Why build instead of buy?
The DIYfishkeepers website had a good design, and it was a lot cheaper than buying another piece of furniture. I spent about $100 for materials.
By building a custom stand it would have the exact dimensions, layout, and size I wanted. I wanted the base of the fish tank exactly level with the bed, which was about 27" vs. the usual 30" height.
Photos by the author. No rights reserved - free to use.
The joints are held with both glue and deck screws.
Photos by the author. No rights reserved - free to use.
I used redwood which was 1/2 as heavy as douglas fir making the stand weigh about 100 lbs instead of 200 lbs, and it's still pretty strong (but costs 3x more). A friend who knows how to really build well with wood helped me cut the 2x6 pieces to exact matching lengths using a table saw. This is essential. Also, a sheet of marker board on the bottom protects the floor or carpet from minor spills.
Photos by the author. No rights reserved - free to use.
I also built a custom lightweight partial canopy to hide the tank edge and glare from the lights. Both the stand and canopy I think turned out pretty well!
Photos by the author. No rights reserved - free to use.
A sheet of 3/4" laminated pine is under the tank, and a rubber shelf liner. I added some water to level the tank using shims, but the floor settled anyway another 1/2" under the front left corner when the tank was filled; 75 gallons of water = 600 lbs, plus another 100 lbs for the weight of the stand, and this is on the second floor! (at least it's in a corner).
The front and side sheets are 1/4" blackboard material. It didn't need much cutting, and it is matte black. I used the same material for the top canopy.
Photos by the author. No rights reserved - free to use.
In California earthquakes happen. To stabilize this setup I used three angle braces, found the studs, screwed them in, and hope for the best. It seems solid. If the tank is really going to get knocked over, then the building will probably collapse too.
A little bit of silicon sealant was spread around the base pieces in case something has a leak or spill. I trust the Eheims, but not some of the cheaper equipment ...
The completed stand, canopy, and tank, about three months later. The canopy is sort of a half-unit, since I am also using the plastic box that came with the tank for the lights. This seals the lights and prevents an "oops" - having them fall in the water. The slim look came out pretty nicely.
Photo by the author. No rights reserved - free to use.