Innovative Marine Nuvo 20G Stand Alternative?

[TacticalReef]

I recently ordered a Innovative Marine 20G Encore, so two 10 gallon tanks stuck together basically.

IM is having a sale on their stands so the APS stand is $270 right now but I wanted to get some other recommendations on alternatives. I found plans to build one out of a couple of IKEA cabinets which would cost about $180-$240 depending on the features and details I choose to add.

I don't want to just assume I can put it on any kind of shelf or cabinet even though it is classified as a desktop aquarium I still expect it to weigh about 300 lbs once filled with water and rock is added on both sides.

So I am looking for a good balance of aesthetic and price. Will need a closed cabinet to store the ATO res and other equipment in.

 

[Waffen06]

I have the nuvo 20 with aps metal stand. I really like the stand, since the metal is a lot thinner then wood there is plenty of room inside. Don't have to worry about it getting wet and is very sturdy.

 

[DPRoberts]

I was in the same boat recently - the particle board stand I bought for my IM20 had gotten wet over the years & had started to swell. I have zero woodworking skills, so I borrowed an idea from another post. I bought a used cabinet that no longer had a counter, & called around to local countertop stores to see if they had any remnants. They basically gave me this one - a quartz remnant I paid them $50 to cut to size & polish. They said they get sizes like these quite often - they're too small to sell, but too big to just throw them away. Not my favorite design, but the IM20 covers most of it anyway. The main benefit is that it won't break or absorb water. I'm happy with it.