drilling glass sump under tank?

[7Dragons7]

Hello all

I know there are a thousand threads about drilling glass tanks. However, I could not find anything on exactly what I want to do. I have a sump that I want to put a drain pipe in. I want to put a bulkhead and a 90 inside the sump. I would then plum my skimmer cup directly into this and just pump water change into this and if ever need would stop any sump overflows.

So, my problem is i can not take the sump out from under the tank without completely tanking the tank down. I can drain the return pump and skimmer section without a problem and most of the fug section also.

Now to the real question. How do I drill this? Most of the info on drilling tanks is make a puddy ring and have plenty of water and let the weight of the drill do the work.

The tank is a all-glass 40 breeder. I would assume that the sides can be drilled.

Thanks

 

[7Dragons7]

no opinions :idea: on how to drill a tank in place?

 

[uncleof6]

Yes, I don't recommend it. Drilling horizontal is not exactly a good way to drill a tank. Vertical gives more control.-- well you asked...

Jim

 

[7Dragons7]

thanks. that is what i thought but it never hears to ask some of the geniuses around here.

 

[uncleof6]

thanks. that is what i thought but it never hears to ask some of the geniuses around here.

Never hurts to ask at all....

Jim

 

[Daimyo68]

Lots of people in a position like you, even myself, that cannot remove the sump without tearing down the DT.

If a time comes that I have to do this, I'm basically gonna do what Melev did. You can see it here on his website:
http://www.melevsreef.com/install_sump.html

 

[7Dragons7]

I would love to be able to do that. I have full doors on both ends, but my sump is larger than the doors. I had to take the back braces off to get it in.
Thanks for the help.

 

[Jeff]

You can do it, I did a few years ago. I set up a jig of sorts to hold the bit in place until it "took". Clamp a couple board in place to hold it and go slow. When you start to break though to the other side, start drilling from the inside of the sump if possible. it will work.

 

[7Dragons7]

jeff,

did you use any water to cool the glass down?

 

[hottuna]

according to glass holes.com you can drill on the side like you want to . only they told me to go very slow and have another person use a spray bottle full of water to cool the glass.sounds messy...and I never tried it after they told me...
but thats what they said ....FWIW....

 

[Texxxx]

I have never done it but you get a syringe and shoot a little water at it as you go. GO SLOW That would be the key.

 

[zsqure]

"Lots of people in a position like you, even myself, that cannot remove the sump without tearing down the DT.

If a time comes that I have to do this, I'm basically gonna do what Melev did. You can see it here on his website:
http://www.melevsreef.com/install_sump.html "

I have done this on my 90. pulled the bioball set up out and threw in a 30long for a sump. Nothing to it.

 

[7Dragons7]

I might be jinking myself but if this goes wrong does the glass crack really bad or shatter?

I was thinking about having some water in the tank and just having a pump put water above were i am going to drill.

 

[windupdevl]

If you are drilling from the inside out, I'd just put some water in the bottom of the compartment to be drilled and use a small fountain pump and piece of tubing to keep water flowing over the vertical pane of glass. The only way glass breaks violently when being drilled is if it is tempered...otherwise it just cracks into large chunks.... I wouldn't be too concerned with this though. You'll be amazed at how easy it is to drill glass when you take your time and don't rush anything.
Also, an easy jig to make is by using the hole saw in question to drill through a 6"x6" piece of acrylic or thin plywood. Then place the newly formed hole in the acrylic(or plywood) piece where you want your hole in the glass to be, and hold the jig as tightly as possible while starting your glass drill bit. The jig won't allow the bit to slip around while starting off. Once you have a nice groove started in the glass, take the jig off and just drill away with the water running over the groove.....

 

[7Dragons7]

This sounds like a plan.

Thanks for the info.:bounce3: