tight fitting sump

[JMorris271]

Does anyone know if someone (meaning me) can drill a side hole in a 4x18x30inch stand to give access to inside the cabinet? I cannot find a sump/refug that will fit through the door and also be large enough to handle power outages.
I have everything to get this tank going except the sump

 

[JMorris271]

Well thanks for the views.

 

[Donkeykong]

Many stand makers will add a door on the side so you can slide a sump in thru. Most likely yes you can cut a section out of the side and then make a door to cover it. First I would verify that the side panels of your stand are not adding needed structural support. Most larger stands have a 2x4 frame that is all the vertical support and the side panels add side to side(sheering) support. If this is the case for your tank, cutting an access panel on one side would not damage the structural integrity of the stand. Now if this stand is one of the MDF board stands that use the panels for the actual structure with no internal framing, I would not cut a whole in anything!

 

[JMorris271]

It feels like good wood on the side of the cabinet but the frames on the inside of the corners are 1x3.5's.??????? I am thinking of doing a frame on the inside around the hole I may cut for the door with the vertical pieces supporting the one horizontal.View attachment 275669

 

[MacWilliams]

Is there a brace in the back as well? You can remove it slide in the sump and then put it back before you put water in the tank