Pulling wire through walls ideas

[Pvtgloss]

So I bought my father an Apex for his birthday for his Freshwater setups. He has 2 125s and a 75 in the basement. I bought it just for feed mode and virtual maintenance outlets. I'm going to only put a canister filter and power head from each tank on the eb832. All the heaters will stay on their own outlets with inkbirds.
As far as pulling wires its an easy job. There's a drop ceiling. Ill just have to cut my holes in the wall and drop down the wires down the wall....I think.

At first I was thinking I could just pull extension cords through the wall but now I'm thinking it may not be the safest.

I'm wondering if romex and individual plugs and sockets for each canister filter and powerhead would be best.

For instance.
Install 2 single sockets

with their own romex.

Then run individual romex wires from each socket up the wall, across the ceiling and down to the middle tank where the eb832 will be. Install 2 individual plugs in the wall and connect the romex

Then plug in short flat extension cords into the wall plugs that plug into the eb832.

I'm just not sure if there's a minimum distance the sockets and plugs have to be mounted apart from each other or how close romex can be ran to each other. There's not very much current going to be running through each wire. There will be 4 individual pairs of sockets and plugs installed.
If you guys have any insight or better ideas I'm all ears.

 

[braaap]

No minimum distance. You could get a 4 gang box and have all 4 together behind the EB832. Though that will be ugly.

The soffit on the left side of the picture is likely HVAC. That won't be fun for pulling wires down that left wall.

Another solution is you could get EB832s or even old EB8s and use longer USB cables to control them at each tank. CAT5E or CAT6E is acceptable to make your own USB cables. Or you can buy the longer ones. I have a 50' floating around somewhere that I used for a similar project. It worked great.

If it is only for feed mode why not a couple smart outlets and an alexa or google home? Can just say "Alexa Feed Mode on 125A" and it could turn off the outlet. But that only works if you want them all the way off.

 

[Pvtgloss]

No minimum distance. You could get a 4 gang box and have all 4 together behind the EB832. Though that will be ugly.

The soffit on the left side of the picture is likely HVAC. That won't be fun for pulling wires down that left wall.

Another solution is you could get EB832s or even old EB8s and use longer USB cables to control them at each tank. CAT5E or CAT6E is acceptable to make your own USB cables. Or you can buy the longer ones. I have a 50' floating around somewhere that I used for a similar project. It worked great.

If it is only for feed mode why not a couple smart outlets and an alexa or google home? Can just say "Alexa Feed Mode on 125A" and it could turn off the outlet. But that only works if you want them all the way off.

Thanks for the reply. I like the idea of a four way gang box. I to I'll go that route. You're right, there's probably duct work in the soffit. I'll check tonight.
We do have smart plugs but they don't automatically turn back on and my father forgot to put the a pump or something back on and lost a fish. I'm thinking next I'll buy don't auto feeders and automate everything.

 

[braaap]

Thanks for the reply. I like the idea of a four way gang box. I to I'll go that route. You're right, there's probably duct work in the soffit. I'll check tonight.
We do have smart plugs but they don't automatically turn back on and my father forgot to put the a pump or something back on and lost a fish. I'm thinking next I'll buy don't auto feeders and automate everything.

You can easily set routines with smart switches to turn back on after a certain time once turned off. I do it all the time with mine.

 

[FUNGI]

I would just tap into the box feeding those lights......going to be there on top of the ceiling panels.....

 

[Pvtgloss]

I would just tap into the box feeding those lights......going to be there on top of the ceiling panels.....

I have power behind each tank. Im basically just trying to extend the power cords across the room with outlets and romex so it don't look too jacking. Trying to stay away from extension cords.
My original thoughts were to get extension cords and drop them down to a cut out plug in the pumps and run the extension cord across the ceiling and drop them down to a cut out on the other side of the room to the eb832. And try to find plates and grommets for the extension cords. But I think I can do a cleaner/safer job with romex and outlets.

 

[FUNGI]

I have power behind each tank. Im basically just trying to extend the power cords across the room with outlets and romex so it don't look too jacking. Trying to stay away from extension cords.
My original thoughts were to get extension cords and drop them down to a cut out plug in the pumps and run the extension cord across the ceiling and drop them down to a cut out on the other side of the room to the eb832. And try to find plates and grommets for the extension cords. But I think I can do a cleaner/safer job with romex and outlets.

ahhh.ok romex away.....