Where do you hide it?

dmoraski · 07/14/2014, 04:25 PM

I have more "stuff" than I have room under my tank for. What do all of you do to keep the the stuff around the tank looking nice and tidy?

I have my tank in a den, and I ended up building a sump that took up most of my under tank space, all I can fit in there is the skimmer and UV light. I was thinking more volume of water is better.... maybe I was wrong. I have been considering building a cabinet to go next to the tank that hides everything (cannister filter, chiller, controller, ATO) and looks like a piece of furniture. Anyone else run into this?

whosurcaddie · 07/14/2014, 05:07 PM

What size tank do you have? I have 4 foot 120 so no problems with room underneath although I don't have a lot. A couple reactors skimmer fuge light etc. My heaters are in the overflows so that saves space.

I built a little shelf next to the tank for all the electrical.

I saw a video of where a guy converted his ATO tank into a chair so It didn't look like a tank. He just built a Box around the tank painted it white and for the lid he used white leather with foam padding.

dmoraski · 07/14/2014, 05:09 PM

The tank is 90 gallon, 4 foot long. I built a 3 foot long sump below the tank in the stand which hogs up most of the space.

whiteshark · 07/14/2014, 05:12 PM

Build a smaller sump. Build a stand bigger than the tank. Or drill holes in the floor and run plumbing to the basement or out to a garage and keep all the equipment there. Or build another small desk thing next to the stand in the same style as the stand to put some equipment in. Those are really your options.

planedoc · 07/14/2014, 05:15 PM

Canister filter, what are you doing with that? I also have seen nice square chairs or plant stands that were ATO's inside.
A chiller is best if plumbed outside because if it's inside it just transfers the heat from you tank into the air which goes back into your tank or is removed by your AC. If you don't have AC than it not so bad, it just makes your room hotter causing the tank water to hotter causing the chiller to work harder.

07/14/2014, 04:25 PM	#1
dmoraski Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Naperville, IL Posts: 9	Where do you hide it? I have more "stuff" than I have room under my tank for. What do all of you do to keep the the stuff around the tank looking nice and tidy? I have my tank in a den, and I ended up building a sump that took up most of my under tank space, all I can fit in there is the skimmer and UV light. I was thinking more volume of water is better.... maybe I was wrong. I have been considering building a cabinet to go next to the tank that hides everything (cannister filter, chiller, controller, ATO) and looks like a piece of furniture. Anyone else run into this?

07/14/2014, 05:12 PM	#4
whiteshark Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bethlehem, PA Posts: 3,024	Build a smaller sump. Build a stand bigger than the tank. Or drill holes in the floor and run plumbing to the basement or out to a garage and keep all the equipment there. Or build another small desk thing next to the stand in the same style as the stand to put some equipment in. Those are really your options. __________________ Deep Blue 60 gallon cube: Setup in progress.

07/14/2014, 05:07 PM	#2
whosurcaddie Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 2,354	What size tank do you have? I have 4 foot 120 so no problems with room underneath although I don't have a lot. A couple reactors skimmer fuge light etc. My heaters are in the overflows so that saves space. I built a little shelf next to the tank for all the electrical. I saw a video of where a guy converted his ATO tank into a chair so It didn't look like a tank. He just built a Box around the tank painted it white and for the lid he used white leather with foam padding.

07/14/2014, 05:09 PM	#3
dmoraski Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Naperville, IL Posts: 9	The tank is 90 gallon, 4 foot long. I built a 3 foot long sump below the tank in the stand which hogs up most of the space.

07/14/2014, 05:15 PM	#5
planedoc Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 535	Canister filter, what are you doing with that? I also have seen nice square chairs or plant stands that were ATO's inside. A chiller is best if plumbed outside because if it's inside it just transfers the heat from you tank into the air which goes back into your tank or is removed by your AC. If you don't have AC than it not so bad, it just makes your room hotter causing the tank water to hotter causing the chiller to work harder.