Holes in a perfectly good aquarium!!!

[phisher]

So Gerwin seemed to be amazed by this process so I figured I would do a quick "how to" on drilling a tank and adding an overflow.

First things first, carefully layout where you want to drill your holes and make sure the glass isn't tempered.

Start with a perfectly good aquarium, in this case a 75g. *Truck sold separately.


I am using the Reeflo Dart kit from glassholes, rated for 3600gph with (2) 2" drains.


Includes holesaw, bulkheads and 2" street ells.


Also includes a template to insure your holes line up properly.


Clamp or tape the template in place. Starting the holes is the hardest part, this keeps the drill bit from "walking." Keep water running across the area you are drilling and with the template firmly in place start the first hole. Keep very light pressure on the drill, the weight of the drill is generally enough, and get the hole started, you will feel a groove. Repeat the process with the other hole. Once both are started remove the template but don't discard it if you have any other drilling to do. Keep water running across the work are and go back and finish drilling, keep very light pressure on the drill. When you start seeing water flow through the work area is almost done, back your pressure off the drill as much as possible to keep from having "chip out" on the other side. Make sure to have something underneath to catch the falling glass puck, it could chip the other side!

TaDa!


I am also drilling some 1" bulkheads for my return plumbing so I drilled the old template with the new bit so I could use it to start my new holes.


Repeat the process and before you know it...Reef Ready!

[Doug]

Of course, any warranty that the tank in question may have will undoubtedly be voided. But yes, great tutorial. I used to watch a local tank manufacturer drill custom holes in their shop, and, although they were always much smaller in diameter, the process was similar. They had some special metal rings like washers, but the inner holes had vertical flanges that allowed a small pool of light oil to cool and lubricate the drilling process. Holes drilled in tank bottoms were usually more successful over time, as bottoms do not tend to flex like sides do.

[phisher]

Yes modifying any manufacturers tank voids the warranty, with Ocean View being no more and only having 1 yr warranty anyway, I am not missing much. Doing the work yourself as opposed to ordering a with an overflow that size and 3 additional holes for plumbing, I could buy that tank 3 more times in the cost difference.

[Doug]

Ocean View is gone? Sorry, I'm out of the loop for several years. I have a 45 High (Domino) FW in storage that's on an OV solid oak cabinet and canopy that's extremely high quality. I don't know if the cab and canopy were actually production models, as I bought them as samples when OV was showing them to my distributorship in hopes of selling to us way back when.

[phisher]

They got bought out and closed the doors about 2 weeks ago.

[Gerwin]

this is a friggin GREAT POST!!!!! and exactly what we needed to spice things up......
1)Pictures
2)information
3)some humor as well

Thanks Joe