Drilling a tank.

[BigA]

Hey everyone. I have a 48" x 12" x 18" tank sitting empty in the house, and thought I would finally get it up and running. How hard would it be to drill it for an overflow or two and a return? I wanted to use a sump on this tank and it needs some prep. Is this something I can do at home with the right tools? Should I take it to a glass shop or tank maker to get it done?

[xtreme]

I drilled mine recently and is was easier than I expected. Just go slow and make sure your drill has a clutch and is set really low so the bit won't bind up. Take it slow and let the bit do the work. Build a dam around your holes with plumbers putty or something to keep water around the bit for lubrication. I ordered my bits from mops.ca and it worked well for a couple holes. Probably wouldn't get more than a couple holes out of it though as they are fairly inexpensive. And make sure to catch the glass disk so it doesn't fall and break the glass.

[UnderTheSea]

Originally Posted by xtreme

I drilled mine recently and is was easier than I expected. Just go slow and make sure your drill has a clutch and is set really low so the bit won't bind up. Take it slow and let the bit do the work. Build a dam around your holes with plumbers putty or something to keep water around the bit for lubrication. I ordered my bits from mops.ca and it worked well for a couple holes. Probably wouldn't get more than a couple holes out of it though as they are fairly inexpensive. And make sure to catch the glass disk so it doesn't fall and break the glass.

I agree. I have now drilled 7 holes with my bit and is very simple. Just make sure you aren't drilling into tempered glass

[sphelps]

The tank you have is 48x12x18 which sounds like a standard 55gal which are usually fully tempered, so I don't think drilling is an option for you.

[BigA]

Originally Posted by sphelps

The tank you have is 48x12x18 which sounds like a standard 55gal which are usually fully tempered, so I don't think drilling is an option for you.

Don't think it holds that much water. The measurements are right though. Using this http://animal-world.com/encyclo/info.../calculate.htm size calculator, it says that it's 45gal.

Is there a way to find out if it uses tempered glass or not?

[sphelps]

Originally Posted by BigA

Is there a way to find out if it uses tempered glass or not?

there are a few ways the two easiest ways are:
1) call manufacturer and ask
2) use two polarizing filters, place one on each side of the glass and look through them, turn the filters. If it's tempered you will see a kind of mesh pattern of lines, if it's not tempered it will be clear.