Cable management

[Tuan’s Reef]

I’ve been in several hobbies but cable/wire management was always my Achilles .

I didn’t want to clean it up until all the equipment is purchased and installed . My ATO reservoir just came in so now I need to tidy my rats nest.

Looking for tips , pics, ideas on a clean setup . Wife hates al the wires that run at the backside.

 

[Jeight]

I used a combination of 3m Command strip items to route things neatly some velcroe and these https://www.amazon.com/Raceway-Alri...able+raceway&qid=1554217756&s=gateway&sr=8-17

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

I used a combination of 3m Command strip items to route things neatly some velcroe and these https://www.amazon.com/Raceway-Alri...able+raceway&qid=1554217756&s=gateway&sr=8-17

Those looks great! They make in black? Would blend in with my black stand

 

[TheWB]

I used these cable management discs I found at Home Depot. It isn’t the cleanest but they keep the wires off of each other for the most part and it keeps them mostly flat against the back of the tank.

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

I used these cable management discs I found at Home Depot. It isn’t the cleanest but they keep the wires off of each other for the most part and it keeps them mostly flat against the back of the tank.

That looks great too honestly. Keeps em flat again your tank yet still very accessible if you need to take something offline.

Great suggestions so far

 

[TheWB]

That looks great too honestly. Keeps em flat again your tank yet still very accessible if you need to take something offline.

Great suggestions so far

Thanks, that’s exactly what I was going for. I love the idea of cable tracks in theory but they don’t work so well with an AIO system. I’m glad I found these at HD.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

Might I suggest cutting a piece of wood to cover the whole area up. You can paint/ stain it and gloss it up in urethane.

 

[shred5]

That looks great too honestly. Keeps em flat again your tank yet still very accessible if you need to take something offline.

Great suggestions so far

Being accessible is the problem.
I have tried allot of things and it is tough.

I have done all nice and tidy control panels and they may look nice but I hate them and wont do one again. Such a pain to get behind them and find out what is going on.

The real problem is when there is a actually problem and it is now emergency and your tying to pull your cords out of raceway to find the right one etc.

Personally keeping them completely separate like above is the best. You know what cord is for what.

Label power supplies, label cords, label switches so you can turn each off.

I use plug strips where I can turn each thing off individually too.

 

[BestMomEver]

I used cable ties to gather the excess. Then I bought a box of hooks and screwed them to the back of stand. I routed the wires with the gizmos in the pictures up there^ then hung each bundle on its own hook. Make sure to label them. One thing it does is keeps all the wires separate and easy to identify.

 

[TaylorJames]

I used twho boards, one behind the other suspended with bolts. Power supplies and cables between the boards and the controllers in front.

 

[SeaDweller]

Looks good to me! Mine doesn’t look pristine like some set ups but it’s all zip tied together neatly and organized. Just not “hidden” and lookin like all TOTM stuff

 

[Nilo]

I tried to make my cables as tidy as possible and everything was tucked away nice and neat until I realized I needed to clean and do regular maintenance on my pumps and also need to regularly clean my ATO sensor and Apex probes. It was a pain cutting all the zip ties and separating all the cables apart and trying to get everything loose from each other. So my advise is to take account of the equipment that you’ll need quick access to. Make sure they’re not permanently tied or screwed somewhere and label everything. Vortech pumps are easy but it’s a pain trying to redo all your wiring every time you need to clean a gyre or other pumps.

 

[TheWB]

I tried to make my cables as tidy as possible and everything was tucked away nice and neat until I realized I needed to clean and do regular maintenance on my pumps and also need to regularly clean my ATO sensor and Apex probes. It was a pain cutting all the zip ties and separating all the cables apart and trying to get everything loose from each other. So my advise is to take account of the equipment that you’ll need quick access to. Make sure they’re not permanently tied or screwed somewhere and label everything. Vortech pumps are easy but it’s a pain trying to redo all your wiring every time you need to clean a gyre or other pumps.

This is why I like the individual cable routing discs I used. The cable is held securely but also just pops right out when you need it to. It isn’t real pretty but it’s effective and relatively cheap to do.