Anyone with experience drilling a tank or knows where I can get it done?

I'm looking at setting up a 4 footer hopefully within the next couple of months, and someone has offered to give me their 4 footer freshwater tank. The tank was bought as a off-the-shelf package that comes with tank, cabinet and hood. I would like to have the tank drilled for an internal overflow and/or cut slightly on the back pane to have an external coast to coast calfo overflow, but do not have any experience and tools to do it. Does anyone in the club have any experience with this or at least know where I can get it done?

Also, I'll be looking for a sump/refugium to go with it, can anyone offer some design suggestions? I'll be mainly having the newly collected Cheato and Caulerpa Racemosa in the sump/refugium.

jeff

HiYa Jeff

Firstly congrats on the win to set up a new aquarium - always exciting to add some more water to the collective.....

Drilling is actually really simple once you master it, I used a crap drill bit (tile not glass) from Bunnings and did it first go (after some homework) not recommended on the new 4 footer though, If doing it yourself practice on some broken glass from a glass place first, ask them for some off cut the same thickness as your tank, the rules are simple, keep it wet while cutting and go very slow with minimal pressure and a new sharp hole saw starting the cut and the final break through at the end are the critical steps (slowly and its easy) but you have to spend $ on a decent hole saw you may only use a few times at most - SO - the aquarium boys at Brisbane market would be the guys to get to do it for you, if its a one off - they wouldnt charge much (maybe $20-30 ?) and have heaps of experience doing it + they are both top blokes.....

As for the refugium - I would go out of the main tank into an old lead acid battery to electrify the water and add some cleansing acid to the mix - straight into a deep sand bed (minmum 90000 l/ph flow), 10 gig MH lighting, 80000 liter plenum, with some sexual algae and a few bottles of vodka as top up, Oh and no flow with heaps of micro bubbles returning to the main tank - should do the trick....


Make sure you add some pics - I will catch you some wobbies as clean up crew...




Seriously - lets discuss the options next meeting - there are many....

Firstly congrats on the win to set up a new aquarium - always exciting to add some more water to the collective..... cheers

Thanks, my friend who is giving me the tank, said I'm real sneaky and manipulative to get my wife to ask for a new setup herself rather than me trying to convince her to let me get one .

... but you have to spend $ on a decent hole saw you may only use a few times at most - SO - the aquarium boys at Brisbane market would be the guys to get to do it for you, if its a one off - they wouldnt charge much (maybe $20-30 ?) and have heaps of experience doing it + they are both top blokes..... pirat

Yeah, was thinking about that, do they charge for each hole drilled or is it a one off? I'm thinking of getting 3 drains and 1 return drilled, and also will need 2 pieces of glass 4ft by 4in cut and siliconed to the back-top part of the tank as an internal overflow box, maybe I should let them do that as well to get a more professional finish look.

As for the refugium - I would go out of the main tank into an old lead acid battery to electrify the water and add some cleansing acid to the mix - straight into a deep sand bed (minmum 90000 l/ph flow), 10 gig MH lighting, 80000 liter plenum, with some sexual algae and a few bottles of vodka as top up, Oh and no flow with heaps of micro bubbles returning to the main tank - should do the trick.... affraid affraid affraid affraid affraid affraid affraid affraid

I was think of hooking up the main tank to a dish washer instead

Make sure you add some pics - I will catch you some wobbies as clean up crew...
Wink

Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad

Seriously - lets discuss the options next meeting - there are many....

Yup, will definitely take lots of pics to do a proper journal this time, and definitely looking forward to the next meeting to discuss the options available, I'm gonna take it slow and easy this time and not rush into it like my other previous tanks.

Now that Ive got back up off the floor from laughing - I can answer your question -

The guys near the markets are just down the road, I will drop in and chat to them to find out for you what they can offer - I also beleive aquarium warehouse (slacks creek) could offer a similar service and as they build tanks could also build the rear section for you - I would just suggest getting a quote from both, I may be able to arrange this over the next few days - leave it with me.....

I will update you in due course....

Hey mate,Danny has the gear for drilling glass and has used them as i have,its not hard!

Hey mate,Danny has the gear for drilling glass and has used them as i have,its not hard!

Great, I might try to drill the tank myself if it cost too much to have it done by others.

More questions:
1. what size pipes and bulkheads should I use for drains (there'll be 2 in use and a 3rd as a backup/emergency) and returns (I'm thinking either 1 or 2 returns)?
2. where's the best places to buy bulkheads?

Bulk heads or home altered pvc piping like I use can be done in many very easy to manage ways against main stream ways and much better as well.

Epoxy based resins like 5 min araldite is cool, it has some acidic content to adhere to glass like silicon, but better if you want it rigid.

I put in some fibreglass mat and glue pvc piping to glass with it.

At the next meeting I will show you on the white board there the many options you have that are not mainstream and some that are mainstream and if you want to, we can work up a plane for your exits.

Don’t use bulk heads for returning waters, that’s a waste of time, its easier another way.

I will show you a good way to make circulatory currents with out any pumps showing at all in the aquarium.

Your exits can never be to big,just to small.

Irrigation shops or bunnings have bulk heads.

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The holes should be the right size for the bulk heads or pvc corners you buy, most likely 35 mil.

This is a hard topic to show you on here what can be done in relation to this,I have drilled holes in tank with mesh over the holes to avoid escape of fish to pre filter and an exit designed to control the tank waters height, that I just cut the glass to suit and glue it back leaving a hole, scallop cuts as such, I would have to show you at the next meeting.

The tank has three holes drilled into it on the back at the end of the tank each 40 mil from the end of the tank one at the top,one at the middle one at the bottom, or more its up to you, in line vertically.

I make a glass box the height of the tank by 250 mil + wide by 50 to 60 mil inside, that is the entire exits,pre filer, all that is needed before it heads to the sump, fool proof over flow,what gets pump back to the tank,over flows in there, no matter what,also it skims your water and that’s important!

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They are quite small and there should not be holes in the base of your tank,its a potential accident waiting to happen,always put your exits up high on the back or end of your tank,the end is best,but most don't want that.

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Double walled,do you mean laminated?

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Thats different?

Now that would be a heavy tank!

I barrier form of pre filter-exit will work okay with that,pipes glued in and glass barrier as well,with glass wall with holes drilled in it for exits,no worries.