need opinions, new tank

wood0691 · 09/15/2011, 06:35 AM

I scored a 55G glass tank yesterday for free

is it better to drill the tank at the top or on the bottom? I plan on building my own stand out of 2x4's and plywood with the sump/refuge underneath. ive seen both but dont know if its a matter of personal preferance or if one is better than the other.

my dog loves to have his picture taken, sorry couldnt get him out of of it.

rogermccray · 09/15/2011, 06:41 AM

It is better to drill the bottom but then you need to build an overflow box to prevent all the water from draining. Another problem with the bottom is that often it is tempered glass on the bottom. You can't drill tempered so if it is tempered then you need to drill the back.

wood0691 · 09/15/2011, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rogermccray

It is better to drill the bottom but then you need to build an overflow box to prevent all the water from draining. Another problem with the bottom is that often it is tempered glass on the bottom. You can't drill tempered so if it is tempered then you need to drill the back.

how would i know if its temperd glass or not?

rogermccray · 09/15/2011, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wood0691

how would i know if its temperd glass or not?

To tell you the truth I don't really know, I would just google it and see what you find...

You definitely want to do it though because if you don't you will just ruin the tank.

ReeferBill · 09/15/2011, 06:55 AM

If it is tempered the glass should have a stamp on one corner that states this , in faint white letters.

Read up on sumps and filters to find out where to drill.

Jocko · 09/15/2011, 06:59 AM

If you were interested in a Calfo style overflow, then you could have the drain and return holes on the back of the tank and you wouldn't have to worry about the bottom being tempered (or the entire tank potentially being able to leak out).

ReeferBill · 09/15/2011, 07:02 AM

O Yea there is another way to tell if glass is tempered or not when it is not stamped. Take a glass cutter and score a regular piece of plate glass to feel what it is like to cut glass and then try it on the bottom inside and if it feels alot harder to scratch because the properties are changed and it is 10 times stronger than plate glass do not drill it.

wood0691 · 09/15/2011, 07:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReeferBill

If it is tempered the glass should have a stamp on one corner that states this , in faint white letters.

Read up on sumps and filters to find out where to drill.

Thanks, i will search the tank over and see if i can find anything on it about it being temperd or not, so it matters where on the bottom to drill? i had planned on the back corner but i'll do some research and see what i find out about it. thanks for the help.

wood0691 · 09/15/2011, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jocko

If you were interested in a Calfo style overflow, then you could have the drain and return holes on the back of the tank and you wouldn't have to worry about the bottom being tempered (or the entire tank potentially being able to leak out).

im not sure if im interested in a Calfo style overflow or not....what is it, how is it set up and what is involved? is there any pics of one i can look at

sponger0 · 09/15/2011, 08:25 AM

Drilling I think is better from the bottom so you dont have so much plumbing on the back. So my preference is drilling the bottom. But the back can be drilled too. My tank has a sticker on the bottom panels says that its tempured.

wood0691 · 09/15/2011, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sponger0

Drilling I think is better from the bottom so you dont have so much plumbing on the back. So my preference is drilling the bottom. But the back can be drilled too. My tank has a sticker on the bottom panels says that its tempured.

just checked mine and it says temperd glass on the bottom also. well i guess i'll be drilling the back and making an over flow inside the tank.

sponger0 · 09/15/2011, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wood0691

just checked mine and it says temperd glass on the bottom also. well i guess i'll be drilling the back and making an over flow inside the tank.

Thats good they labeled it. Ive had some tanks that you couldnt tell if it was tempered or not. But one thing you can do is do multiple returns with a large enough return and you may not have to use powerheads.

I bought a used tank and was already drilled with 2 returns and had some loc-line on the returns so I can direct the flow. I bought one circulation pump but Im not even sure Ill need to use it. Well I can always use an extra power head

wood0691 · 09/15/2011, 12:30 PM

OK so im going to drill the back of the tank but how do i know what size i need to drain and then what size return? is there a calculater to figure this out?

nmcgrawj · 09/15/2011, 12:49 PM

Polarized glasses + LCD screencqn show if it's tempered. Google it.

Choose your pumps and set up, then u know the size. Double the size of the output on the return pump to get it's performance. Too small will hurt u but too big just takes a few extra pennies.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

09/15/2011, 06:35 AM	#1
wood0691 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Birmingham Alabama Posts: 329	need opinions, new tank I scored a 55G glass tank yesterday for free is it better to drill the tank at the top or on the bottom? I plan on building my own stand out of 2x4's and plywood with the sump/refuge underneath. ive seen both but dont know if its a matter of personal preferance or if one is better than the other. my dog loves to have his picture taken, sorry couldnt get him out of of it.

09/15/2011, 06:55 AM	#5
ReeferBill Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 1,906	Opinions If it is tempered the glass should have a stamp on one corner that states this , in faint white letters. Read up on sumps and filters to find out where to drill. __________________ I never realized I had to be a Chemist and a Marine Biologist to maintain a Reef Aquarium!

09/15/2011, 07:02 AM	#7
ReeferBill Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 1,906	O Yea there is another way to tell if glass is tempered or not when it is not stamped. Take a glass cutter and score a regular piece of plate glass to feel what it is like to cut glass and then try it on the bottom inside and if it feels alot harder to scratch because the properties are changed and it is 10 times stronger than plate glass do not drill it. __________________ I never realized I had to be a Chemist and a Marine Biologist to maintain a Reef Aquarium!

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09/15/2011, 06:41 AM	#2
rogermccray Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 1,050	It is better to drill the bottom but then you need to build an overflow box to prevent all the water from draining. Another problem with the bottom is that often it is tempered glass on the bottom. You can't drill tempered so if it is tempered then you need to drill the back.

09/15/2011, 06:59 AM	#6
Jocko Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Boston Posts: 595	If you were interested in a Calfo style overflow, then you could have the drain and return holes on the back of the tank and you wouldn't have to worry about the bottom being tempered (or the entire tank potentially being able to leak out).

09/15/2011, 08:25 AM	#10
sponger0 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 6,659	Drilling I think is better from the bottom so you dont have so much plumbing on the back. So my preference is drilling the bottom. But the back can be drilled too. My tank has a sticker on the bottom panels says that its tempured.

09/15/2011, 12:30 PM	#13
wood0691 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Birmingham Alabama Posts: 329	OK so im going to drill the back of the tank but how do i know what size i need to drain and then what size return? is there a calculater to figure this out?

09/15/2011, 12:49 PM	#14
nmcgrawj Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Durham, NC Posts: 82	Polarized glasses + LCD screencqn show if it's tempered. Google it. Choose your pumps and set up, then u know the size. Double the size of the output on the return pump to get it's performance. Too small will hurt u but too big just takes a few extra pennies. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk