drilling a tank that is in use

[treesprite]

I am hoping to be able to practice drilling at the frag fest, a tank up on a stand or table so I can get confident to drill my 65 with the stuff still in it. I have been thinking it's not a crazy idea because other people here have made it sound easy enough - let me know if I'm wrong, and please give me some feedback on the tentative plan below.

 

After all the effort to finally get decent aquascaping, I simply can't and won't take it apart to drill the tank. There are corals stuck on the rock, so I can only drain about 1/rd, though that allows plenty of space to drill holes near the top.

 

It's a 65 gallon tank. I would be drilling it on the END panel instead of the back - the panel is about 18x24, which should not be terribly difficult to replace if it cracks. I would be drilling 2 holes for 1" bulkheads near the top.

 

Emergency preparedness:

45g tub in place at time of drilling. Backup tanks - empty 52 hex, empty 29, and the 29 that just has the 8" RDSB in it. Glass shop 2 miles away to obtain new end panel.

 

I will be drilling the 52 hex first - this is important to note because this is my primary backup - if it cracks, there will be no attempt to drill the 65.

 

I am hopefully going to be able to practice drilling a tank in an upright position at the frag fest - I plan on bringing my 38 for me and others to practice on (anyone want a holey 38 if it doesn't break?).

 

Any feedback, suggestions, or smart-alec comments?

[Brian Ward]

keeping the drill site cool and well-lubricated would be my primary concern. I have typically used a hose to keep a stream of water running over the area - this both lubricates and cools the site as well as carrying away the glass shavings from grinding the hole out (really just sand at that point). I guess you could partially fill the 45 tub with water and use a maxi-jet to keep water spraying on the drilll site? What is the purpose of drilling? If you're doing a closed loop, you're much to close to the top of the tank. If you're doing an overflow device, then it makes more sense (sounds like you are).

 

I think it will probably work, but will make a bit of a mess. Be sure to use RO/DI water for your cooling water in the tub because some of it will end up in the tank.

[treesprite]

keeping the drill site cool and well-lubricated would be my primary concern. I have typically used a hose to keep a stream of water running over the area - this both lubricates and cools the site as well as carrying away the glass shavings from grinding the hole out (really just sand at that point). I guess you could partially fill the 45 tub with water and use a maxi-jet to keep water spraying on the drilll site? What is the purpose of drilling? If you're doing a closed loop, you're much to close to the top of the tank. If you're doing an overflow device, then it makes more sense (sounds like you are).

 

I think it will probably work, but will make a bit of a mess. Be sure to use RO/DI water for your cooling water in the tub because some of it will end up in the tank.

I was actually thinking I would be standing in the tub while drilling (big tub) because that's the only way to have the tub right under the tank - I can put a sheet of plastic taped onto the side of the dank draped into the tub so the water all flows into the tub if I'm going to be spraying.

[zygote2k]

How much water damage could be caused to your neighbors if the tank explodes?

Do it the right way.

[Jarosh]

Are you planning on charging admission for this show?

 

Just kidding I did a similiar drill job, but it was only a 20 gal sump , that I couldnt get out from under my stand. Like mentioned before keep the area lubed, I used RO/DI water. Otherwise I drained the water level about 2 in below where I drilled and used a piece of styrofoam on the inside portion of the glass to catch any shavings. I was very cautious, but now its no big deal to drill glass.

 

Are you using the drill bit or dremmel approach?

 

 

How much water damage could be caused to your neighbors if the tank explodes?

Do it the right way.

[Origami]

Somebody here, I believe, did just this with one of their setups. I don't know if it was Chip or Rik or who it was. As I recall, they may have even linked to a video of the process. This was some time back - maybe a year or more. He drilled the tank from the outside in (in contrast to the inside out which it sounds like Jarosh did). The setup pumped water up to the work area using a maxijet that was set in a tub below that captured the water flowing off of the work area. Some kind of a trough was used to direct the flow from the work area to the tub - maybe a plastic sheet attached to some kind of a homebrew funnel that was taped below the work area. Of course, the water level was reduced substantially and the member was able to get clear access to the back of his tank to do this.

 

The effort was successful. But, as the saying goes, your mileage may vary. Go slow.

[Origami]

Forrest, it was Bob (YBeNormal) that was the perpetrator of the technique that I described above. Here's his description and photojournal of the process that he used. http://www.wamas.org/forums/index.php?show...64&hl=drill

 

Heck, even you posted to the thread, I see (as did I).

 

It seems that the same approach could be used from the inside of the tank (using the tank water to cool the bit and a right angle adapter on the drill) if you didn't mind having some glass dust making its way back into the water. Since glass is silicon dioxide (the same as silica sand), this should not be an issue for anything in the tank.

Edited June 19, 2009 by Origami2547

[treesprite]

I've been thinking about moving somewhere closer to my new job and yesterday it occurred to me that I could coincide drilling with moving so the tank would be empty, but I don't know how many months it will be and am very tired of the HOTs... getting impatient.

 

If I have holes, I can use my Gen-X externally (it's amphibious) - there would be less heat in the tank, less sump vibration noise, and probably a higher flow rate than with the pump pulling water from the sump the hard way.

[Jon Lazar]

treesprite,

 

Drilling a tank with livestock still in it is only a good idea if it works. If it fails, it's a disaster. Too bad you won't know ahead of time whether you'll be successful or not.

 

There are plenty of examples where people have done it with no problems, and plenty of examples where it has failed miserably.

 

I'm willing to take appropriate risks in a lot of areas, but this is not one of them.

 

Best of luck with whatever you decide to do.

 

Jon

[Origami]

Timing this with a move is ideal, Forrest. I'd advise taking that route if it's an available option to you.

 

Your situation reminds me a little of my own dissatisfaction with my sand bed a while back. This is how it worked: I started out as a newbie deciding to go sumpless and to use a plenum design (despite Sean at F&F telling me that I'd want one) in my 90. I failed to follow his advice then. Regretting that, I went to HOB's. I didn't like my sand bed design and thought it to be the source of some of my nitrate issues of the time, so I decided to change that out. I thought, "Heck, if I'm going to change out the sand, I may as well drill the tank while it's empty." Then, it was, "Well, to drill the tank, it's going to be off the stand. I may as well upgrade." And that, Forrest, is how it all started to spiral out of control.

 

Enjoy!

[Jon Lazar]

Timing this with a move is ideal, Forrest. I'd advise taking that route if it's an available option to you.

 

I agree, with one addition! Your best option is to wait for your move and upgrade to a larger, drilled tank.

 

This also gives you some time to plan out the upgrade so you're not rushed.

[treesprite]

I agree, with one addition! Your best option is to wait for your move and upgrade to a larger, drilled tank.

 

This also gives you some time to plan out the upgrade so you're not rushed.

Unfortunately, I'm not in a position to upgrade any time soon.