Drilling filled tank

[Chad]

I really wish I would have had the foresight to think that the setup I threw together one afternoon thinking it would be temporary was going to end up being permanent... I really like the setup I threw together, but I wish it looked a little bit cleaner.

 

I run a 2" pvc siphon from my fuge to my DT, although I have worked out the kinks in it (to include a manual air removal line if the water level rises more than

[Almon]

People have done it. But, there is much risk involved.

 

About a year ago, a wamas member who was extremely involved in the group, drilled his display tank while filled, but it didn't go very well. The tank is down, other priorities have entered his life, and now he is no longer involved with the club.

[scott711]

As Almon said, there is risk.

 

Bigger tanks are easier than smaller tanks because the glass is thicker. I have drilled a ton of tanks some of which have had live stock in them and knock on wood have not had any problems.

[Chad]

Thanks for the feedback y'all...

 

Yea, that's what I am concerned about... It would not be a fun day if it went poorly, I have also drilled a bunch of tanks... but never a filled one, the only problems I have ever had were with a 55g (yes, I know now they are sometimes fully tempered) and 10g tanks.

 

The tanks are both 3/8" glass (my 60 which is actually an oceanic 58 and my 30).

 

If you had to quantify the risk, what do you think it is? (yes, I am an engineer)

[scott711]

It is hard to quantify it, but it depends on how comfortable you are with drilling tanks, how new the bit is, etc.

 

Being that the glass is a good thickness it shouldn't be that hard. If it were me, I would do it.

[BowieReefer84]

If you do it . . .use the video camera. : )

[Chad]

Haha, there will definitely be a video camera involved!

 

I think I will mull on it some, maybe accumulate supplies and a replacement tank if need be (hey, if I take all the precautions they wont be needed, right?) and go from there.

 

Thanks all.

[Coral Hind]

I have done it. Drain the tank half way to relieve some stress and you will be fine. Just use a newer bit, don't push or rush, keep it cool, and drill it level so it doesn't bind. Stay off the edge of the glass by a few inches since this will be a big hole.

[FearTheTerps]

Umm what kinda flooring do you have??? Apartment or house??? I tend to think about worse case scenarios. But I say do it. Maybe it will make POTM one month for diasters. JK hope all goes well. I have a 55 that I wish was drilled and it's way too close to the wall to do anything but tear down first.

[Charlie]

the idea of drilling a tank that is use scares the heck out of me. Maybe it's because Murphy lives in my shirt pocket. Just thinking of that makes everything that could go wrong rush through my head like a run-away freight train.

[Chad]

haha, and I will be the first to submit a picture that month too!! haha

 

The tank is in the bottom floor of a row house (cement slab beneath wood flooring, no carpet). The thought scares the heck out of me too. I can live without drilling it (I have had this tank set up three different time in the 7ish years I have owned it and it is not drilled yet), but I think this setup is a bit more permanent than previous times (I am not going anywhere for a while). The only tangible benefit that isnt for looks is that it would reduce my liklihood of a loss of siphon resulting in a flood (has happened twice, but I made some changes and it hasnt happened since), other than that, it would just make me happier because it would look nicer.

 

Let me ask this though, logistically, how do you provide cooling when drilling on a vertical surface? All the times that I have drilled glass before it has been on an empty tank, so I rotated the tank and drilled on a horizontal surface with a 'silly putty' dam filled with water. Any ideas on this part? Keep in mind that the reason my DT is ~ two feet from the wall is that about half of my open top sump/seagrass tank sticks out the back (how else do you fit a 75 gallon tank under a 60? hehe...), so a continuous flow cooling stream would need something to collect the waste water.

[FearTheTerps]

I have seen vids on you tube of people drilling tanks while the tank was vertical. They used a garden hose with a very slow stream of water coming out. Being indoors you probably cant do this, but if you had one pouring water from a jug or something that would work. Just need to be able to catch the water without making too much of a mess.

 

Also, I wondering if putting tape on the glass would help in case of a cr... ( didnt want to say it, but you know what I mean). Would it help hold things together for a bit and not cause an instant failure? I'm thinking all the pressure of the water pushing out could cause a blowout.

[FearTheTerps]

 

Im not sure if this is the vid I was thinking of or not. Its not vertical, but the same princle with using a slow stream rather then the silly putty dam.

[Chad]

While taking a look at that I found this, which is good and applicable (I particularly like the surprised/relieved response of the guys at the end)..

 

 

and this, which isnt exactly applicable, but made me wonder who it is and where that was

 

Edited May 5, 2010 by Chad

[Jon Lazar]

I think you just need to do a risk assessment and decide if it's worth it. Sure, the liklihood of failure is low. But the consequences are pretty high. Can you mitigate risk by having a replacement tank and water ready to go? Do you have the time to take the original tank all apart once you break it, and then drill and set up a replacement tank? Can you keep the corals and fish stable in a Rubbermaid tote or whatever your temporary solution is? And so on.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide,

Jon

[Chad]

Haha, Jon, that sounds exactly like my thinking Truth is, I am undecided at the moment... I appreciate all of the input, it helps me quite a bit... I need a copy of that risk program they used in that movie with Jennifer Aniston and Ben Stiller...

[atcherson]

I really wish I would have had the foresight to think that the setup I threw together one afternoon thinking it would be temporary was going to end up being permanent... I really like the setup I threw together, but I wish it looked a little bit cleaner.

 

I run a 2" pvc siphon from my fuge to my DT, although I have worked out the kinks in it (to include a manual air removal line if the water level rises more than

[Chad]

BTW, who did the tempered glass demo? The WAMAS banner is in the background

[treesprite]

A tip I read somewhere was to install the overflow box before doing the drilling. That will give a place for cooling water to spill instead of into the tank water, and will keep glass dust & splinters from going into the tank.

 

BTW, who did the tempered glass demo? The WAMAS banner is in the background

 

I was there for the WAMAS tempered glass demo - that's the day I learned how to drill I didn't drill that one though!

[Chad]

Installing the box first is a good idea...

 

I think I am starting to lean toward trying it... I could always swap my current tank for a rimless... there are a bunch of scratches in this one anyhow...

 

hehe