Please critique my plan

[racefan]

Please critique my plan & add any suggestions. I'll start at the beginning. One of my tanks is a 29 gal Bio Cube. I had a sump built that I'm going to put in the cabinet Here's where I need input (part 1) I'm going to drill the back for bulkheads and my plan is to take the fish (3) & shrimp (1) and some rock and move to my 10 gal Q/T tank (using water from the cube) then move the remaining rock and coral to a bucket with a powerhead & a heater, then drain the water level in the cube down to about 2 inches above the sand. At that point I should be able to pivot the stand around to gain access to the back of the cube. I'm planning on drilling it upright, so I am thinking I will maybe duct tape some plastic sheeting to the inside of the middle chamber (where I'll be drilling) so as to catch any chard's of glass while I have my wife also manning the shop vac on the inside of the chamber (she's not been informed of this part yet) my thoughts are I don't want to disturb the sand bed & cause a cycle, so as I see it it will have to be drilled upright(shouldn't be too big a deal just keep the hole saw wet with a squirt bottle) Input part 2) As far as a return pump I'm leaning towards a Quiet One 4000. I will be pumping the return through a chiller & have a head height of about 3 or 4 feet. The chiller GPM is 500 to 800 GPM. Anyway that's my thoughts, any input? Mike

[IslandCrow]

Sounds like an OK plan. I've never drilled a tank while it was upright, so I can't tell you whether or not a squirt bottle will be enough to keep things cool. I usually have a steady flow of water going when I drill. How old is your tank? If you haven't had it too horribly long, there shouldn't be a problem with removing the sand and re-adding it after you drill. You may want to rinse it in salt water if it looks like it's collected too much detritus. If it's real bad, I'd just replace the sand. Most people have plenty of live rock to give them all the bio-filtration they need, and replacing the sand shouldn't have a significant effect. You can always keep a little bit of the old sand to mix in with the new to help seed it (the live rock will also do that).

I don't have personal experience with the Quiet One pumps, but I don't think I've heard anything particularly bad about them. Do keep in mind that your chiller is really going to add a lot to your head loss. Unfortunately, I haven't run across any sort of head loss calculator for chillers. I'd guess my chiller cut my flow by about 25%, but I'm sure that could vary greatly between models. I just aimed for the upper end of what my chiller recommended for flow.

[sporto0]

My thought is why drill a 29g tank? what is the advantage? You heard it was better? Why?

[racefan]

Originally Posted by sporto0

My thought is why drill a 29g tank? what is the advantage? You heard it was better? Why?

I'm going to drill it for bulkheads for the sump. I'm adding the sump for the benefits you get with a sump & I'm not a fan of over the top overflows.

[racefan]

Originally Posted by IslandCrow

Sounds like an OK plan. I've never drilled a tank while it was upright, so I can't tell you whether or not a squirt bottle will be enough to keep things cool. I usually have a steady flow of water going when I drill. How old is your tank? If you haven't had it too horribly long, there shouldn't be a problem with removing the sand and re-adding it after you drill. You may want to rinse it in salt water if it looks like it's collected too much detritus. If it's real bad, I'd just replace the sand. Most people have plenty of live rock to give them all the bio-filtration they need, and replacing the sand shouldn't have a significant effect. You can always keep a little bit of the old sand to mix in with the new to help seed it (the live rock will also do that).

I don't have personal experience with the Quiet One pumps, but I don't think I've heard anything particularly bad about them. Do keep in mind that your chiller is really going to add a lot to your head loss. Unfortunately, I haven't run across any sort of head loss calculator for chillers. I'd guess my chiller cut my flow by about 25%, but I'm sure that could vary greatly between models. I just aimed for the upper end of what my chiller recommended for flow.

The tank has been up for about 3 years. That model pump is on the higher end of thr GPM.According to Lifeguards website it has 786 GPM @ 3' & 712 @ 4'

[sporto0]

Originally Posted by racefan

I'm going to drill it for bulkheads for the sump.

Why not go with external overflows? I understand you want a sump, explain to me the advantage of trying to drill a small tank, with water in it already, as opposed to an overflow box? I have yet to hear the "ULTIMATE" advantage of a drilled tank, other than a cleaner look, but that never addresses the problems that arise when you want clean a line or move the sump for any reason.

[racefan]

I do like the cleaner look of a drilled tank & as I understand it external overflows can lose siphon? Also with a Bio Cube I have the lid to deal with (thinking about plumbing going over the top). As far as cleaning a line or moving the sump, union fittings will solve that.

[peppie]

Drilling the tank in the upright pos while the water/sand still in it is risky, but can be done. Sound as if you have a good plan.
IMO you should do a practice run on a piece of glass of the same thickness. Your local Big Box Store will carry the glass. Try to duplicate the test as close as possible. I am sure you will find an aspect of the procedure that can be improve on before you drill the main tank.
Good luck and post some pics

[racefan]

Originally Posted by peppie

Drilling the tank in the upright pos while the water/sand still in it is risky, but can be done. Sound as if you have a good plan.
IMO you should do a practice run on a piece of glass of the same thickness. Your local Big Box Store will carry the glass. Try to duplicate the test as close as possible. I am sure you will find an aspect of the procedure that can be improve on before you drill the main tank.
Good luck and post some pics

Good idea. While I'm having water & sand in it, there is the wall that separates the main tank from the rear chambers. I like the idea of doing a test drill. I've drilled glass flat, but never vertical. Also I'm still arguing with myself if I should just take everything out, drill it, replace the sand with new, possibly save some of my old to seed it. When I moved my 45 to a 40B I replaced the sand with new live sand & never had a cycle.