How Many Holes can I safely drill in my 40 AGA breeder?

MarineGirl411 · 12/03/2006, 08:09 PM

Hello everyone. I need to know how many holes I can safely drill in my 40 gallon breeder aquarium? So far I have 2 1 in holes, and 1 3/4in holes. I need to drill 1 more 1 in hole to accommodate a new pump I bought. I just wanted to know if this would be safe to do, or if I would risk cracking the entire tank with water pressure due to the tanks glass thickness. Here's what the holes look like that I have so far.

Could I safely do it if I place it further to the left side of this picture? About where the other 1 in hole is towards the bottom middle of the tank? Please let me know. Thank you all.

Roland Jacques · 12/03/2006, 08:44 PM

it is really more about where you drill them.

the top middle of the 36" side is going to be the worst spot to drill, that will be the weekest point on the tank.

but if you have a overflow box there it CAN add support. also you need to tigten your bulkhead fiting real good if you drill in a weak spot the bulkhead well add some suport.

MarineGirl411 · 12/04/2006, 01:18 AM

Okay can you see where the other hole is? What if I place it at the same height as that except over to the left? This will have to be for a 1 in bulkhead. Would that work?

Roland Jacques · 12/04/2006, 06:34 AM

just keep your holes close to the sillicone joints as possable. and you should be ok.

MarineGirl411 · 12/04/2006, 02:36 PM

By the silicone joints do you mean by the side or the bottom? My return line is in the way on the side. I could redo with vinyl tubing if I need to get it over there more. What would you suggest? Did you just mean closer to the bottom? I will try to get it over as far as I can, but can you see where my return line is at? It's on the top left side. Please let me know. Thank you.

swedish steel · 12/04/2006, 04:15 PM

One thing to keep in mind is - keep a minimum of 1 1/2 times the hole diameter distance from any edge or nearby hole. Also, consider the total size of the bulkhead so that it will fit if two holes are near each other.

MarineGirl411 · 12/04/2006, 08:03 PM

so do you think it would be safe to drill? Anyone? In our Reef meeting yesterday they were saying to get it as close to the joint as possible because that is the strongest point on a glass tank. Are they wrong? Please let me know. TY

MarineGirl411 · 12/05/2006, 12:30 AM

anyone else? I'd like everyone's opinion. This is so I can set up my new closed loop pump. It's a Sequence snapper. I need a little more flow through my tank. This is also an adjustable pump as well. Which is great. I just needed a larger 1 in hole, but I didn't want to risk cracking the glass by drilling that hole bigger. If I did it bigger as well, I'd have to incorporate some pretty ugly looking pvc inside the tank and large gaskets. They are 6 in long. So I am opting to drill another 1 in bulkhead hole, bring the 2 together size the plumbing up to 1 1/2in then the elbow 2 in to feed into the pump. If possible. What do you all think? I just want to make sure my glass tank will not crack under water pressure with another 1 in hole.

MarineGirl411 · 12/05/2006, 07:00 PM

I wrote to the aga company and they said that it would be fine if I stopped at 5 holes. What do you all think? I'd hate to spend thousands in corals, in the future, to only have it bust open. Let me know. Thank you.

12/03/2006, 08:09 PM	#1
MarineGirl411 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 2,583	How Many Holes can I safely drill in my 40 AGA breeder? Hello everyone. I need to know how many holes I can safely drill in my 40 gallon breeder aquarium? So far I have 2 1 in holes, and 1 3/4in holes. I need to drill 1 more 1 in hole to accommodate a new pump I bought. I just wanted to know if this would be safe to do, or if I would risk cracking the entire tank with water pressure due to the tanks glass thickness. Here's what the holes look like that I have so far. Could I safely do it if I place it further to the left side of this picture? About where the other 1 in hole is towards the bottom middle of the tank? Please let me know. Thank you all. __________________ I am a reefaholic and there is no cure. =) Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef, Cardiff Nano Seahorse tank.

12/03/2006, 08:44 PM	#2
Roland Jacques Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Atlanta GA Posts: 2,848	it is really more about where you drill them. the top middle of the 36" side is going to be the worst spot to drill, that will be the weekest point on the tank. but if you have a overflow box there it CAN add support. also you need to tigten your bulkhead fiting real good if you drill in a weak spot the bulkhead well add some suport. __________________ Roland

12/04/2006, 01:18 AM	#3
MarineGirl411 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 2,583	Okay can you see where the other hole is? What if I place it at the same height as that except over to the left? This will have to be for a 1 in bulkhead. Would that work? __________________ I am a reefaholic and there is no cure. =) Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef, Cardiff Nano Seahorse tank.

12/04/2006, 06:34 AM	#4
Roland Jacques Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Atlanta GA Posts: 2,848	just keep your holes close to the sillicone joints as possable. and you should be ok. __________________ Roland

12/04/2006, 02:36 PM	#5
MarineGirl411 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 2,583	By the silicone joints do you mean by the side or the bottom? My return line is in the way on the side. I could redo with vinyl tubing if I need to get it over there more. What would you suggest? Did you just mean closer to the bottom? I will try to get it over as far as I can, but can you see where my return line is at? It's on the top left side. Please let me know. Thank you. __________________ I am a reefaholic and there is no cure. =) Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef, Cardiff Nano Seahorse tank.

12/04/2006, 04:15 PM	#6
swedish steel Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Everett, WA Posts: 102	One thing to keep in mind is - keep a minimum of 1 1/2 times the hole diameter distance from any edge or nearby hole. Also, consider the total size of the bulkhead so that it will fit if two holes are near each other.

12/04/2006, 08:03 PM	#7
MarineGirl411 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 2,583	so do you think it would be safe to drill? Anyone? In our Reef meeting yesterday they were saying to get it as close to the joint as possible because that is the strongest point on a glass tank. Are they wrong? Please let me know. TY __________________ I am a reefaholic and there is no cure. =) Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef, Cardiff Nano Seahorse tank.

12/05/2006, 12:30 AM	#8
MarineGirl411 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 2,583	anyone else? I'd like everyone's opinion. This is so I can set up my new closed loop pump. It's a Sequence snapper. I need a little more flow through my tank. This is also an adjustable pump as well. Which is great. I just needed a larger 1 in hole, but I didn't want to risk cracking the glass by drilling that hole bigger. If I did it bigger as well, I'd have to incorporate some pretty ugly looking pvc inside the tank and large gaskets. They are 6 in long. So I am opting to drill another 1 in bulkhead hole, bring the 2 together size the plumbing up to 1 1/2in then the elbow 2 in to feed into the pump. If possible. What do you all think? I just want to make sure my glass tank will not crack under water pressure with another 1 in hole. __________________ I am a reefaholic and there is no cure. =) Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef, Cardiff Nano Seahorse tank.

12/05/2006, 07:00 PM	#9
MarineGirl411 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 2,583	I wrote to the aga company and they said that it would be fine if I stopped at 5 holes. What do you all think? I'd hate to spend thousands in corals, in the future, to only have it bust open. Let me know. Thank you. __________________ I am a reefaholic and there is no cure. =) Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef, Cardiff Nano Seahorse tank.