Drilling a filled tank....???

[reefcoral]

Hi all,

I'm considering different ways of installing a sump onto my system. Currently using an external canister filter with LR and carbon.

Option 1: Overflow box. I hear that Schuran boxes come highly recommended. I have anOR 3500 ready for the return.

Option 2: Drill the bottom of the tank. The means stripping the tank down completely and I really don't think I could handle the stress from my wife and her worrying about a leak.

Option 3: Drill the back of the tank, whilst it is partially filled. I think the stress associated with this may be a bit more acceptable and any leak would be less disastrous i.e the whole tank wouldn't drain, only the top 1/10th.

My tank is a Fluval Osaka 320.

I'm considering option 3. Does anyone have any experience of drilling a tank whilst it has water in? What options would you all reccommend?

Cheers,
Dave

[ronnie1]

dont drill while still filled all the cuttings will enter the water and will cause problems ie fish eating glass dust either empty it or use a overflow box
it will only be empty for a few hours while you drill and add pipes etc
plus you could drill the bottom and put a standpipe in

[Tower]

Dave, have you checked out the sticky in the general section?

http://www.reefcorals.co.uk/forums/s...ead.php?t=4390

HTH... Barry

[Tangman]

dont drill while still filled all the cuttings will enter the water and will cause problems ie fish eating glass dust either empty it or use a overflow box
it will only be empty for a few hours while you drill and add pipes etc
plus you could drill the bottom and put a standpipe in

How can glass dust as you call it hurt fish as glass is made from sand:doh: Twiggy:D

[cl0wn]

didn't one of our younger members drill his tank by lowering the water level?

[cl0wn]

here ya go reefcoral

http://www.reefcorals.co.uk/forums/s...ad.php?t=11869

[Suggs]

Have you checked what glass the tank is made from? If its made from tempered glass I dont think you can drill it.

[Rayman]

I would advise caution if doing this with livestock in it, especially if you've never drilled glass before. There is always the danger of cracking the tank while you do it, not to mention the stress you will cause your fish from the vibrations etc which will be significantly amplified through the water. You would be better off emptying it or using the overflow box IMO. The link above is quite useful in giving some good tips too.

[reefcoral]

Thanks for the responses guys.

I have drilled many ceramic tiles before now and the trick is to keep the drill bit wet and take it very slowly. I'm assuming glass is pretty similar. This forms a paste in the hole being drilled, so to stop the tank being affected I reckon it would just be a case of catching the glass/water paste with a cloth or perspex sheet siliconed in place under the hole.

But then, perhaps I could empty the tank and have a big clean out and re-arrange the rocks(current arrangement is a little old now).

I guess I had better contact Hagen first as well to make sure the glass can be drilled which ever way I do it.

Anyone know if reeves2k2 from the 2008 post is still around on the forum? I'll send him a pm anyway to see.

But then for 30 quid I could get an overflow box and trial the rest of the sump first before I irretrievably mess things up!

For an OR 3500 do I have to get an overflow box with the same lph rating or is almost any box ok?

Cheers,

Dave

[Suggs]

Did you get any further with this idea?