Combo stand...

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this is an interesting concept since a 20long is wider than a 20 high. Where you thinking of doing them side by side or one over the other?
 
well you could have the 20 long on top, and the 20 high underneath, and have storage / bookshelf area on either side.

problem is, unless you elect to have one tank rather low to the ground, it will be difficult to provide "access room" to both tanks and keep the height managable

the only kind of stands I know how to build are brute force "utilitarian" stands, composed of 2x4's and lots of screws... my guess is you're looking for something more finished looking.

look into 3/4" birch plywood as your construction material, using a good glue and well placed screws, it should be able to hold the weight of a pair of 20's with no problem.

here's a diagram of what I'm talking about - it's basicly just a plywood box, with some extra dividers/supports inside

you could build it out of something like 1x4 paneling and then cover it with some 1/4" veneer as well, but solid plywood would be much stronger (and heavier)
 
even though your design is "utilitarian" ;o) with some good wood, nice trim and a good stain job that design could be very appealing.

It might be a little more costly but I think i'd go with 1/2" solid boards rather than plywood. Your exposed edges will have a solid wood grain and be much more appealing to the eye without any extra work. You'll also be able to screw into it edge-wise and have it hold up. (ALWAYS PRE-DRILL SCREW HOLES)

A 20 gallon is only 160+ pounds. That weight distributed over 4, 1/2" solid wood boards on edge would hold up just fine. To keep it from collapsing sideways simply tack on a piece of 1/4" hardwood plywood on the back. You'll want to do this for the look of the piece anyway.
 
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