So the tank has been cycling in a spare room while I worked on the stand. My wife did not want the standard black Marineland stand that is made for this aquarium so I spent a few weeks browsing Craigslist for any piece of suitable furniture. I ended up buying what looked like a beat up 30 year old cabinet for $50 that looked like it could use a good refinishing job. Imagine my surprise when I got home and took a good look at the construction and found out what I had just purchased was actually an antique made in China in the late 1800's. Yep, I had one of "those" Craigslist finds!
Anyway I still needed an aquarium stand and knew that this one would have to be "modified" with a saw to open up the back if it was to fit the bill. Knowing full well this would de-value it I stared at the bloody thing for 2 weeks trying to get up the gumption to chop a hole in the back. Well I finally had a rotten day at work and out came the tools once I got home.
Here's how it went in pictures:
The cabinet, untouched on the outside except for a hole in the back, which is now being used as of today.
The first bit of work I did on the inside was to cut an access hole and start reinforcing the frame. I thought the cabinet was sturdy enough but being as old as it was didn't want to take any chances. So I glued and screwed a bunch of supports around the existing framework and then stained the new wood dark so it matched a little better. You'll notice in this picture the doors are off and there are little shell shaped pivots where they fit into - no metal hinges at all, just all carved out of wood. This was at about the half way done stage.
After I did the framework I put in a false back, side, and bottom (on the inside) so I would have something to screw my equipment to. There's not a lot of room so it's just holding 2 dosing pumps, Calcium and Alk containers, a Reef Keeper Lite, and a small chiller which is vented through the back.
I also cut a 3/4inch piece of plywood and stained it to help support the tank and protect the top of the cabinet from salt water. Here's what the finished product looks like with the tank in place.
Not to everybody's taste I know but the wife got a unique piece of 150 year old furniture that she is happy with and I finally got the aquarium in its ultimate resting place so I can continue with the build.