Awww! That sucks FM! I'm sorry you're having to deal with this. That's probably one of the most dreaded things fish keepers think about happening to their tanks (I know I've worried about it in the beginning). =X

The stand being completely dry is an oddity. Have you tried running your canister filter in the bath tub or something, to see if you can pinpoint a leak? You could setup a container in your tub like a mock aquarium and let it run to see if there's any leaks. That'll test the hoses and filter with the force it typically utilizes.

You might want to take your tank outside (not sure if it's completely empty or not) and fill it up with the garden hose and see if there are any leaks at that time. Probably much easier and more safe to test that way.

I'm sorry FM, this is such a bummer. =/