lkelly
Members
Frank - some advice.
You might want to leave more room in the back as long as it doesn't completely throw off your spacing in the front. Having the ability to access the area behind the tank (even a few more inches) for whatever reason and having clearance for any HOB filters should you decide to use them will be nice. Deciding you need that space after you have a bunch of heavy, full tanks in place is not so nice.
Additionally, mount any power strips on vertical surfaces. The one you have pictured is a prime candidate to get drenched if there's a splashing fish or other spillage from an upper tank. If you are going horizontal, mount on the underside of one of the 2x4s.
Finally, you should plan your plugs so that you can easily switch off certain components without a big, awkward hassle. If you want to kill your heaters during a water change or you want to set all lights on a timer, plan for that in advance so you know you have your power strips in the right spots and all the cords reach.
You might want to leave more room in the back as long as it doesn't completely throw off your spacing in the front. Having the ability to access the area behind the tank (even a few more inches) for whatever reason and having clearance for any HOB filters should you decide to use them will be nice. Deciding you need that space after you have a bunch of heavy, full tanks in place is not so nice.
Additionally, mount any power strips on vertical surfaces. The one you have pictured is a prime candidate to get drenched if there's a splashing fish or other spillage from an upper tank. If you are going horizontal, mount on the underside of one of the 2x4s.
Finally, you should plan your plugs so that you can easily switch off certain components without a big, awkward hassle. If you want to kill your heaters during a water change or you want to set all lights on a timer, plan for that in advance so you know you have your power strips in the right spots and all the cords reach.