Equipment and cable organization... Tips please??

[Daniel@R2R]

So I've got a cabinet for keeping my equipment in, but honestly laying out the equipment and organizing cables is one of those things that I feel overwhelmed about. When It comes to cable management, I'm kind of like a kindergartener with a crayon (if you understand what I mean). What tips can you guys offer to the organizationally challenged?

Also, I'd absolutely appreciate any photos you can share of your process or the finished product. I can occasionally copy things that I can actually see done, so the photos would really help.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Daniel! I got two threads that could help you!

Under the Hood: How Organized is Your Tank Cabinet?

As the title states, I am wondering how organized is your tank cabinet? Sometimes people come up with these crazy DIY solutions to manage all their cables and supplies, others might just keep everything in an "organized pile". Curious to see how everyone manages their tank cabinet!!

www.reef2reef.com

QUESTION OF THE DAY - 2020 Equipment Cabinets (areas): They should be more neat and organized right?

BEFORE YOU READ REMEMBER WE WANT TO SEE YOURS SO POST A PHOTO AS WELL AND ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS! They should be more neat and organized right? I mean a lot of us have had to stay at home a lot more in 2020! :p I love new tanks, new tank rooms, new aquarium equipment and I really love...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[redfishbluefish]

I had vision of grandeur with my wire management in building my equipment cabinet. It had a false wall where the cables passed through this wall and below was what I had termed, the Belly of the Beast, where the wires went off to where ever. Here's the main "face" of my equipment....looks pretty good....

At the base of this wall is a false floor covering the Belly of the Beast. Now here's my cable management suggestion.....HIDE IT. It can't be organized. With the false floor removed, this is looking into the Belly of the Beast:

One additional thing....I did build an organizer for the Ecotech power supplies made from 1/4 plywood....here it is without the power supplies.

 

[Idech]

I like Velcro cable tags to know what is what.

 

[keithw283]

Those 5 gallon jugs are my dosing containers. The gallon jug is my trident waste. If you are wondering why I have an empty apex, I was one of the people switching over to hydros for the maven Literally just have my trident hooked up. You can see my empty ato tank there as well. This tank is "new" so I am organizing everything soon. (Tank has been wet since may)

 

[tripdad]

I put a screw with a washer thru a 4" long piece of velcro and screw it into my stand where I want wires routed. Later if I need to remove an item I just undo the velcro, remove, reattach velcro.

 

[unbeknownst]

Get the velcro cable ties, you will not regret it. Take your time and plan out main cable pathways and have the cables branch out from those main pathways. Kinda like how rivers work.

 

[FUNGI]

imo...don't pay $$$$$ for name brand "reef-ready"boards. These help alot for cable management....and in bigger sizes also

SKÅDIS Pegboard - IKEA

www.ikea.com

 

[andrejk]

I’m getting this—hard to beat for the price. $140

Flame-Retardant Aquarium Controller Cabinet with Cooling Fan & Tempera

Aquarium Controller & Wire Management Cabinet Designed for reef aquariums, this cabinet provides a clean and organized solution for power distribution, controllers, and cable management inside or behind your aquarium stand. 📐 Size Options Standard size: 20 × 24 × 8 inches Custom sizes available...

noopsychereeflight.com

(Hasn’t arrived yet so I’ll share when it does)

 

[vetteguy53081]

I use automotive cable wrap

 

[dvgyfresh]

Zip ties and big wire hider cables

 

[fishface NJ]

Amazon product

Plastic PEGBOARD amazon​

 

[dvgyfresh]

Not a reef lol but I like to hide as much cable as possible

 

[Crabs McJones]

Not a reef lol but I like to hide as much cable as possible

Pc cable management is my jam!

 

[Surfside74]

I just built a new tank and this is what I did. I used 1/2” pvc board and built a small cabinet in my stand with the opening to the outside on the left. I placed everything neatly and secured it. Under the bottom shelf and behind the switch panel is where all the extra wires are. Out of sight.

 

[Fish Styx]

Zip ties, cable sheathing, velcro, and labels. I cannot stress labels enough. Label each end of every cable and wire, and their respective sockets. Did I mention labels?

Seriously, you're gonna unplug and replug things a million times due to failures and maintenance. Make life easy on yourself.

 

[revhtree]

So I've got a cabinet for keeping my equipment in, but honestly laying out the equipment and organizing cables is one of those things that I feel overwhelmed about. When It comes to cable management, I'm kind of like a kindergartener with a crayon (if you understand what I mean). What tips can you guys offer to the organizationally challenged?

Also, I'd absolutely appreciate any photos you can share of your process or the finished product. I can occasionally copy things that I can actually see done, so the photos would really help.

Well first....don't ask me! Second...I feel your pain!

But seriously, I think you should break it up into many tasks over several days. First the controller wiring, second powerheads, third etc...

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Velcro zipties are a lifesaver!

 

[Jasonak]

Ive started this journey sooooo many times and never finished it. I get a little bit done but something always comes up and it still looks half baked. BUT its January and miserable outside so maybe ill get my cables organized. Its like eating a elephant you just do it one bite at a time.
Thanks Daniel for re-booting me on my clean up my cables mess quest again

 

[ReefGeezer]

I don't organize cables anymore. Every time I did, it made removal of the equipment for maintenance harder. I just let them lay in bottom of the stand. I do kind of push them into semi-organized piles, so they are don't get super tangled or keep me from accessing the individual controllers. It's not pretty, but who cares.