I need help designing my sump area please

[strich]

I have a recently setup 2nd hand mature tank that I'm still coming to terms with. Its a Waterbox 130.4 and has a rather large sump and a small electronics cabinet:

The cabinet is absolutely choccers full between the ATO and all the power boards and cables. Its a mess I plan to clean up but I highly doubt it'll fit much of anything else in there.

I'm about to go pick up a reactor for GFO and I'd like to eventually have another reactor setup too. Much longer-term would be some phyto/pod reactors as well. All this to say, it's clear I need to put some work into expanding the space to support all of this. I'd love some ideas and inspiration on what to do here. The nook outside the tank is ideal to spill stuff out on to but it needs to be neat and not a workshop hah - This is our living room.

I am not a tradesman so woodworking from scratch isn't a thing I can do, but I'm more than happy to DIY almost anything else.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

@BeanAnimal

 

[BeanAnimal]

If you are not a woodworker, then maybe an Ikea or similar small cabinet will suffice. Treat it as somewhat disposable due to the construction being press board, mdf, or similar.

I am not a fan of reactors at all. To me the are a nightmare to manage. Messy to open, no matter what kind of disconnects are used. A paint to clean, etc. If I run GFO or carbon, I run it in a bag.

Phyto or other things that are dosed? I prefer dosing pumps or a pump bottles.

 

[mfinn]

My thoughts are,,,,, maybe look into a smaller gfo/carbon reactor that would, or can be clamped on the side of the sump with a short hose to the small powerhead. Or as bean suggested is mesh bags in the sump.
Skip any kind of pod reactor. Your rockwork is where they live.
By phyto and store ( smaller containers ) in the fridg.

As far as the chiller, I would look for a different room to keep it in. Seems like it would be noisy ( especially if you have your main tv in the living room and watch in the evening)
I put my chiller outside on my patio ( made a little dog house style enclosure to protect it from the weather).
There were 22' of 1" pvc pipe and 12 pvc 90's.

Use that space in the corner for a small cabinet to store all the items you will accumulate.
Fish food, nets, cleaning tools, test kits, etc, etc.