SmallFry's first tank.. (27g FOWLR)

[Doug]

Its around a 2in. hole. Not sure of the exact size but could look it up. Anyways it takes a bulkhead for a 1.5 in. stack and drains, which is the only size I would do unless going duel overflows or the ever popular "herbie". I have never done one but with the popularity on here, thats the route I would choose now.

Lots of plans on here for the herbie, including with externals. I think my bit may be to large for them however.

My tank has a 1.5 in. Duraso, which I drilled my self but uses the standard corner overflow.

[SmallFry]

Originally Posted by Doug

Its around a 2in. hole. Not sure of the exact size but could look it up. Anyways it takes a bulkhead for a 1.5 in. stack and drains, which is the only size I would do unless going duel overflows or the ever popular "herbie". I have never done one but with the popularity on here, thats the route I would choose now.

Lots of plans on here for the herbie, including with externals. I think my bit may be to large for them however.

My tank has a 1.5 in. Duraso, which I drilled my self but uses the standard corner overflow.

Thanks, I think that may be a bit big - I was planning on the herbie, as you say it seems like a sensible way to go. I was going to use 1" bulkheads into 1.25" drains, because I don't think I'll have enough running through the sump to keep a 1.5" drain in full syphon mode. I know I can adjust the flow down with the valve, but I want the water to be going through the pipe fast enough to purge any bubbles that might get in there before they can break the syphon.

I was also going to go for the version with the third emergency emergency drain - basically because I'm paranoid.

[SmallFry]

So the build is in motion again. At last!

Progress has been painfully slow for a good while, the cure/kure/crap leaching out/whatever you decide to call it, for my diy rock seems to just be going on and on, but that's another story..

I've finally gotten around to cutting up the back of the tank and building an external overflow box. It's 1//4" glass as it's not going to be holding much water anyway. The rest of the glass in the tank is about 3/8" I think.

Anyway, the cutting of the tank went OK for a first attempt I guess. I was determined the the water level will be above the bottom of the top trim so it's not visible (if that made any sense), so I cut the trim back. To do this I marked everything out carefully and then used a large (wood) hole saw to drill a hole in a piece of plywood, which I used as a guide to start the hole bit in the plastic trim. I then positioned this so the saw cut a nice semi circle at each end of the bit I wanted to take out of the trim. I used the mandrel for the hole saw back to front to avoid having the pilot drill bit sticking out. Then it's just a matter of drilling carefully until you get to the glass.. From there I used a cutting wheel (for wood again) to join the tops of the semicircles. It would have been fine to just cut out the trim square, but I'm just like that..

I then used a 3/8" diamond drill bit to cut four holes (one at each end of both slots) and then a 2" diamond cutting wheel to join them up.



I noticed something that may be of interest to others in this process. I intended to use a dremel clone to do the majority of the cutting (not the drilling) because I thought it'd be the best way to do it. I was wrong. The cutting wheel on the 'dremel' was not really a success. Since it was one you screw the blade onto the shaft, there is always some whirl to it. At low speeds the 'dremel' has no torque and stalls if you apply any amount of pressure, at high speed settings it whirls and chatters like mad until you press down then the 'dremel' itself overheats. Maybe this isn't an issue if you have a real dremel not a piece of crap imitation like mine, I don't know, but it was pretty much only good for cutting the first very shallow track in the surface of the glass as a guide. I then found it far more effective to put the wheel in the drill and use that. With the extra torque of the drill, you can press harder (back off the pressure before you break through of course) and actually cut the glass faster than your beard grows.
Also, if you cut in such a direction that the wheel is coming upwards at the forward edge as you cut along it also helps reduce any splintering of glass. I found it best to do the cut in a number of passes.


After that I set to work on the overflow, which is when crap started really going wrong!
I already had some glass from when I was replacing the back of the tank as I bought a panel of the wrong thickness the first time around. No problem, I'll use it for the overflow. Now let's just say there are some things in my opinion best left to those who know how - flying jumbo jets etc. Let's just say that cutting 1/4" glass has now been added to that list.... If anyone has a use for a large number of irregularly shaped bits of 1/4" glass, let me know.

So if you don't succeed, try again, and if you still don't, give up because there's no point making a fool of yourself.. I went to the glass shop with a list of measurements...

A few days later I drilled three 1 3/4" holes in the bottom panel of the overflow and stuck it all together.



One point to note is that when I put the new pane in the tank, I stuck stuff in place with masking tape. This time I used Tuck Tape because it sticks like you know what to a blanket. Unfortunately I hadn't thought about the fact that being plastic, it stops (pretty much)the silicone underneath it from setting so you have to take it off then wait another day. Finally it leaves behind bits of red adhesive when you take it off. This does come off with gas, but you then stink out the laundry room and have to run the ventilator full throttle for a couple of hours to get the smell out of the entire house BEFORE the wife comes home...

I've also resealed the tank for the sump. I ended up doing it twice because I ran out of silicone the first time. By the time I got some more the first lot had half gone off which meant it lifted with the masking tape so I had to scrape it off and do it again. Lesson, always have more silicone in hand than you think you'll need. No Photos of that yet because it's not got any baffles or anything yet so it's a bit boring..

Rob.

[SmallFry]

I'm just so mad right now - last night I was well beyond that. I'd just finished getting the tank ready for water, painted the back, put in the bulkheads, all the plumbing. Looking pretty tidy if I say so myself. Secured the drains to the stand to stop them shaking around with the water flow, stood back to admire my handiwork.

I got to do so for about 30 seconds before "CRACK" the bottom of the overflow cracked from the one bulkhead to the back of the tank.

Not happy at all...

So I had to detach the plumbing, and then take the bottom off the overflow - which wasn't easy so the back of it is a little chipped, not that that'll be a real problem; it's not taking much weight anyway, just about 3" in the overflow. Now I have to get more glass cut three more holes re-silicone together repaint and then try again.

I think the problem is that the pipe was slightly out of line with the bulkhead so it twisted it sideways and that was goodnight - I'm thinking when I put it back together I'll use some of those rubber joiners you get for plumbing that are just a tube with a hose clip at each end in the lines, hopefully they will allow for some movement and avoid anything like this happening again..

I realise this is more of a rant than a progress update, but I had to vent...

[Skimmerking]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Rob may be buy a little thicker glass for the over flow on the bottom. and the weight of the water pushing on it Rob too

[SmallFry]

Originally Posted by Skimmer King

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Rob may be buy a little thicker glass for the over flow on the bottom. and the weight of the water pushing on it Rob too

I take it you mean deflection of the tank wall that it's stick to due to the weight of the water in the tank? I see your point - when I get water in it! Clearly though this wasn't the issue this time - I didn't even get the chance to get it damp never mind wet! It also would've gone the other side of the bulkhead if that had been the case I guess, but that point is moot...

Glass thickness wise I didn't think 1/4" was too thin for an overflow - it also seemed to be the thickest I can get in Brandon without them having to order it in - unless you know someone who carries something thicker in stock? Not averse to using thicker if I can get my hands on some fairly quickly and at a sensible cost.. The plan is to use it as a curing vat for that concrete of mine - more volume than what it's in at the moment..

[Skimmerking]

did you try Diamond edge

[SmallFry]

Originally Posted by Skimmer King

did you try Diamond edge

Yup, unfortunately they didn't have any 10mm glass on hand, so I went with two layers of 1/4" (6mm) which are clamped together with lots of silicone spread in a thin layer (my visa will never be the same ) between them as I write this. I'm interested to find out if it'll cure all the way through in a sensible length of time since there's very little path for moisture to get in and cure it in the middle because it's sandwiched between two layers of glass. The guy at the shop reckoned about 24 hours should do it - I guess we'll find out when I drill the holes...!

At least I'm making progress again - albeit stuff I've already done once

[SmallFry]

I've got water in the 75!

Ok, so it's only fresh water - I'm still trying to cure my diy rocks, but I think this is the point where it should have a journal of it's own...

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=71572

[Skimmerking]

I have some rock if you wanna buy it