Drilling Established Aquarium

byee · #1 08-26-2009, 04:22 AM

I have a 120g established aquarium currently with a CPR CS102 overflow. Its been running for approximately 3 years. The CPR overflow requires the Lee's Aquarium airlifter to maintain the siphoning action. A pump failure will result in your tank overflowing into your living space !

I'm considering drilling my tank and installing an overflow box from www.glass-holes.com.

I'll definitely need to empty approximately 50% of the water from the tank into buckets.

Here are my questions / concerns:

1] has anyone drilled their own tank
2] or recommend a 'professional' service who can

Thoughts ??

Dez · #2 08-26-2009, 04:48 AM

I have done this on a 150 for a friend before. We got rubbermaids and siphoned 75% of water out. Drilled the hole with a Dewalt cordless drill. Then siliconed a premade glass box on and supported it with precut glass to the right height. Then filled the tank back up to the glass box so that the silicone could cure overnight, and the tank was just running on powerheads overnight. The next day it was plumbed and I don't think there were any losses of any sort. This was over 5 years ago and the tank is still running just fine. Hope this helps.

Des

kylejordan · #3 11-12-2009, 05:04 AM

I'm planning on drilling my 90 gallon soon out the back. I went to Ocean aquatics and Had a surface skimmer built for the back left corner it was 60 bucks, purchased all the plumbing and bulkheads and Now i'm just waiting on the diamond tip hole saw to come in from Mops.com I'm hoping that all i've been hearing about tanks usually being not tempered on the sides are true or else i'm going to have a very big mess on my hands. I'll try and Keep you posted and let you know how it goes!

lastlight · #4 11-12-2009, 05:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kylejordan

I'll try and Keep you posted and let you know how it goes!

Please hit record before you begin =)

You guys have serious polyps to try something like this!

kylejordan · #5 11-12-2009, 05:30 AM

LoL ! will record it for sure, it'll be epic if it shatters! (hopefully it doesn't)

new but handy · #6 11-12-2009, 05:41 AM

I drilled my 55g sump when it was about 1/2 full. I did a bout 50 test holes on spare pieces before I did the sump.My hands were shaking when I started and finished the hole. No problems. Just make sure the better half is gone for a while so you have time to clean it up just in case. Oh and make sure it isn't tempered

Ellie_A · #7 11-12-2009, 01:25 PM

We just did this with our established 75. We ordered everything we needed from glass-holes, including the drill bit. We only emptied it half way and everything went fine. My boyfriend drilled and I sprayed with water to ensure it didn't get too hot. Took a little while and was pretty stressful but well worth it.

steveybb · #8 11-13-2009, 03:57 AM

Is there a way to tell if glass is tempered?

new but handy · #9 11-13-2009, 04:01 AM

look at it with polerized sunglasses. If there is a checkered pattern it is tempered. look at your car windows to see the pattern. Any light/dark pattern is tempered

whatcaneyedo · #10 11-13-2009, 05:28 AM

I've been wanting to do this for years as well. I'm glad to hear that there are so many success stories. Unfortunitally for me I think I'd still have to empty 100% of the tank so that I could move it out from the wall to drill the second hole. That being the case I think I'm better off bringing it to a glass shop to have it done. But good luck with yours and if you do change your mind and want someone else to do it Speedee glass has done a great job at drilling 6 holes for me.