what do you do with all of your cords (its messy)

amstar · 03/14/2009, 06:01 AM

with my new 150 set up.. i have so many cords its driving me nuts. (pump, 4 powerheads, 3 heaters, 3 ballasts, ranco controller etc)

any ideas on how to "clean" it up a bit?

what do you do? got any pics?

kruxy · 03/14/2009, 01:26 PM

dj power center or powerstrip (if you dont need to flip them on and off) and zip ties.

or

jaytizzle · 03/14/2009, 01:31 PM

I use a DJ center, zip ties, and those little sticky backed zip tie anchor mounts.

amstar · 03/14/2009, 01:35 PM

zip ties.. good idea.. loop up the extra cords.

how do you mount your ballasts?

kruxy · 03/14/2009, 02:01 PM

I mount my ballasts to the top of the canopy to allow for heat dissipation without worrying about it adding any heat to the system. Little 1/2" aluminum spacers from the hardware store keep it off the wood to allow for proper circulation, and then prodigious use of quick disconnects allows for easy removal of the canopy for maintenance.

dc_909 · 03/14/2009, 02:01 PM

amstar · 03/14/2009, 02:09 PM

I guess what my problem is, is that I have my tank in the wall. I then had an electrician come in and make me an outlet board (so to speak) 2 dedicated GFCI (spelling) breakers one for half the outlets and 1 for the other half. the wall is 7 feet from one end of the tank so trying to figure out how to make all the cords look nice running along the stand of the tank to the wall.

my ballast I was going to take strips of 1"x 2" (or so) and make two strips on the wall. then mount the ballasts to those.

amstar · 03/14/2009, 02:10 PM

kruxy how do you have your filter sock mounted

those are some awfully clean sumps... looks good

Chibils · 03/14/2009, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dc_909

This is the most sterile sump I've ever seen! Wild. I don't think I could get mine that clean if I tried.

Also, your location "Murietta, CA" seems a lot like mine: "Marietta, GA." At first I thought it was Marietta.

kruxy · 03/14/2009, 03:13 PM

sock has a ring around the top which was slightly wider than the space between the wall of my sump and the outflow of my skimmer, so it was just sitting between the two. in previous tanks I have used either pvc or acrylic frames to hold them up, but didn't need to on that build.

03/14/2009, 06:01 AM	#1
amstar Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Dayton Ohio Posts: 745	what do you do with all of your cords (its messy) with my new 150 set up.. i have so many cords its driving me nuts. (pump, 4 powerheads, 3 heaters, 3 ballasts, ranco controller etc) any ideas on how to "clean" it up a bit? what do you do? got any pics?

03/14/2009, 01:26 PM	#2
kruxy Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Lake Oswego, OR Posts: 1,058	dj power center or powerstrip (if you dont need to flip them on and off) and zip ties. or

03/14/2009, 01:31 PM	#3
jaytizzle Moved On Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Baton Rouge, LA Posts: 63	I use a DJ center, zip ties, and those little sticky backed zip tie anchor mounts.

03/14/2009, 01:35 PM	#4
amstar Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Dayton Ohio Posts: 745	zip ties.. good idea.. loop up the extra cords. how do you mount your ballasts?

03/14/2009, 02:01 PM	#5
kruxy Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Lake Oswego, OR Posts: 1,058	I mount my ballasts to the top of the canopy to allow for heat dissipation without worrying about it adding any heat to the system. Little 1/2" aluminum spacers from the hardware store keep it off the wood to allow for proper circulation, and then prodigious use of quick disconnects allows for easy removal of the canopy for maintenance.

03/14/2009, 02:01 PM	#6
dc_909 Moved On Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Murrieta, CA Posts: 3,260

03/14/2009, 02:09 PM	#7
amstar Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Dayton Ohio Posts: 745	I guess what my problem is, is that I have my tank in the wall. I then had an electrician come in and make me an outlet board (so to speak) 2 dedicated GFCI (spelling) breakers one for half the outlets and 1 for the other half. the wall is 7 feet from one end of the tank so trying to figure out how to make all the cords look nice running along the stand of the tank to the wall. my ballast I was going to take strips of 1"x 2" (or so) and make two strips on the wall. then mount the ballasts to those.

03/14/2009, 02:10 PM	#8
amstar Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Dayton Ohio Posts: 745	kruxy how do you have your filter sock mounted those are some awfully clean sumps... looks good

03/14/2009, 03:13 PM	#10
kruxy Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Lake Oswego, OR Posts: 1,058	sock has a ring around the top which was slightly wider than the space between the wall of my sump and the outflow of my skimmer, so it was just sitting between the two. in previous tanks I have used either pvc or acrylic frames to hold them up, but didn't need to on that build.