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100DIY NEED HELP FOR PREDRILL

Batiatus

Batiatus

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Hi Every1. Im just new to the hobby about 5 months. I originally bought the Topfin 55gl Kit. Now my wife is really into it and after seeing Bills tank we want to upgrade. I just bought a 100GL BlueOcean 49x22x24. It has one predrilled hole and would like to get another hole drilled for the return. The problem is I called glass company and none of them can help me. I live in Cupertino, If any of you know that can come to my house and drill it for me please give me the contact. I dont have anyone to help me carry the tank.
 
Drilling a tank is sort of easy, patience on the drilling process and running water.
Getting a diamond saw from e-bay pays for itself on the first time you use it, some people would charge you $20 to drill it. You can do the return like many, over the tank's rim.
 
Glass-holes.com has some excellent videos on how to drill glass. Here is a link: http://reefercentral.com/install.html. It is specific to their products, but the glass drilling part is the same no matter what.

I bought an entire overflow kit from them and successfully drilled 4 holes into my tank (after practicing on a $10 tank from Walmart first!). They also sell drill bits, but you can at least look at the pics to make sure you get the right kind elsewhere. You don't want teeth. You are actually grinding the hole in the glass, not cutting.

The key is to use NO PRESSURE. Let the weight of your drill do all the work. It will take a very long time, especially on 3/8" glass, which I assume yours is @ 100gal. It took me approx 1 hour per hole. It is also recommended that you use a drill with an adjustable clutch set to the lowest or most loose setting to avoid chipping or cracking the glass if your bit gets stuck. Constant water flow helps remove the glass and keep your bit cool, but you can also use standing water. Just keep it wet.

PS if anyone wants a 10 gal full of holes and cracked panes let me know :)
 
HAHAHHA. I talked to Tyler from DPV and he can do it for $20. Problem is that my wife and I just moved in the area and there is no way my wife and I can carry it. Its made by blue ocean. Tyler told me that once it gets drilled some company put somehting on it so that it becomes a saftey glass.

Also I want to turn in my 55 into a Sump. Any idea what should I do? Im going to OSH to buy some acrylics for divider
 
If you are going to glue acrylic to glass I highly recommend you use E6000, you can find it at Tap Plastic, it will create a solid bond.
 
Oh yes one more thing, my tank came with a 1" bulkhead and thats all the tubing it came with. How do I plumb my overflow. Also if I do get my tank drill for the return, what else do I need to buy in order to plumb it for my return. As of right now I have a 540GPH pump from my 55. DO I need to get a bigger one?
 
Nice to know Jeremy; I normally use silicon as a hold it in place solution for plexi and glass

Batiatus, try getting some scrap plexi 1/4" from TAP Plastics for the sump. Try to have them cut 1/8' shorter than the required length.
The guy @ aquatraders said glass is not tempered but better safe than sorry, return over the rim will work as good.
 
OK i decided not to get it drilled. But my other problem is that my tank only came with a bulk head for the sump. Any Idea how should I do the overflow? Just run a 1" pVC about 22" high?

Yes Ductape is really strong. Watch mythbusters lol
 
I would construct an over flow box and affix it to the tank.
 
Bay Glass in Los Altos has drilled a few returns & overflows for me. The managed to drill a bigger hole over an existing hole. About $20, go get lunch, and it's done.
 
Do you have access to a table saw to cut the teeth for the top? If so I can whip together a simple drawing on how to do it. It's just a 5 sided box, open at the top, with teeth.
 
GreshamH said:
Do you have access to a table saw to cut the teeth for the top? If so I can whip together a simple drawing on how to do it. It's just a 5 sided box, open at the top, with teeth.
Click to expand...

I dont have any but I do have a dremmel, circular drill and jigsaw
 
A jig saw could do it. Dremel would take too long IME. Eh, circular saw could do it as well if you use a jig to make it straight and clean.
 
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