A couple more pics of progress on the stand.
The base and doors (second door is for another stand) after staining:
The top after gluing:
The top is built like a tray to hide the base of the aquarium and catch small spills. I'll silicone the inside of the tray and of the base, in case it has a sump in it someday.
Perhaps it doesn't make sense to build custom stands for my small, cheap tanks. There is room for expansion, though. The two stands could easily be two pedestals to support a 48" 50G tank, with a small sump in one and electrical in the other.
Everything is oak. I'll note here for my own future reference that I'm finishing with Minwax "red oak" and Circa 1850 antique paste varnish.
Regards,
Nevin