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Make a regular tank reef ready?


Jonathan's Reef

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I was planning to buy a great used reef ready system, but I committed literally an hour too late. Now I'm thinking I may try to install my own partition to make a standard tank reef ready. I like the full partition with pipes going in and out the bottom for a cleaner look. Anyone have experience doing this and able to point me to some links for kits?

 

Thanks!

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Through the bottom is much more difficult but if you are ok with through the back its super easy!

 

 

What you will have to do is drill the tank.  I will attach a bunch of info and you can read up on that and if you have any questions let me know.

 

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/index.php/video/index/view/id/83

 

http://reefercentral.com/home/?p=78

 

http://glass-holes.com/1500-gph-Overflow-Box-Complete-Kit-gh1500kit.htm

 

 

Also, if the tank is small enough to put in your vehicle, you could bring it to my place and I can help you drill it.  I have all the equipment to drill them.

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Thanks for the info. I may go the back of the tank route, but the bottom just allows for a much cleaner looking setup. No pipes running along the back would be ideal considering potential placement in the apartment.

 

What makes the bottom more difficult? I could see how aligning the box and securing it may be a pain.

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the bottom of the tank is usually temper glass. make sure it is not temper or check with the manufacture. You can't drill the temper glass.

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Thanks for the info. I may go the back of the tank route, but the bottom just allows for a much cleaner looking setup. No pipes running along the back would be ideal considering potential placement in the apartment.

 

What makes the bottom more difficult? I could see how aligning the box and securing it may be a pain.

 

What size tank are you wanting to drill?

 

the bottom of the tank is usually temper glass. make sure it is not temper or check with the manufacture. You can't drill the temper glass.

 

 

+1

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I was considering the 50g tank posted here:

 

http://wamas.org/forums/topic/73869-fs-50-gallon-starfire-rimless-tank-and-stand/

 

I had forgotten about the bottoms typically being tempered. That would put a major damper on things. I think that rules it out. The tank would have to be placed such that it's the first thing you see when you walk into the apartment, and you'd see it from the side. We just don't want people to see pipes hanging off the back. :/ 

 

Puts me up to either a Deep Blue 60 cube that requires me to piece together everything, or I buy a standard RR 55g that comes with everything including the light I want. It's a battle between more work and more money resulting in the cooler tank shape and thus reef shape, or less work and less money with a somewhat less awesome reef. Kinda leaning toward the former... or maybe buying both and reselling the 55.. ugh, so many tough choices!

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I was considering the 50g tank posted here:

 

http://wamas.org/forums/topic/73869-fs-50-gallon-starfire-rimless-tank-and-stand/

 

I had forgotten about the bottoms typically being tempered. That would put a major damper on things. I think that rules it out. The tank would have to be placed such that it's the first thing you see when you walk into the apartment, and you'd see it from the side. We just don't want people to see pipes hanging off the back. :/ 

 

Puts me up to either a Deep Blue 60 cube that requires me to piece together everything, or I buy a standard RR 55g that comes with everything including the light I want. It's a battle between more work and more money resulting in the cooler tank shape and thus reef shape, or less work and less money with a somewhat less awesome reef. Kinda leaning toward the former... or maybe buying both and reselling the 55.. ugh, so many tough choices!

 

Just something to think about, the store bought RR tanks loose a lot of space because of that overflow box.  The drilling back allows for more room in the tank.  I would definitely go for that 50g starphire. that is an awesome tank!

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Why not just pay $1/gallon for a brand spanking new 55g tank at Petco, heck you can even get an additional 10% off with ship to store. Savings you can use towards a nice ready made stand or sump or beer or whatever.

A few post up you already have volunteered help on stand by to drill the darn thing for you. Keep it simply, you choke the fun out if it by complicating things. Hope my contribution to your project helps.

 

 

If you can spend a perfectly useless afternoon in a perfectly useless manner, you have learned how to live. - Lin Yutang

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(edited)

Why not just pay $1/gallon for a brand spanking new 55g tank at Petco, heck you can even get an additional 10% off with ship to store. Savings you can use towards a nice ready made stand or sump or beer or whatever.

A few post up you already have volunteered help on stand by to drill the darn thing for you. Keep it simply, you choke the fun out if it by complicating things. Hope my contribution to your project helps.

 

 

If you can spend a perfectly useless afternoon in a perfectly useless manner, you have learned how to live. - Lin Yutang

 

the 55g tanks at petco are tempered.  You can't drill them.

 

the 40g breeders are only tempered on the bottom.

Edited by sethsolomon
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What about the 40g breeder is it tempered as well?

 

 

If you can spend a perfectly useless afternoon in a perfectly useless manner, you have learned how to live. - Lin Yutang

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Use an overflow from Glass Holes or Bulk Reef Supply. One that mounts to the back of the tank. Glass Holes has a nice video that shows how to drill a tank. Go out the back of the tank. It won't take long before you regret a top-to-bottom overflow arrangement simply because you lose display volume with that sort of arrangement. That's volume that your fish can have, that your sand bed can have, that you can enjoy. 

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today is the last day for $1 per gallon here in sterling.   The 40 breeder is ok to drill as long as you do not drill the bottom.   The sides are not tempered but the bottom is.

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Sorry for the delayed response. Been super busy around here.

 

You guys make some excellent points. In a normal situation, the drilled back with overflow makes a lot of sense, but the main reason that I wanted to drill the bottom was for aesthetics in the room. When you walk in our house, you'll see the tank from the side, and the wife doesn't want pipes to be part of that first view - nor do I really. I am thinking about whether I want to change up my plan or not though. Maybe I go for a different size/shape and drill it for a different location.

 

Thanks for the great links and great input. sethsolomon, I may come knocking your way for some drilling assistance. Thanks!

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I would go with the 40 gallon breeder, and get an overflow from glass holes like Origami suggested. If your worried about it sticking out, then I would find a better location where you can put it in the back and not have to worry about it being viewed. If you do it right, it might not even be a huge eye sore, I've done this with my past 2 large (100gallons +) Reefs.

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  • 4 weeks later...

You could drill one end instead of the back.

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You could drill one end instead of the back.

Good point, but then it leaves it covered on one side. If he's concerned about the back sticking out, he's probably concerned about the side running plumbing, I'd expect.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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  • 4 months later...

I know I'm new but the overflow box was the worst decision I ever made. It takes up 5.5 inches off the back of the tank sits 4" above the rim and has already failed me once (and it has the siphon pump). That's why I'm already searching for a RR tank after only 6 months.

 

This is just my feeling , not trying to push you.

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I went with RR, but it's got a box I. the middle, so the back two sides are really not great for any growing area. I'll be starting a build thread today even though I'm about to start loading corals... Little late

 

Sent from my LG-D800 using Tapatalk

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So, I finally did it. I made a build thread. Stay tuned, give input, and enjoy!

 

http://wamas.org/forums/topic/76789-jonathans-50-cube-build/?p=681139

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