a major role: the tank must be at a height where you can still comfortably carry out maintenance tasks and feeding. If the tank cover is approximately at chest height, you can service the aquarium without difficulty. Last but not least, the new piece of furniture should fit harmoniously into the rest of the furniture. Aquarium cabinet bases are usually available in the universal colours black and white, but also in various wood patterns.