is it worth drilling

[jamal]

i am somewhat confused. i jus set up my first tank 2 months ago. it is a 125 gal. with a hang on back fuge. the bottom panel is tempered but the other panels can be drilled. i dont know much about overflows but i was wondering if there is a way to get around the tank not being drilled? or if a vendor or experienced member could give me a basic estimate on how much it would cost to facilitate the drilling.

[Charlie97L]

i am somewhat confused. i jus set up my first tank 2 months ago. it is a 125 gal. with a hang on back fuge. the bottom panel is tempered but the other panels can be drilled. i dont know much about overflows but i was wondering if there is a way to get around the tank not being drilled? or if a vendor or experienced member could give me a basic estimate on how much it would cost to facilitate the drilling.

 

you can do an over teh top overflow... many people have used those successfully. you don't *need* to drill the tank for a sump, but it helps when you start getting a lot of equipment to hide things.

[jamal]

can someone explain how that works please?

[inedukated]

Sure.

 

I have one on my 55 gallon, because I was naive to the wonders of a pre-drilled tank.

 

You purchase an overflow box that hangs on the back of your tank. Overflow on eBay

It basically consists of two boxes, one is inside your tank, the other, over the back. The box inside your tank sits below your water line, so tank water fills it. It comes with a u-tube, in which you use to create a siphon between the two boxes, so water flows out of your tank into the second box. This box has a send line that goes to your sump. In the link, you can see the outside box has a hole in the bottom to run pipe/hosing between it and the sump.

 

In your sump, you'd have a return pump that puts water back in the main tank.

 

Now honestly, if you have the ability to, I'd get the tank drilled. But if it's decently stocked, or if you are unsure whether it's tempered or not, I wouldn't bother draining it to drill it. An overflow works fine HOWEVER if you ever lose suction in the u-tube while your return pump is working, you will overflow the main tank. It's never happened to me yet. keyword..yet.

 

I hope that helps

-Ben

[jamal]

i have two small damsels a coral beauty angel some snails and a green brittle star. is that too much? if i have it drained will i go through another full cycle? would i have to take everything out inclucing sand or can they just drill above the line. i dont know how the drilling thing works so these maybe obvious questions

[inedukated]

i have two small damsels a coral beauty angel some snails and a green brittle star. is that too much? if i have it drained will i go through another full cycle? would i have to take everything out inclucing sand or can they just drill above the line. i dont know how the drilling thing works so these maybe obvious questions

 

 

Nah, you're not overly stocked. Most will tell you to drain the tank completely, but I don't think removing the sand is required.

 

You can siphon out the water into tubs (get lots of them from walmart) and place your rock with them as well as your livestock. Hook up a pump just to keep the water form going stagnant, and perhaps a heater.

 

BRK stocks diamond-bladed hole saws, and I am sure you can find them other places. I'm not an expert on actually drilling the tanks, but I can tell you to keep it moist as to prevent it from getting hot, and you may want to pick up a small 5.5gall tank or another sheet of glass just to practice on first. I'd hate to see a 125gal tank get ruined.

 

If done right, it can all be done in a day.

-Ben

[squiddly]

My utterly destroyed expensive area rug concurs. Drilling is the way to go. Really. Do it do it do it :-).

[jamal]

then i guess the next issue is since i suck with my hands and would not trust myself to do it. is anyone out there that would be willing to help me when i decide to make that happen. also how much is the hole saw in case i decide to try anyway

[inedukated]

It's just a drill bit for a regular cordless/corded drill. Similar to a regular hole saw bit, just shiny diamonds on the end... I think they're $10-15.

 

I'd offer to help, but I've never done it before, because I am too afraid. lol... plus I think my tank is tempered. :(

[jamal]

thanx anyway my friend. a good guy on here is gonna let me use his drill but i still dont know how to do it so i guess i will have to wait.

[inedukated]

Here.

 

How to Drill a Tank

 

 

Good ol' Reef Central.

 

-Ben