snowpunk Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 I got a tank from a friend for helping him move some stuff out of his storage unit. It is a 5 walled glass corner tank. It's a 48 gallon with the standard plastic hood. I am giving it to my friend but I want to get it built for him first. Here are my thoughts. Right now he has a 29g and a light for softies and other lesser light corals. I don't know if he wants to change that yet but I want to give him room in the hood to add a single halide later. I am gonna take the light he has now out of it's case and install it in a hood for him. Here is where I need some input. He has a hang on back filter and skimmer right now. I want to eliminate this if possible. I am going to put a 10g sump underneath the tank, so a hanging skimmer could go there if I had to reuse a hanging one. I don't know what my options are for getting the water out of the tank without using the hanging overflow since nothing is drilled. How much would it cost to have glass drilled? Can it even be done? I don't mind running some piping through the bottom or out the side, I just want to eliminate the HOB filters and such. I hate mine and I don't want to give him that headache. Any ideas? Keep in mind I am laid off so I have lots of time and not so much money:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wanareef Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 You can drill the glass yourself, it's easy takes a little time. 1. You can use a glass drill bit, borrow one form someone in the club or (whistle) buy one 2. Use a dremel and some diamond bits from Harbor Freight. 3. 2. is cheaper but takes a little longer and maybe 2 of those bits - you get 12 or so in the "kit". 4. You can take it to a glass shop and have them drill it, but they will not gaurente it if it breaks. They charge about $15 - $25 a hole. You'll need the bulk head in hand for the dimensions, draw it on the tank where you want the hole using a china marker, get some clay to make a dam - just a circle of clay around the area to be drilled to hold water for cooling. And go S L O W. It'll cut like butter. You can pratice on a scrap piece first. I've done it using the diamond bits from HF cost about $5, those diamond drill's are about $30-125 depending on size Then you can add a small coast to coast out of glass or even acrylic and have teeth on the front. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadReefer Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 I drilled glass with a bit from ebay. I made this simple overflow. It's good for at least 300 GPH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowpunk Posted December 31, 2008 Author Share Posted December 31, 2008 Nice, I just got my dremel too. I think I like it going out the side better. I'm gonna have to go check out harbor freight I think. So how is it for noise? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wanareef Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 No noise if you use this http://home.everestkc.net/jrobertson57268/HGB/HGB_construction.html Forgot to mention, keep the bit perpendicular to the glass as much as possible and not too big, the BH has a gasket that will help seal the hole. I used a little silicone behind the BH to help seal it, just a little will work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadReefer Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 This setup is much quieter than my HOB overflow was. Until I dump in a half gallon of top off water quick, it doesn't make much noise. I don't have teeth on the overflow, so I added the eggcrate to prevent snails and fish from getting in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowpunk Posted December 31, 2008 Author Share Posted December 31, 2008 Very helpfull link, thanks... I gotta put in a overflow box in this still also... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowpunk Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 Hey wanareef, I went to the link and made one. I tested it out on my tank, and now I am gonna have to make another for this tank. I'm not letting it go. It is 99.5% silent. Really nice. Nothing but $5 and a dremel, I love it. Now I need to try and get rid of my sump trickle noise. I am so close to an almost silent tank now. Thanks again... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectra Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Also if you drill a hole in he back you do not have to build an overflow box if you do not want to. I have used a black abs 2 inch to 3 inch adapter in my tank for the last year. It is real easy to make and it is covered in coraline now and looks alot better than a overflow box if you ask me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R-3 Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Also if you drill a hole in he back you do not have to build an overflow box if you do not want to. I have used a black abs 2 inch to 3 inch adapter in my tank for the last year. It is real easy to make and it is covered in coraline now and looks alot better than a overflow box if you ask me. Is that overflow setup like disturbedreefers oceanic cube Scott? How high is your water level? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowpunk Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 I was just talking with Isaac about doing that today. I think thats the route I may go now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wanareef Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Hay that's great. Sometimes if you run the line under water (in the sump) it'll be quiet or spread the flow with an extra piece of PVC with lots of holes on the bottom side or slits from a table saw. good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowpunk Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 My sump is the type that has the tray to filter at the top. No way to let the water flow in from below the water line. I have a new one lined up but I can't get this one out without moving the whole tank so it'll have to wait until I get a 120g put in. The filtration system on this tank was designed very poorly, but whatcha gonna do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectra Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Is that overflow setup like disturbedreefers oceanic cube Scott? How high is your water level? Exact same thing. I bought about 8 dollars in abs pcs from HD and took me a few mins with a drill and a dremel and it was created. You can add mroe holes for more flow if needed. I am only running a small Ehiem for the return so not alot of flow through the sump. Water level stays right at the plastic trim line on the top of the cube. Only issue at first was a little noisy but got it figured out with a scrap pc of pvc in the overflow to slow down the water. Can shoot a few pics if interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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