Step-by-Step: Drilling Holes in Your Glass Tank for Bulkheads - Page 25

Drue · 02/04/2007, 10:54 PM

http://youtube.com/watch?v=7gaAflSFFnQ

Thought I'd share that with you guys. My first time drilling. Hole's not perfect, but it's good enough.

douglass · 02/07/2007, 04:52 PM

Will someone check my math?
Savko 2" bulkhead needs a 3 1/4 inch hole.
25.4 x 3.14 = 79.756
On Ebay Lau has a 80mm that I think would work or should I go to the 85mm?
Any help would be great.
Doug

aroundtuit · 02/07/2007, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by douglass
Will someone check my math?
Savko 2" bulkhead needs a 3 1/4 inch hole.
25.4 x 3.14 = 79.756
On Ebay Lau has a 80mm that I think would work or should I go to the 85mm?
Any help would be great.
Doug

3-1/4 in = 3.25 in

Which means

3.25 in * 25.4 mm/in = 82.55 mm

swedish steel · 02/07/2007, 11:41 PM

I used the 85mm.

douglass · 02/08/2007, 07:11 AM

Thanks for the help. Looks like I'll go with the 85mm.

bleedingthought · 02/21/2007, 02:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by JustOneMoreTank
I have two 1.5" bulkheads that T together into a common 2" PVC to feed my Dart. That works well for me.

Chris, I'm ordering some new hole saws (1.5", 2", and probably 1") but I don't think they'll be here by Saturday!

Shane's going to just have use 1", I guess.

By the way, do you think that two 1.5" drains work better than one 2" drain for the dart?

Thiago

JustOneMoreTank · 02/21/2007, 04:49 PM

Too bad they wont make it for the meeting.

Not sure how many holes that 1"er has done either...
Yes I like my two 1.5" drains they work well in my 120g tank Ted together. I am not sure but one suction point *might* be too great even with a screen over it and cause inverts and fish to have problems getting by it. I dont know because I have not ever seen a 2" intake in a tank. Maybe you could rig up a long suction PVC bar and distribute the suction over a larger area???

bleedingthought · 02/21/2007, 05:55 PM

Yeah, I was actually going to do a 2" bulkhead and inside the tank a 2" tee with the middle of the tee to the bulkhead and the two sides with a section of pipe and holes/slots all over it for the water and a cap at the end with holes as well. I figure that would definitely help with the high velocity suction. What do you think?

And as far the hole drilling this Saturday, are you coming to the meeting? I was supposed to have a 50G drilled and I was going to set it up as a second tank but have since decided to use it as a sump for a 180G setup I'm hoping to put together soon. So instead of a bunch of holes, I just need one larger hole for a return pump intake, so either 1.5" or 2". I'm not sure if I should just bring it to the meeting and have you or Shane drill it with the 1" for the sake of the presentation and when I get the 1.5" or 2" hole saw in, I'll make that hole bigger. What do you think about that one?

Sorry for the long post. This should have been a PM but it seems like this might help some other folks, too!

Thanks.

Thiago

JustOneMoreTank · 02/21/2007, 06:03 PM

I will be at the meeting and we can get that tank drilled however you want no problem.
I think that a 2" hole and then you T that inside the tank and have in effect 2 bulkhead screens each at 2" diameter would be awesome. This way critters could effectively walk across the surface of the screen. The snails and hermits have a really really tough time getting across my pair of 1.5" bulkhead screens without getting pulled thru. So two 2 inchers would be great.

jjoos99 · 02/23/2007, 07:54 PM

I read early in the post that all 55 gallon tanks were tempered glass. I am going to use one for a sump and would like to install a bulkhead in the side of the tank. Are all the sides tempered or just the bottem?
Thanks
Jeff

leozava · 02/24/2007, 12:44 PM

If this was already covered in this thread im sorry, I dont have the luxury of putting my tank on its side to drill the holes i have to do it while the tanks is standing up and tips suggs.

thanx
Leo

dtaranath · 02/24/2007, 12:53 PM

why can't you put it on its side?

leozava · 02/24/2007, 01:14 PM

its 8 feet long and im drilling one of the ends, plus its in a custom stand that covers the bottom trim so it would be a real pain to take it out

bleedingthought · 02/24/2007, 05:32 PM

Drilling with it right side up is just as easy.

I saw it done today by the man who started this thread! Piece of cake!!!!!

JustOneMoreTank · 02/24/2007, 07:02 PM

Hey Bleedingthought!
Well today my fish club and I drilled three holes in two tanks. Both tanks were top/open side up and I drilled them on the back glass. Our reef club will have a video posted on the website hopefully sometime soon. Ohh great... now everyone gets to see me sweat it out in front of a crowd drilling a pair of tanks.

I find it just as easy to drill the tank laying on its side or standing upright. Although I will admit that it does help to have someone watching from the side to tell you if you are working directly in or if you have the drill angled up or down. It is difficult to tell sometimes when you are holding the drill exactly how perpendicular you are to the tank surface.
We will post a link so that people can see the video tutorial on tank drilling.

swedish steel · 02/25/2007, 12:22 AM

leozava-
I drilled 24 holes total in the two ends of both of my tanks. They were in the upright position, not on their sides. Lubrication was provided by my wife or daughter squirting a spray bottle at the hole saw on a regular basis. You can do it.

socalnative · 02/25/2007, 02:36 AM

Thanks for the info.

bleedingthought · 02/25/2007, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JustOneMoreTank
Hey Bleedingthought!
Well today my fish club and I drilled three holes in two tanks. Both tanks were top/open side up and I drilled them on the back glass. Our reef club will have a video posted on the website hopefully sometime soon. Ohh great... now everyone gets to see me sweat it out in front of a crowd drilling a pair of tanks.
I find it just as easy to drill the tank laying on its side or standing upright. Although I will admit that it does help to have someone watching from the side to tell you if you are working directly in or if you have the drill angled up or down. It is difficult to tell sometimes when you are holding the drill exactly how perpendicular you are to the tank surface.
We will post a link so that people can see the video tutorial on tank drilling.

So, I'm hoping to put an order in tonight for those hole saws. Buying through e bay. Company is THK DIAMOND TOOLS the username still the same - lau***.

I was going to get the hole saws for a 1", 1.5", and 2" bulkheads (Schedule 80, which are heavyduty sized bulkheads). And here are the size translations (mm are rounded) for these:

1" bulkhead = 1.875" hole = 47.63mm hole
1.5" bulkhead = 2.625" hole = 66.68mm hole
2" bulkhead = 3.250" hole = 82.55mm hole

Now, they don't have any of those exact sizes available. The closest are: 48mm, 65mm, 80mm and 85mm. The 48mm and 65mm are pretty close to what is needed for 1" and 1.5" bulkheads. But for the 2" bulkhead, the 80mm is about 3/32" too small and the 85mm is about 3/32" too big. Which brings me to my question, would it be better to have the smaller one and bore the hole out with a dremel or would the bigger one work?

Thanks!

JustOneMoreTank · 02/25/2007, 09:59 PM

Not too sure on what to do with the 2" bulkhead hole for the Sch 80. Since the bits are so cheap I would go ahead and purchase both. Then you could cut a hole in some cardboard box that you have laying around and test fit the bulkheads thru the cardboard.
Usually when you cut thru the tank if you measure you will find that the hole made is slightly larger than what the spec is. This is due to imperfections of you holding the drill steady going thru the glass. You are "wallowing the hole out" a little as you are moving thru. This will make the hole slightly larger in diameter.
Shane had to make one or two of his holes a little larger with a dremel or the drill I think when we drilled his 150gal tank. It was pretty easy to make it a little bigger. I think that you will have a much bigger challenge making the hole a little smaller if it is cut too big to start.

Hope this helps ... Try the cardboard first and see what you think with both bits.

bleedingthought · 02/25/2007, 10:09 PM

Thanks! I'll let you know how it turns out. Did you get my PM about the panworld? I have a couple of other questions for you. Shoot me an e-mail at tee.campos@gmail.com so I have your e-mail!

Thiago

Fishel · 03/01/2007, 01:33 AM

Ok, I've been reading along and there's a lot of good info here.
Here's my plan, tell me if it looks ok.

Savko SCH80 1" bulkheads call for 2" holes = 50.8mm
* Do I go with Lau 50mm or 53mm hole saw? I am leaning towards 53mm.

Savko SCH80 2" bulheads call for 3.25" holes = 82.55mm
* I am planning on Lau's 85mm hole saw.

I might go with a low profile Spa Drain fitting made by ITT (pretty nifty fitting) and it calls for a 2.875" hole = 73.02mm
* I am planning on Lau's 75mm hole saw.

I plan on running 2 closed loops on my 8ft 240G GlassCages tank. The glass is 1/2" thick. I am going to drill for 2 Sequence Dart intakes on the back wall of the tank and drill 6 1 inch returns on the bottom of the tank (3 returns per 4ft section of the tank).

Any thoughts?

On a side note: Maybe we can come up with some kind of "bulkhead manufacturer hole size" versus "Lau hole size" matrix that others can use as a reliable reference?

bleedingthought · 03/01/2007, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fishel
Ok, I've been reading along and there's a lot of good info here.
Here's my plan, tell me if it looks ok.

Savko SCH80 1" bulkheads call for 2" holes = 50.8mm
* Do I go with Lau 50mm or 53mm hole saw? I am leaning towards 53mm.

Savko SCH80 2" bulheads call for 3.25" holes = 82.55mm
* I am planning on Lau's 85mm hole saw.

I might go with a low profile Spa Drain fitting made by ITT (pretty nifty fitting) and it calls for a 2.875" hole = 73.02mm
* I am planning on Lau's 75mm hole saw.

I plan on running 2 closed loops on my 8ft 240G GlassCages tank. The glass is 1/2" thick. I am going to drill for 2 Sequence Dart intakes on the back wall of the tank and drill 6 1 inch returns on the bottom of the tank (3 returns per 4ft section of the tank).

Any thoughts?

On a side note: Maybe we can come up with some kind of "bulkhead manufacturer hole size" versus "Lau hole size" matrix that others can use as a reliable reference?

Savko's sch80 1" bulkheads call for a 1-7/8" hole NOT 2". So, use the 48mm hole saw.

I personally am going to order the smaller size and bore it out if necessary. Like JustOneMoreTank said, it's always easier to make a hole bigger than to make it smaller.

Fishel · 03/01/2007, 01:48 PM

I don't think that is correct.

I am looking at Savko's site now.

Schedule 80 Bulkhead
PVC Bulkhead (T*T)
104010 - 1" (2" hole)

Fishel · 03/01/2007, 02:44 PM

In case anyone else is interested I found these online with the help of another member here in these forums.

I was looking for a low profile\large surface area drain for my 2 closed loop intakes. And it had to be aesthetically pleasing to look at.

I found a 2 inch Spa Drain fitting that fits the bill perfectly for Sequence Darts' 2" intake.

http://www.uspartscenter.com/index.a...PROD&ProdID=48

Hit the drop down and you can choose:

10-6201
or
10-6204 (* extended bulkhead threaded length = 2.25" versus 1.45 for the 6201 above)

Pick your color.

Here is a pdf with the specifications of the fitting:
http://www.hydroairusa.com/pdfSearch/55.pdf

Round Drain Cover = 1.54" thick (this is very slim)
Round Drain Cover = 6" diameter (large surface area to reduce
the possibility of fish being sucked against it.

2.25" threaded length on the bulkhead for the 10-6204 assemby
1.45" threaded length on the bulkhead for the 10-6201 assembly

Both assemblies are 2" slip fittings

* I also asked if a 75mm sized hole will work with the fitting (as cheap 75mm diamond hole saws are readily available from lau*** on ebay). The assembly actually calls for a 2 7/8 inch hole = 73.02mm. He said it would work.

I ordered the Black extended fitting. I'll post when it comes in and take some pics etc.

bleedingthought · 03/01/2007, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fishel
I don't think that is correct.

I am looking at Savko's site now.

Schedule 80 Bulkhead
PVC Bulkhead (T*T)
104010 - 1" (2" hole)

http://savko.com/portal/bulkhead.asp

02/21/2007, 05:55 PM	#608
bleedingthought Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Acworth, GA Posts: 422	Yeah, I was actually going to do a 2" bulkhead and inside the tank a 2" tee with the middle of the tee to the bulkhead and the two sides with a section of pipe and holes/slots all over it for the water and a cap at the end with holes as well. I figure that would definitely help with the high velocity suction. What do you think? And as far the hole drilling this Saturday, are you coming to the meeting? I was supposed to have a 50G drilled and I was going to set it up as a second tank but have since decided to use it as a sump for a 180G setup I'm hoping to put together soon. So instead of a bunch of holes, I just need one larger hole for a return pump intake, so either 1.5" or 2". I'm not sure if I should just bring it to the meeting and have you or Shane drill it with the 1" for the sake of the presentation and when I get the 1.5" or 2" hole saw in, I'll make that hole bigger. What do you think about that one? Sorry for the long post. This should have been a PM but it seems like this might help some other folks, too! Thanks. Thiago __________________ -Thiago-

02/23/2007, 07:54 PM	#610
jjoos99 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Dayton Ohio Posts: 796	55 gal tempered? I read early in the post that all 55 gallon tanks were tempered glass. I am going to use one for a sump and would like to install a bulkhead in the side of the tank. Are all the sides tempered or just the bottem? Thanks Jeff

02/24/2007, 12:53 PM	#612
dtaranath Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Reading, PA Posts: 542	why can't you put it on its side? __________________ ______________________ 220g mixed reef

02/24/2007, 05:32 PM	#614
bleedingthought Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Acworth, GA Posts: 422	Drilling with it right side up is just as easy. I saw it done today by the man who started this thread! Piece of cake!!!!! __________________ -Thiago-

02/25/2007, 10:09 PM	#620
bleedingthought Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Acworth, GA Posts: 422	Thanks! I'll let you know how it turns out. Did you get my PM about the panworld? I have a couple of other questions for you. Shoot me an e-mail at tee.campos@gmail.com so I have your e-mail! Thiago __________________ -Thiago-

02/04/2007, 10:54 PM	#601
Drue Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Clarksville, TN Posts: 47	http://youtube.com/watch?v=7gaAflSFFnQ Thought I'd share that with you guys. My first time drilling. Hole's not perfect, but it's good enough.

02/07/2007, 04:52 PM	#602
douglass Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Madison, Wisconsin Posts: 134	Will someone check my math? Savko 2" bulkhead needs a 3 1/4 inch hole. 25.4 x 3.14 = 79.756 On Ebay Lau has a 80mm that I think would work or should I go to the 85mm? Any help would be great. Doug

02/07/2007, 11:41 PM	#604
swedish steel Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Everett, WA Posts: 102	I used the 85mm.

02/08/2007, 07:11 AM	#605
douglass Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Madison, Wisconsin Posts: 134	Thanks for the help. Looks like I'll go with the 85mm.

02/21/2007, 04:49 PM	#607
JustOneMoreTank Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 967	Too bad they wont make it for the meeting. Not sure how many holes that 1"er has done either... Yes I like my two 1.5" drains they work well in my 120g tank Ted together. I am not sure but one suction point might be too great even with a screen over it and cause inverts and fish to have problems getting by it. I dont know because I have not ever seen a 2" intake in a tank. Maybe you could rig up a long suction PVC bar and distribute the suction over a larger area???

02/21/2007, 06:03 PM	#609
JustOneMoreTank Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 967	I will be at the meeting and we can get that tank drilled however you want no problem. I think that a 2" hole and then you T that inside the tank and have in effect 2 bulkhead screens each at 2" diameter would be awesome. This way critters could effectively walk across the surface of the screen. The snails and hermits have a really really tough time getting across my pair of 1.5" bulkhead screens without getting pulled thru. So two 2 inchers would be great.

02/24/2007, 12:44 PM	#611
leozava Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 43	If this was already covered in this thread im sorry, I dont have the luxury of putting my tank on its side to drill the holes i have to do it while the tanks is standing up and tips suggs. thanx Leo

02/24/2007, 01:14 PM	#613
leozava Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 43	its 8 feet long and im drilling one of the ends, plus its in a custom stand that covers the bottom trim so it would be a real pain to take it out

02/24/2007, 07:02 PM	#615
JustOneMoreTank Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 967	Hey Bleedingthought! Well today my fish club and I drilled three holes in two tanks. Both tanks were top/open side up and I drilled them on the back glass. Our reef club will have a video posted on the website hopefully sometime soon. Ohh great... now everyone gets to see me sweat it out in front of a crowd drilling a pair of tanks. I find it just as easy to drill the tank laying on its side or standing upright. Although I will admit that it does help to have someone watching from the side to tell you if you are working directly in or if you have the drill angled up or down. It is difficult to tell sometimes when you are holding the drill exactly how perpendicular you are to the tank surface. We will post a link so that people can see the video tutorial on tank drilling.

02/25/2007, 12:22 AM	#616
swedish steel Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Everett, WA Posts: 102	leozava- I drilled 24 holes total in the two ends of both of my tanks. They were in the upright position, not on their sides. Lubrication was provided by my wife or daughter squirting a spray bottle at the hole saw on a regular basis. You can do it.

02/25/2007, 02:36 AM	#617
socalnative Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 50	Thanks for the info.

02/25/2007, 09:59 PM	#619
JustOneMoreTank Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 967	Not too sure on what to do with the 2" bulkhead hole for the Sch 80. Since the bits are so cheap I would go ahead and purchase both. Then you could cut a hole in some cardboard box that you have laying around and test fit the bulkheads thru the cardboard. Usually when you cut thru the tank if you measure you will find that the hole made is slightly larger than what the spec is. This is due to imperfections of you holding the drill steady going thru the glass. You are "wallowing the hole out" a little as you are moving thru. This will make the hole slightly larger in diameter. Shane had to make one or two of his holes a little larger with a dremel or the drill I think when we drilled his 150gal tank. It was pretty easy to make it a little bigger. I think that you will have a much bigger challenge making the hole a little smaller if it is cut too big to start. Hope this helps ... Try the cardboard first and see what you think with both bits.

03/01/2007, 01:33 AM	#621
Fishel Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: NW Arkansas Posts: 68	Ok, I've been reading along and there's a lot of good info here. Here's my plan, tell me if it looks ok. Savko SCH80 1" bulkheads call for 2" holes = 50.8mm * Do I go with Lau 50mm or 53mm hole saw? I am leaning towards 53mm. Savko SCH80 2" bulheads call for 3.25" holes = 82.55mm * I am planning on Lau's 85mm hole saw. I might go with a low profile Spa Drain fitting made by ITT (pretty nifty fitting) and it calls for a 2.875" hole = 73.02mm * I am planning on Lau's 75mm hole saw. I plan on running 2 closed loops on my 8ft 240G GlassCages tank. The glass is 1/2" thick. I am going to drill for 2 Sequence Dart intakes on the back wall of the tank and drill 6 1 inch returns on the bottom of the tank (3 returns per 4ft section of the tank). Any thoughts? On a side note: Maybe we can come up with some kind of "bulkhead manufacturer hole size" versus "Lau hole size" matrix that others can use as a reliable reference?

03/01/2007, 01:48 PM	#623
Fishel Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: NW Arkansas Posts: 68	I don't think that is correct. I am looking at Savko's site now. Schedule 80 Bulkhead PVC Bulkhead (T*T) 104010 - 1" (2" hole)

03/01/2007, 02:44 PM	#624
Fishel Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: NW Arkansas Posts: 68	In case anyone else is interested I found these online with the help of another member here in these forums. I was looking for a low profile\large surface area drain for my 2 closed loop intakes. And it had to be aesthetically pleasing to look at. I found a 2 inch Spa Drain fitting that fits the bill perfectly for Sequence Darts' 2" intake. http://www.uspartscenter.com/index.a...PROD&ProdID=48 Hit the drop down and you can choose: 10-6201 or 10-6204 (* extended bulkhead threaded length = 2.25" versus 1.45 for the 6201 above) Pick your color. Here is a pdf with the specifications of the fitting: http://www.hydroairusa.com/pdfSearch/55.pdf Round Drain Cover = 1.54" thick (this is very slim) Round Drain Cover = 6" diameter (large surface area to reduce the possibility of fish being sucked against it. 2.25" threaded length on the bulkhead for the 10-6204 assemby 1.45" threaded length on the bulkhead for the 10-6201 assembly Both assemblies are 2" slip fittings * I also asked if a 75mm sized hole will work with the fitting (as cheap 75mm diamond hole saws are readily available from lau*** on ebay). The assembly actually calls for a 2 7/8 inch hole = 73.02mm. He said it would work. I ordered the Black extended fitting. I'll post when it comes in and take some pics etc. Last edited by Fishel; 03/01/2007 at 02:50 PM.