Please teach me the benefits of drilling a tank.

[mnestroy]

I am getting ready to upgrade to a 75gallon Non Reef ready tank and while its empty I am considering having it drilled.

I have a life-reef overflow on my current tank and I've never had any problems with it and was planning on using that.

So whats the advantage of drilling the tank? How do I do it? Where do people put the holes??

Do you drill the bottom and try to make an overflow like a RR tank? or do drill the top and create a glass overflow??

Pictures and advice would be greatly appericated.

 

[badazztealcobra]

If you already have the tank, the odds are that the bottom is tempered so you would have to go through the back wall and create an overflow.

I like having a RR tank because it allows you to go through the bottom of the tank and get the tank close to the wall.

If I were going to drill the tank for an overflow I would do it with a calfo style coast to coast overflow so that you get better surface skimming.

 

[big bank hank]

I have a BRAND NEW AGA 75 that has been drilled by Midwest Reef Supply w/ bulkheads ready to go...

Why go through the trouble, all the work has been done. PM me if you need the thank, I'll cut you a GOOD deal.

 

[badazztealcobra]

I think he was looking more for pro vs cons than a sales pitch. Plus you're not allowed to sell items until you have 3 months on the boards and over 50 posts.....

 

[big bank hank]

Take it for what it is. I'm just trying to save the guy some money and make some room for my 110.

 

[badazztealcobra]

How would you be saving him money by selling him a tank ??? He already has the tank and was thinking about getting it drilled. Theres about a dozen people on the forums who will do it for free or a couple bucks for gas. :rolleye1:

I would do a coast to coast overflow and do a few holes in the back for the returns. If you make them right you should have no chance of an overflow occuring.

Heres a quick image.....

And a link to how to do that style overflow with fail safe....
Calfo Overflow

Plus if youre already going to have plumbing behind the tank you can drill a few more holes for a closed loop setup...

 

[marfuerte]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13039827#post13039827 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by badazztealcobra

I would do a coast to coast overflow and do a few holes in the back for the returns. If you make them right you should have no chance of an overflow occuring.

Heres a quick image.....

And a link to how to do that style overflow with fail safe....
Calfo Overflow

Plus if youre already going to have plumbing behind the tank you can drill a few more holes for a closed loop setup...

+1. I think the Calfo overflow is the most efficient--and running the risk of being flamed I actually prefer it to RR tanks.

 

[big bank hank]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13039827#post13039827 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by badazztealcobra
How would you be saving him money by selling him a tank ??? He already has the tank and was thinking about getting it drilled.

I am getting ready to upgrade to a 75gallon Non Reef ready tank and while its empty I am considering having it drilled.

Getting ready to upgrade leaves the reader to believe there is no 75g tank in possession at the moment. Where does it say he has a 75g tank? It states there is A tank in possession, but upgrading to a 75 would indicate the current tank is smaller or less desireable.

 

[runningnreefing]

Check out glass-holes.com. I copied their design and installed it on two tanks. I was tired of the CPR overflow losing siphon and flooding the floor. It has been about six months, and I am very happy with the new overflow.

 

[badazztealcobra]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13039899#post13039899 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by marfuerte
+1. I think the Calfo overflow is the most efficient--and running the risk of being flamed I actually prefer it to RR tanks.

I dont think anyone would flame you over that.... If I had the room behind my 180 to have plumbing or was doing an in wall tank and had a fish room behind it I wuold have a 180g with that exact setup and a closed loop in it as well....

 

[ppurcell]

Mike, if want to know why drill... stop by my place and I'll show you the ruined drywall from my two flood events caused by my overflow box losing siphon. I took my tank down so I could buy a reef ready.

 

[badazztealcobra]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13040032#post13040032 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ppurcell
Mike, if want to know why drill... stop by my place and I'll show you the ruined drywall from my two flood events caused by my overflow box losing siphon. I took my tank down so I could buy a reef ready.

That would be all the selling points I would need. :lol: :lol:

How far along are you with that Phil ???

 

[ppurcell]

I have the new tank in the garage, sold the old tank and then ordered the new skimmer which won't fit into the old sump; but would have fit into the 75 if I hadn't sold it...

I've just started the work to open the wall and reframe it and the new stand. But that won't be finished for months at my current rate of progress.

 

[badazztealcobra]

I just saw that you got a MSX250... SWEET skimmer. One of the best buys Ive made yet. I have mine in a 75g sump as well. I just ordered the extended neck for it, cant wait to get it.

Sorry for the hijack mnestroy, point is, I think you should drill it and do the calfo style overflow.

 

[madadi]

there is a slight chance that you can ruin the tank if you decide to drill it. i should know because i just did that about two weeks ago. it cost me a few hundred dollars more but i would never use an overflow box. i like the look of drilled tanks with the calflow over flow.

as long as you go slow and you don't rush it, you will be fine. buy a diamond coated hole saw from eBay for like 10 bucks and you will be set. make a dam around the hole site with some clay and fill it up with water. this will keep the glass and the drill bit cool because it will create a lot of heat from the friction. its true that there are a lot of people on here that will help you with it. do it right from the start. you wont ever have to worry about your siphon braking.

 

[taylor t]

I have both drilled and non-drilled tanks. Drill it. You'll be glad you did after it's done. The advantage of a drilled tank is the overflow isn't dependant on a specific flow to keep the siphon free from accumulating enough bubbles to break the siphon. It's a balancing act to keep it from accumulating too many bubbles. Not enough flow, it accumulates bubbles. Too much flow, a month from now, algae grows, restricts flow, it overflows.

If it's not set up yet, drill it.

 

[mnestroy]

Thank You all for the responses.

Yes I do have a 75Gallon tank. I purchased one from a member on here way back in January (75gallon tank, stand, and hood for 75bux!)

I'm almost done restaining the stand/hood.

My main goal of this project is a fast and cheap upgrade from my 40 breeder.

I see from the photo/example it looks like several holes, how many would be needed for a 75?

Also i see the use of several removable gate valve (forget name) arent those pretty costly?

 

[ppurcell]

They are true union ball valves, they do cost more but you can use a regular ball valve instead. Unfortunately, the ones you can buy at HD and Menards kinda suck. If you need to remove it, you can always cut the PVC. Or you can put regular unions on either side of your ball valve.

These are $22 each:

http://www.customaquatic.com/customaquatic/itemdetail.asp?itemid=PF-GF161-374-004

You do need all three holes regardless of tank size. Read the article from BeanAnimal, he does a great job explaining the purpose and limitations of each drain type.

I was seriously considering doing this on my new tank, but got a reef ready instead. And after re-reading the article, I think I might be able to do this with the RR anyway, it just won't look quite as elegant since it won't have the coast to coast overflow.

 

[badazztealcobra]

Just like Phil said.... just read the entire article and youll see that its a GREAT setup.....

You can use just standard ball valves and unions if you dont want to do the true unions, or just a ball valve if you're not worried about ever having to cut it off to get them apart...

 

[RobTop]

If you are using a valve and union, get the tru union, actually cheaper in most cases unless you skim and go single union. It is either true union, and 2 glue joints, or 2 unions and a ball valve, which is 6 places to glue, and 3 parts to buy. I thought I would save money way back and buy them separtly, must have been new math I was using as it cost me more.

You do run a risk of braking the tank, I have cracked 1 tank, and chipped out a couple others. BUT have drilled 100 holes at a guess. On a 75 it depends on how much sump to tank flow you want. There is a caulc on the home page for this, but 2x1" should be plenty, that is what I have. Personally I like less flow through the sump and more in a closed loop. Why send 1500 GPH to the sump if your skimmer only handles 800gph. Use a CL.

If you want holes drilled I am one that does it for free.