Can you drill an existing tank?

JoshHarpst · 02/23/2006, 09:34 PM

Well i went and made that stupid standpipe Hofer Gurgle Buster thingy for the overflow box, and wouldn't you know it, it worked all weekend long but on monday when i came back to school, the darn thing did overflowed again!! Everything in that tank was fine for almost 2 years and the past month has been nothin but a series of bad events. SO i am now considering getting the tank drilled. I know nothing about it so any general info would be great, but my question is, can you get the tank drilled without having to take out all the rock??

TIA

~Josh

artful-dodger · 02/23/2006, 10:04 PM

First question would be: Acrylic or glass? The next question would be: Do you have room behind the tank to get a drill? (I sure wouldn't think about putting the drill inside with water!)

You might be able to drill acrylic as long as the water level was lowered below the area you are working on. I don't see any way to do it with glass, though. You really have to have the surface horizontal to cool it while you drill.

superedge88 · 02/23/2006, 10:54 PM

It is possible to drill the tank with the rock in it, though you will have to lower the water level considerable to drill the tank. I have done this by lowering the water level at least 50% and drilling the tank from the inside of the tank up high. I used a powerhead with some hose connected to it that ran tank water up over the area being drilled. I used a cordless drill a wolfcraft drill guide, and a diamond hole saw. Try this at your own risk.

Entropy · 02/23/2006, 11:04 PM

There is a post around here somewhere showing a glass tank drilled at the top rear corner, but there was room for it to be drilled from the back.

Pretty dangerous with glass though IMO. If you make an error you have a leaking tank on your hands.

rous · 02/24/2006, 12:16 PM

you can successfully drill a glass tank and you can hire out the drill bit needed to do so.
WORD OF WARNING.
if you do decide to drill it then bere this in mind:
if done wrong your tank can burst/crack or leak.

02/23/2006, 09:34 PM	#1
JoshHarpst Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Erie, PA (Home) Slippery Rock, PA (College) Posts: 164	Can you drill an existing tank? Well i went and made that stupid standpipe Hofer Gurgle Buster thingy for the overflow box, and wouldn't you know it, it worked all weekend long but on monday when i came back to school, the darn thing did overflowed again!! Everything in that tank was fine for almost 2 years and the past month has been nothin but a series of bad events. SO i am now considering getting the tank drilled. I know nothing about it so any general info would be great, but my question is, can you get the tank drilled without having to take out all the rock?? TIA ~Josh

02/23/2006, 10:04 PM	#2
artful-dodger Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Highlands Ranch, Colorado Posts: 3,011	First question would be: Acrylic or glass? The next question would be: Do you have room behind the tank to get a drill? (I sure wouldn't think about putting the drill inside with water!) You might be able to drill acrylic as long as the water level was lowered below the area you are working on. I don't see any way to do it with glass, though. You really have to have the surface horizontal to cool it while you drill. __________________ "In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." -- Thomas Jefferson Current Tank Info: 140g RR Oceanic "Ultimate" mixed reef, 37g softies, 40g RBTA tank, 65g FOWLR, 40g breeder frag, and (of course) a 29g QT! ...next up is a 240g! (Gotta go to K-Mart and buy a life...)

02/23/2006, 10:54 PM	#3
superedge88 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 827	It is possible to drill the tank with the rock in it, though you will have to lower the water level considerable to drill the tank. I have done this by lowering the water level at least 50% and drilling the tank from the inside of the tank up high. I used a powerhead with some hose connected to it that ran tank water up over the area being drilled. I used a cordless drill a wolfcraft drill guide, and a diamond hole saw. Try this at your own risk. __________________ DRILL IT!!! Current Tank Info: In charge of over 50,000 gallons of fish only tanks

02/23/2006, 11:04 PM	#4
Entropy Texas Reefer Join Date: May 2003 Location: Round Rock, TX Posts: 13,656	There is a post around here somewhere showing a glass tank drilled at the top rear corner, but there was room for it to be drilled from the back. Pretty dangerous with glass though IMO. If you make an error you have a leaking tank on your hands. __________________ Rich Overton 150G cube FOWLR, 30g sump, ReefKeeperII, 3x Koralia 1400's, QuiteOne 3000, Reef Octopus DNWB150, 4x 30w Par38 LED. Current Tank Info: 36x36x27 150g

02/24/2006, 12:16 PM	#5
rous Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: fareham,hampshire. Posts: 63	you can successfully drill a glass tank and you can hire out the drill bit needed to do so. WORD OF WARNING. if you do decide to drill it then bere this in mind: if done wrong your tank can burst/crack or leak.