That is a very clever design...
I liked it the moment I saw it when I went looking all around this website for a good example of a aquarium stands that I felt was worth viewing as an example of it "done right"
If I understand how you did this, you have the weight of the tank pushing down on the 2x6 right?
and the way you cut the 4x4 all the weight of the 2x6 is supported by the 4x4 correct?
This is a very good design.
All the weight of the aquarium, sides and ends and everything is pushing down the 2x6s and they are pushing down on the 4x4s
This means that there is good solid supporting wood members that go all the way from the tank to the ground.
I also like the addition of some nice plywood that binds everything in place.
I dont know much about building with wood, but one thing I have learned over this winter when I made my first indoor pond is that I really should have used screws and not 16penny nails.
Had I used screws (and not nailed it every 2 inches as I did), I could have taken the pond's box frame apart in sections when i moved the pond upstairs, and not had to try to move the whole 600 lbs thing at once!
Another thing I have learned after doing some reading on well made aquarium stands is that the best ones do not allow the "fasteners" (nails or screws) the main job of holding everything up.
I have seen a few guys try to just nail one 2x4 thats going sideways to another going up and down and think that the nails will be strong enough to hold the aquarium for years....
