Drilling a tank

[Chaotic Cricket]

Originally Posted by Farrmanchu

IMO an external overflow box is the way to go. It doesn't take up tank space. You can use the Dremel bits to notch out the top edge of the tank, whatever length and depth you need (depending on amout of flow). Eggcrate or Mesh covers the "notch", it functions the same as an internal overflow, with no risk of syphon loss that can happen with a HOB overflow. I'll try to find a good link.

Yes I would agree, I noticed at gold aqauriums, I believe was the name (first time there the other day. I am new to this neck of the woods. I talked to someone (I think albert?) he showed me an overflow design that looked quite nice, external with eggcrate on it. Perhaps he would be able to post some pictures to give you an idea. It was quite a nice design. If you search on Reef Central (haven't checked here sorry) at one time at least there was a lot of posts on "calfo overflow" think that is what you are searching for. If i find some pictures i will put them in this thread. I don't "do" reef central much anymore. Mind you the calfo overflow's that i have seen are inside th tank, but i like the theories behind it very much.


http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showp...t=1&thecat=500
http://www.maast.org/modules/gallery/dow/aag


If you are particularly gutsy you don't have to drain your tank completely to add one of these either (I would personnaly). I have a few old friends that did something similar without draining their tanks, though they had a ot of stuff laying around to be used if something went wrong. But all told you would only need to keep the tank drained for max of 24hrs, make the overflow box vbefore installing, then you just need drill and silicone it in and wait for it to cure.

[Farrmanchu]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/pr...hreadid=502320
Here's one, I guess you still need to drill a hole or two in the bottom of the actual box. But from what I can tell, this guy did it all with Dremel.

[BCOrchidGuy]

Thanks for all the replies, I can't take the tank anywhere as it doesn't fit in my car. My concern with drilling it with my dremel or my bit is the thickness of the glass. I'm leaning towards the external overflow and taking it out side to cut it with lots of water running over it. I'll let everyone know what I did when it works out or when I get the glass replaced and try it again another way.... (*can't remember why I just didn't order it drilled*).

Doug

PS Oh yes, the price was very right so, it was either take it or pay a lot more for the same tank drilled with a hole.

[kwirky]

Originally Posted by Farrmanchu

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/pr...hreadid=502320
Here's one, I guess you still need to drill a hole or two in the bottom of the actual box. But from what I can tell, this guy did it all with Dremel.

holy XXXX! i just cut a 1-3/4" hole with a dremel and i'm never doing it again! he did all THAT with one? must have taken him an entire day just for the cutting.

[BCOrchidGuy]

Well it's been a busy couple of weeks. I've purchased the glass (1/4") for an external overflow and got my bulkheads and am close to finishing my stand.
For the overflow I tried the diamond bit dremel route but because of the thickness of the glass on my tank (5/8") it was painfully slow. My lovely, wonderful, thoughtful, brilliant ever so kind (not to mention beautiful) girlfriend bought me a new rotary tool kit for Xmas, one of the things it came with was a diamond cut off saw. I tried the cut off saw and the glass cutting went really quickly after that. Once I had the overflow cut I used the diamond grinding bit to smooth out the edges etc.
Now I'm in the process of siliconing it all up and I'll be drilling holes in the overflow for the bulkheads tomorrow.
I've built the sump from acrylic but am considering using a glass sump (15-27 gallon aquarium) and using the acrylic for a refugium that sits under the tank beside the sump. I need to figure out how to do it and allow room for a 5-10 gallon tank as my freshwater top off supply.
Once I figure out how to size pictures I'll post some pics of the system and my progress or lack there of.

Doug

[BCOrchidGuy]

Here are two pictures, one is the of the diamond cut off saw and the diamond bit I used along with the router attachment. Not included in the picture are safety glasses and a dust mask neither of which I would attempt glass work with out. The other picture is of the cut out. Notice all the white stuff in the tools picture? That is the dust from cutting the glass, I imagine it would make a mess of your eyes and lungs. The plexi glass on the tank is off set 1 inch and is to guide the rotary tool so the edges are nice and clean with out a wavy line. I was going to use a 3 7/8" hole saw to cut a hole in some plywood and then use the plywood (inside the hole) as a guide for the dremel to cut nice round holes for the overflow but I may have found my old source for inexpensive glass hole saws, I'll find out on Monday and post the name if it's the right place.

Doug