Advice on how to conceal RODI and ATO storage container

[Poisns1]

Setup my 105.4 waterbox about 1.5 years ago and have not figured out how to conceal my 32 gallon Brute container which is used to store my premade RODI water and also serves to quickly fill up my ATO under the tank.

Right now the brute sits in the room and off in the far right corner. The 32 gallon can rolls on the Rubbermaid dolly but I have no where near to roll it away and store it. My bedrooms are far and they are carpeted. I am out of choices with placement because the tank has a bedroom wall directly behind the tank, shower/bedroom to the immediate right of the tank, and AC air handler and long corridor to the left of the tank. Directly in front of the tank is wide open (was a dining room) and also has a long corridor connecting the foyer and open spaced family room.

I'm at a loss how to conceal this thing? Has anyone else out there come with a clever way to disguise their RODI container which has to sit directly in the tank room?

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

The slogan for the IM Hydrofill is don't hide your ATO reservoir , show it off. I like that idea. Its on my want list for reservoirs.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Setup my 105.4 waterbox about 1.5 years ago and have not figured out how to conceal my 32 gallon Brute container which is used to store my premade RODI water and also serves to quickly fill up my ATO under the tank.

Right now the brute sits in the room and off in the far right corner. I am out of choices with placement because the tank has a bedroom wall directly behind the tank, shower/bedroom to the immediate right of the tank, and AC air handler and long corridor to the left of the tank. Directly in front of the tank is wide open (was a dining room) and also has a long corridor connecting the foyer and open spaced family room.

I'm at a loss how to conceal this thing? Has anyone else out there come with a clever way to disguise their RODI container which has to sit directly in the tank room?

Is there anything connecting the brute to the tank? (Is it the actual ATO reservoir?). If not, put it on a dolly and roll it somewhere else to store it...

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

Get a piece of furniture that matches the decor and is large enough to cover the containers, cut it up and use it as a facade.

 

[redfishbluefish]

I hid my ATO reservoir behind a three-walled cabinet that had casters allowing it to be rolled out.

You can see more detail HERE.

 

[jtichenor]

Deep cabinet works great for me.

 

[Poisns1]

Forgot to mention and edited my original post:

The Brute holds 32 gallons of my fresh RODI water and I just plug in a small powerhead (at the bottom of the Brute container) and use a small plastic hose to quickly fill up the ATO which is integrated into the Waterbox sump system under the tank.

Right now the 32 gallon Brute trashcan rolls on the Rubbermaid dolly but I have no where near to roll it away and store it out of view?

 

[Poisns1]

Thanks for all the advice. I'm going to pursue making a 3 walled cabinet to hide the Brute can like Redfish..

 

[ReefGeezer]

I have a 44 gallon Brute beside the tank. It has an old round glass table top with a round table cloth on it that drapes over the edge all the way to the floor. It just looks like a covered end table. It is also just the right height to set my adult beverage on while I work on the tank.

 

[Poisns1]

I have a 44 gallon Brute beside the tank. It has an old round glass table top with a round table cloth on it that drapes over the edge all the way to the floor. It just looks like a covered end table. It is also just the right height to set my adult beverage on while I work on the tank.

hmm now that's an interesting idea for sure..

 

[doubleshot00]

Is there really no room under the cabinet for a reservoir? Seems unlikely.

 

[Lavey29]

My wife would throw me and my fish out of the house there.

 

[Poisns1]

Is there really no room under the cabinet for a reservoir? Seems unlikely.

There is a 4 gallon compartment built into the Waterbox sump system. I have to top off that reservoir every 4 days or so. I make 32 gallons of RO/DI in the brute in advance so I'm not constantly making water. It's trying to find a space to hide that 32 gallon brute in small florida ranch home that has scant storage space. It works great in the room for topping off that 4 gallon reservoir. Just plug in the powerhead and hook up the water line, done in 2 minutes. No more lugging buckets from another room (where I stored my Brute container) which is what I used to do in my old house. Only problem left is how to hide that dang Brute container..

 

[Woodyman]

There is a 4 gallon compartment built into the Waterbox sump system. I have to top off that reservoir every 4 days or so. I make 32 gallons of RO/DI in the brute in advance so I'm not constantly making water. It's trying to find a space to hide that 32 gallon brute in small florida ranch home that has scant storage space. It works great in the room for topping off that 4 gallon reservoir. Just plug in the powerhead and hook up the water line, done in 2 minutes. No more lugging buckets from another room (where I stored my Brute container) which is what I used to do in my old house. Only problem left is how to hide that dang Brute container..

Why not one of these? It's not quite 32 but I would imagine they could build one for 32 if you wanted.

Tenecor® Aquarium Auto Top Off Reservoir 16x12x24 20 Gallon

Tenecor® Aquarium Auto Top Off Reservoirs offer the durability and safety of all acrylic construction. The sleek acrylic design features Tenecor's patent pending single piece uniwrap body with precision CNC pre-cut openings for pumps and tubes. The dimensions are guaranteed to fit all pumps. Lid...

tenecoraquariums.com

 

[doubleshot00]

There is a 4 gallon compartment built into the Waterbox sump system. I have to top off that reservoir every 4 days or so. I make 32 gallons of RO/DI in the brute in advance so I'm not constantly making water. It's trying to find a space to hide that 32 gallon brute in small florida ranch home that has scant storage space. It works great in the room for topping off that 4 gallon reservoir. Just plug in the powerhead and hook up the water line, done in 2 minutes. No more lugging buckets from another room (where I stored my Brute container) which is what I used to do in my old house. Only problem left is how to hide that dang Brute container..

I use a 5 gallon bucket and I don’t mind filling it once a week.

I would just put the trash can outside but that me. Those reservoirs are a pita to fill sometimes. I just swap out buckets.

 

[Poisns1]

Why not one of these? It's not quite 32 but I would imagine they could build one for 32 if you wanted.

Tenecor® Aquarium Auto Top Off Reservoir 16x12x24 20 Gallon

Tenecor® Aquarium Auto Top Off Reservoirs offer the durability and safety of all acrylic construction. The sleek acrylic design features Tenecor's patent pending single piece uniwrap body with precision CNC pre-cut openings for pumps and tubes. The dimensions are guaranteed to fit all pumps. Lid...

tenecoraquariums.com

Thanks. I could purchase that but the problem is that it wouldn't fit under the tank so I'd have the same dilemma trying to hide within the tank room. Granted it does look a bit better than a 32 gallon brute tank

 

[Poisns1]

I use a 5 gallon bucket and I don’t mind filling it once a week.

I would just put the trash can outside but that me. Those reservoirs are a pita to fill sometimes. I just swap out buckets.

I have 2-7.5 gallon water containers that I bought from Walmart. I used to fill those up with my RO/DI but grew tired of that since it became a weekly regimen and my back didn't like hauling those things around the house.

I then bought the 32 gallon brute which made making RO/DI a once a month routine and much easier. Problem was I had to store it away from the tank and I had to drop in a powerhead, hook up the plastic line and fill the 2 8 gallon containers. Then I had to lug the 8 gallon containers to the tank to fill when the 4 gallon reservoir was empty, This was a major PITA for me.

New house: The RO/DI is in another room away from the fish tank room. It had to be plumbed under my kitchen sink because of the location of the lines in the new house. So I fill the 32 gallon brute in the kitchen. I then wheel it over ceramic tile to the fish room etc. / I can't store it out in the garage or outside because the garage is completely chock full (no space left, all vehicles) and there is a major transition that would not allow the brute to easily be wheeled outside. I have grass in the backyard so that further compounds storing the brute outside. So my dilemma is lack of usable storage space for the brute and RO/DI water coupled with the lack of available water lines for the RO/DI water. The brute can on wheels was the only solution I could come up with for moving large amounts of water without breaking my back

 

[Woodyman]

Thanks. I could purchase that but the problem is that it wouldn't fit under the tank so I'd have the same dilemma trying to hide within the tank room. Granted it does look a bit better than a 32 gallon brute tank

Yea, I didn't mean as a hiding under the tank solution. I meant it as a nicer looking alternative to the brute.

Another option would be to run a hose from somewhere else to the tank for topping off the ATO within your stand.

Tenecor ATO Reservoir

Quick review of Tenecor ATO Reservoir. I stumbled upon Tenecor while searching for affordable LARGE ato reservoirs. I had been considering hiding a 10 gallon trash can, or painting an rv water tank black, and I really disliked the idea of both options. While researching other acrylic ato...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[doubleshot00]

I have 2-7.5 gallon water containers that I bought from Walmart. I used to fill those up with my RO/DI but grew tired of that since it became a weekly regimen and my back didn't like hauling those things around the house.

I then bought the 32 gallon brute which made making RO/DI a once a month routine and much easier. Problem was I had to store it away from the tank and I had to drop in a powerhead, hook up the plastic line and fill the 2 8 gallon containers. Then I had to lug the 8 gallon containers to the tank to fill when the 4 gallon reservoir was empty, This was a major PITA for me.

New house: The RO/DI is in another room away from the fish tank room. It had to be plumbed under my kitchen sink because of the location of the lines in the new house. So I fill the 32 gallon brute in the kitchen. I then wheel it over ceramic tile to the fish room etc. / I can't store it out in the garage or outside because the garage is completely chock full (no space left, all vehicles) and there is a major transition that would not allow the brute to easily be wheeled outside. I have grass in the backyard so that further compounds storing the brute outside. So my dilemma is lack of usable storage space for the brute and RO/DI water coupled with the lack of available water lines for the RO/DI water. The brute can on wheels was the only solution I could come up with for moving large amounts of water without breaking my back

I was in a like minded situation. Just got to figure it out and make it work. I got a fish tank to accent my living room. No way I would have a Brute inside my house. Hope you figure it out.

 

[Poisns1]

Ok peeps after searching high and low I've stumbled up on this white universal cabinet. It's about the right Height and width for the brute container. All I have to do is cut a rectangular section out of the bottom of the cabinet and I should be able to place the cabinet against the wall, concealing the 32g Brute container. It is white so it kind of matches my "white" Waterbox 105.4 cabinet.

What do y'all think about this solution?

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Bush-Business-Furniture-Bush-Business-Furniture-Universal-Floor-Storage-Cabinet-with-Doors-and-Shelves-in-White/5005531765