Can any glass tank be drilled?

[Nano-Neophyte]

I have a good lead on a 125 Gallon glass tank, 72X18X22. I'd like to take this tank and add internal overflows in each corner with intakes and drains in each overflow.

1) Can I add overflows to a glass tank myself? Does anyone have a lead on overflows for a decent price? Could I make these myself out of acrylic?

2) Can any glass tank be drilled? I noticed that some tanks have tempered bottoms and some don't ... do you need a tempered bottom for drilling? Where did you go for drilling?

3) Exactly where do I drill these holes? How far apart? How far from the edge? And what diameter hole?

Thanks!

 

[reefland]

Welcome to the board. I see this is your first post.

In general you do not want a tempered glass bottom if you plan on drilling it. Tempered glass tends to explode when you try to drill it. I'm told it can be done by a very skilled person. I've yet to meet such a person. Any shop I've talked to says tempered should not be drilled and I agree.

Your best bet is to look at other drilled tanks to get an idea on how and where to drill.

 

[Anonymous]

1) Can I add overflows to a glass tank myself? Does anyone have a lead on overflows for a decent price? Could I make these myself out of acrylic?

2) Can any glass tank be drilled? I noticed that some tanks have tempered bottoms and some don't ... do you need a tempered bottom for drilling? Where did you go for drilling?

3) Exactly where do I drill these holes? How far apart? How far from the edge? And what diameter hole?

Thanks!

1: Yes, if you are crafty. Actually it's pretty easy.
b: any good online supplier would carry them. But in an answer to c:
c: Yep, it's easier and cheaper, plus, you can get exactly what you want. try a search here on Reefs.org, or try Oz reefs DIY page I bookmarked it when I was looking at skimmers, so you may have to scroll up or down.

2: NO, tempered glass doesn't drill well. (Come look at the bottom of my 100 gallon. It's the same dimensions as yours, but now has another 3/8" bottom siliconed inside, because the old owner tried to drill it.) You need to find out if the glass is tempered before you start to drill.
b: the best place is a glass shop. However, if you have a drill press and a diamond coated bit, you can drill it yourself. (i drilled my 30 gal sump)

3: Wherever is convenient for you. Do you want the corners drilled, the back center, one end? It all depends how YOU want to set up your tank. The hole size will depend on your bulkhead size. (my 1" bulkhead took a 2 3/8" bit. )

Take some time (alot of time) and research everything you plan on doing. Visit some of this board's members' sites. Make a list of things you like and don't like about certain setups. Go from there...

HTH
Brett

 

[Nano-Neophyte]

Thanks for the welcome Rich. I've been a member of Reef Central for a bit now and recently learned of Reefs.org. I'm relatively new at this so I appreciate any words of wisdom I can get.

I'm going to give this tank drilling a little more thought.

Thanks again.

 

[Christian Schwalm]

By the way, if the bottom is tempered you can still use the internal overflows. Just drill out the back wall near the bottom. This will work just as well.
If you're going to drill yourself, I suggest you get the bulkheads you want first. With the bulkheads in hand, you'll be able to see how close the holes can be to each other, and to the overflow.
Put the bulkheads as close to the overflow (vs. the side of the tank) as you can so the stand underneath won't interfere with your plumbing.

Christian Schwalm
SkyLab Industries
www.wetdryfilter.com

 

[dsb1829]

let me emphasize:

Tempered glass = broken tank if you drill it

Figure out if the bottom is tempered. If it is then drill the back. Pretty simple. You can drill it anywhere you want. However it will work better if you drill as close to the bottom as possible. This related to head pressure and friction associated with passing through the bulkhead. There is no need for corner overflows unless you feel the need to hide your standpipes. In my 72g I drilled close to the surface. All that is visible in the tank is 2 1.5" street el's . It would flow more water if I had drilled deeper, but this worked well with the application at hand.

ttt...

 

[SteveA]

Hey Nano-
If you figure out how to drill your tank, please let me know. I am trying to drill overflows in a 20 gallon refugium and I am really struggling. What kind of bit did you buy and from whom? I assume you're not using a drill press if the tank is already built, so how do you stabilize the bit to keep it from walking all over the glass?

I bought a steel core bit on ebay and it came with a container of loose "grit" that is supposed to be the abrasive force that bores into the glass, but like I said, it's really hard to work with.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Steve
[email protected]

 

[SteveA]

I found several links and postings, so I think I can figure it out now. Sorry to bother you.

 

[Chucker]

:idea: SteveA, instead of apologizing, why not share the links you've found? This will work for everyone's benefit.

 

[SteveA]

My bad, Chucker.

I found a discussion from October of last year that referred to a URL (I'll try to attach) for Ameriglas:
http://www.shopsmartxpress.com/AmeriGls/W9.htm

http://www.shopsmartxpress.com/AmeriGls/W9.htm

The site has a great instruction section on use of diamond coated bits, and, it gets better, a catalog of bits to choose from.

One of the other useful things I learned is that Home Depot (reportedly) sells a hand held drill press which addresses my biggest question of how to keep the bit straight. I'm going to HD to find the press now and try to buy a diamond bit - I'll report back later.

 

[SteveA]

Found the drill press for $28 at Lowe's (Home Depot no longer carries them). They don't sell glass cutting bits larger than 1/2".

 

[heavydc2]

I have drilled glass before but not in a tank. I have a bunch of diamond bits that I can put on my dremil tool. I bought a glass cutting bit from HD but it ended up breaking the glass. make sure you use diamond bits and have a constant driping of water by the bit so it keeps the glass cool. it is a ***** to bore the whole but it is a method to use.

 

[fishguru]

Alos, the only tried and true way to make a hole in tempered glass is using a laser, which by the time you are done would cost more than buying a new tank that is pre-drilled. Just a FYI-Guru

 

[Anonymous]

Why not get the holes sandblasted into the glass? Safer than drilling, cheaper than drilling, and no problem with tempered glass.

Any thoughts?

RR

 

[bee2isme]

How long would it take to sand blast holes to a piece of tempered glass? How does it work?
I 've work with glass as a hobbist, and the secret or trick to cutting or drilling regular glass(not tempered) is to work with the glass warmed. Warm glass is much more forgiving than cold glass that shatters easily and is more brittle. Also by putting , like masking tape , over the area where your not drilling helps the glass from breaking or cracking . I guess the tape heplps bibd the glass and reduce the vibrations. Always use a good diamond bit, not a diamond covered bit. They cost more but will last longer if care for . Use a coolant on the bit as you drill at all times . In a pinch , you can dilute some anti-freeze /coolant for your car. A soaked sponge laid or pressed against your chuck or drill bit it works well. Good Luck!

 

[starr]

I JUST GOT A BRAND NEW ALL-GLASS TANK AND THE SHOP I GOT IT FROM CUT THE HOLES IN IT FOR ME HE SHOWED ME HOW TO DO IT. HE USED A DIAMOND DIPPED HOLE SAW WITH NO CENTER GUID IN IT AND A CRAFTSMAN 3/8 HAND DRILL. HE MARKED WHERE I WANTED THE HOLES AND STARTED IT AT A ANGLE THIS IS THE CATCHER HE USED ANTIFREEZE COOLANT STRAIT IN A SQUIRT BOTTLE TO COOL IT THEN WHEN HE GOT THE BIT STRAIT UP AND DOWN (SQUARE WITH THE TANK SERFACE) HE JUST STARTED DRILLING LIKE YOU WOULD ANY THING ELSE WITH NOT TO MUTCH PRESS. ON THE DRILL. HE TOLD ME THAT YOU (CAN NOT) AN ANY WAY DRILL THE BOTTOM OF ANY ALL-GLASS BRAND TANKS OR ANY OF THE CHEEPER TANKS LIKE ISLAND,PETCO BRAND,PETSMART BRAND. (ONLY SIDES OF ALL-GLASS AND OCEANANTIC BRAND NAMES ONLY) HE PAID LIKE $120 OR SO FOR EA. SIZE HOLE SAW BUT YOU CAN GET CHEEP ONE TIME USE STUFF TO. I FOUND IT CHEEPER FOR ME TO BUY A NEW 55 DRILLED FROM HIM FOR $107.95 THEN TO GET A SAW. I WAS ALSO TOLD BY ABOUT 20 DIFF. GLASS SHOPS IN MY AREA. WHAT DO YOU THINK I'M NUTS? NO YOU CAN NOT DRILL AQUARIUMS THERE ALL TEMPERED FIND SOMEONE ELSE. WHAT DO THEY KNOW. HA!

THATS MY 0.02 CENTS WORTH

NOW MY NEW QUEST TO FIND CHEEP ARAGONITE IN THE PORTLAND AREA. (NOT A BUCK A POUND)

STARR

 

[Ducman996]

How do you know if your tank is Tempered? Is it marked anywhere?

 

[nagel]

Just a quick note for others as well.

O'DELL makes (or made, I dunno, the tank was kinda old) a 55 gallon tank. Not knowing if the bottom was tempered, I opted to drill out the side. I have access to a glass drill press (has suction cup base, made for drilling only glass and mirrors) and the proper bits. I drilled several 10's and a 20 and 30 from AGA on the sides with no problem, but as I started to drill the O'Dell, KA-BOOM! maybe 5 mins into drilling it, the entire side of the tank shattered, and I learned at that moment that O'Dell uses tempered sides....

Bummin.... At least the tank was empty and no occupants were left without a home. But it's still gonna cost me some moolah to get another 55 to replace that one....

ps. most tanks have a sticker on them stating tempered bottom, or you can check on the manufacturers sites - www.all-glass.com or www.perfectomfg.com

hth

 

[kycoralhead]

I want to pass along some information about drilling glass. Tempered glass should not be drilled - period! Old tanks are a gamble, but can be done - sometimes. How can you tell if the glass is tempered? If a tank has thick glass it is probably not tempered. 55 gallon tanks used to be made of 3/8" glass, not tempered, now some are made of 1/4" glass, tempered. Vendors can let you know if you have a question. About the drilling process. The least expensive way to drill a hole for the bulkhead is with the tube drill and the powder that was discussed earlier. To use it get some rope caulk and build a small dam larger than the hole. Put some of the powder in side the dam and mix it with water to create a slurry. This powder is what cuts the hole in the glass by grinding. The tube just provides a guide. A drill press is almost a must for any large hole. This process takes some time. You may take 10 -15 minutes to drill a hole through the side of a 20 gallon tank. You cannot hurry or you will cause an explosion. I use a spray bottle because the slurry will dry out during the process and will not flow into the groove you started. When this happens spray the mix with water and add a little more powder. Patience is the most important part of the job. I have messed up a couple of times when I hurried. This is one way to do it with the least expensive bit. Diamond bits are very expensive and not worth the effort unless you drill a lot of holes.

 

[aliendomain]

I have drilled my share of tanks when I worked at an aquarium shop in MD. The guy who I learned from can and has drilled a number of tempered tanks. The trick to drilling any glass is a drill with a diamond bit, a guide or drill press, plumbers putty and lots of grit. With non-tempered glass you can get away with putting pressure on the glass as you drill. With tempered glass you can't put any pressure on the glass or it will bust. The trick is to let the grit do the work for you. Plumbers putty is used to make a raised area around the drill point, water is added then grit. As the bit spins just above the glass the grit will slowly eat away at the glass leaving you with a nice smooth hole, as you drill more grit is added when the grit breaks down (you will see the water turn gray, I also suggest adding fresh water from time to time to flush out the old grit).

Now let me say if you have never drilled a tank before have someone who has do it for you. If your tank has a tempered bottom, your are best off not having it drilled on the bottom, there are people that can do it, but you don't want a busted tank. As for how to know if a tank is tempered there should be a sticker on the bottom of the tank "tempered glass" if it is tempered, for further information check with the manufacturer (better safe than sorry).

Good luck!