Drilling Thin Glass

[sen5241b]

I need to make a fuge out of a small 2.5G tank I saw at Petsmart. I want to drill two small holes on the side, raise the tank a few inches right behind the main tank and then attach two PVC spouts to the holes to return water. "Two" in case one clogs. It says its glass but it feels like plastic. Is there a cheap way to do this?

 

This is the tank: the tank

[Coral Hind]

Thin glass is not easy to drill and any slight pressure on the bulkheads will crack the glass. Can you find a similar container made completely out of plastic, maybe something at the container store? If it was plastic you could use a simple wood/metal hole saw to make the holes.

[icecool2]

What Coral Hind said. Those tanks practically want to shatter. You can probably get a glass shop to drill it for you, but even the pressure of the plumbing is going to give you a problem. The area is just so small that the pressure would be spread across.

[smallreef]

its probably easier and cheaper to find a plastic or acrylic tank like a pennplex for that use...

[treesprite]

There are diamond holesaw bits small enough to make holes the size to fit 1/4" or 3/8" plastic tubing if you have yourself set on drilling a tank that size (I have some but don't know where I put them... got them at Harbor Freight). You only need very low flow through a refugium, so a couple of those holes would probably be enough. You would probably have to just use silicone to seal the tubes in really well rather than find micro-sized bulkheads.

[sen5241b]

I actually have a 1G Acrylic, low-flow, cheato-filled fuge on a 20GL now and its not big enough or it doesn't have enough flow. The tank has algae all the time and the cheato is dying back --probably because there is not enough flow. Plastic is probably the way to go here. But I do need approx 3G fuge to get trates down.

 

Can anyone suggest a container I can use? I need to put it in a 6.5 inch space behind my tank.

Edited August 20, 2012 by sen5241b

[Brian Ward]

The smallest tank I've drilled is a 40G long and I had trouble with that. I was able to drill all the holes, but when connecting the plumbing the slightest stress on the bulkhead would crack the glass. I wouldn't recommend trying to drill that. For that size, you can probably have Jeff (NAGA) make you something relatively inexpensively. He usually has scrap plastic around to do little jobs like this.

[flooddc]

I actually have a 1G Acrylic, low-flow, cheato-filled fuge on a 20GL now and its not big enough or it doesn't have enough flow. The tank has algae all the time and the cheato is dying back --probably because there is not enough flow. Plastic is probably the way to go here. But I do need approx 3G fuge to get trates down.

 

Can anyone suggest a container I can use? I need to put it in a 6.5 inch space behind my tank.

 

I seen a large HOB fuge that would fit your 6.5 in space, but quite $$$. Check CL, http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/for/3213524090.html for $40. Not sure it is big enough.

 

The smallest tank I've drilled is a 40G long and I had trouble with that. I was able to drill all the holes, but when connecting the plumbing the slightest stress on the bulkhead would crack the glass. I wouldn't recommend trying to drill that. For that size, you can probably have Jeff (NAGA) make you something relatively inexpensively. He usually has scrap plastic around to do little jobs like this.

 

I am thinking about drilling a 26gal bowfront. Do you think it going to be troublesome?

[Brian Ward]

 

I am thinking about drilling a 26gal bowfront. Do you think it going to be troublesome?

 

You have to be extremely careful when you get down to these sizes. The bigger tanks - 90g, 120g, etc. are much more forgiving due to the thickness of the glass. You'll probably be able to drill the holes as long as you're careful - make sure the holes are as far apart as possible. I would run into issues with the glass splitting between holes when they're close together. You'll also need to be careful when connecting the plumbing. I would recommend ensuring you have flex tubing in your runs as these dampen vibrations and are more forgiving when it comes to connecting to the bulkheads than PVC.

[Chad]

If set on the existing 2.5 gallon tank, perhaps uniseals would work best for this application?

 

 

[sen5241b]

I just thought of something. Who says you have to drill thin glass? Could a simple glass cutter work to cut a small hole?

 

 

Glass cutter

Edited August 20, 2012 by sen5241b

[firecrackerbob]

Ive successfully drilled 10s. using a circular bit and drilling from the inside out with water flowing and the tank side resting on foam... that said, I wouldnt bother with a tank that small. as others have said, you could get plexi glass and some weld on and make your own tank custom to the size you need. at that size I dont think you need to worry about the integridy too much... all that said, I just go out and get a rubbermaid container. I ran a rubbermaid container\fuge for my 20L when it was set up and it worked fine.

[treesprite]

I have drilled 10g, 15g, 16g, 20g, 40g, 65g, and 75g tanks without breakage, except for one of the 3 holes in the 65g. When possible, I drill the tanks from the inside so the glass is supported by the floor which means less vibration and less slippage of the bit. Water is extremely important. The last tank I drilled was the 16g which has 3 x 3/4" holes.

 

If there is a Container Store near you, they may have some type of container you could use - they have all kinds of interesting container things.

[flooddc]

I just thought of something. Who says you have to drill thin glass? Could a simple glass cutter work to cut a small hole?

 

 

Glass cutter

 

I doubt you can use a glass cutter to make a hole. You need to score the class and break.

Anyway, just drilled mine 26, not as thin as yours 2.5G. Nerve wrecking but not too bad. I think you can drill it by putting a 2x4 inside of the tank for support and slowly drill it!

[jimlin]

I actually have a 1G Acrylic, low-flow, cheato-filled fuge on a 20GL now and its not big enough or it doesn't have enough flow. The tank has algae all the time and the cheato is dying back --probably because there is not enough flow. Plastic is probably the way to go here. But I do need approx 3G fuge to get trates down.

 

Can anyone suggest a container I can use? I need to put it in a 6.5 inch space behind my tank.

I have a hob fuge on my 24 gallon cube. I have high flow going through it and good lighting for it and the chaeto needs to be harvested on a weekly basis. You probably just need to see if it is the flow or the light that is causing your chaeto to die.