180 not drilled

xtremenemo

Member
Ok I got a great deal on a tank in michigan for a 180 gallon for only $344. But it is not drilled. What are my options? I am doing a wet/dry. The guy sells these alot and says it can be drilled. Where can I get it drilled? or What can I do for an overflow design? I live in Livonia, michigan.
thanks
 

cincyreefer

Active Member
First of all you have to figure out if the bottom glass is tempered or not. If it is, then you can't drill it. If its not, then you can drill it, but make certain that the person doing it has done it before and knows what they are doing. If the bottom is tempered, you still can use a wet dry by using an overflow box... I am not a big fan of them but many people use them without any problems.
 

xtremenemo

Member
The guy said that you can drill them so I am assuming that it is not tempered glass. I want the holes on the side. any other options?
is there many people that can drill glass?
 

cincyreefer

Active Member
Ask the guy more questions.... DO NOT take his word on everything. Ask him who normally drills the tanks he sells. If he knows that lots of people have done it then he should know who does most of the drilling... or at least contact someone who has had it done. And ask if it is tempered glass. You can get a tempered glass bottom tank drilled.... However, you have to take out the tempered glass and reseal a piece of glass that has been already drilled back in. That is not a fun process and the resealed seams seem to leak quite often, from what I have seen and heard.
 
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daniel411

Guest
I'm guessing that you picked that up from Leroy at his store on telegraph. If so, be careful, he'll sell you the ambassador bridge if you let him. However, you can't beat his glass tank prices anywhere.
-I don't know anyplace that will "guarantee" the drilling of a glass tank in the area.
 

xtremenemo

Member
Do you know if the tanks that he sells are good? I mean will the tank hold up? they are from california customs and they are suppose to be good.
 
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daniel411

Guest

Originally posted by Xtremenemo
Do you know if the tanks that he sells are good? I mean will the tank hold up? they are from california customs and they are suppose to be good.

LOL, so it was Leroy. Smooth salesman isn't he! I know quite a few people who've picked up tanks from him, including me. Who've gone years without any problems. Buy the tank from him, nothing else. Ask him if he knows someone who will drill the tanks. No glass shop in the Novi, canton, westland area will guarantee the drilling that I know of.
 

xtremenemo

Member
did you get your tanked drilled or did you do an external overflow? I need some help on how to get the water out of this tank, thanks.
 

novice150

Member
You don't have to drill the bottom for overflows. The back of the tank will work too, provided you build something (a pipe, an elbow, and overflow box) which extends from a bulkhead fitting, and allows the water to drain at the desired level, and at the desired flow rate. Then all you need is a 90 degree elbow to direct the flow towards the bottom of the tank/sump.
Have you looked into glass cutting bits? IMO, it's not that difficult to do, even for someone who's never done it before. The key is cooling the bit, and taking your time. If you really do NOT want to DIY, then your local glass shop (a reputable one) should be able to handle the job with ease.

Love the new smileys:):jumping:
 

xtremenemo

Member
I looked at the glass cutting bits and I was wondering if you could answer a few questions about them. How will I know if i am able to cut the glass? I do not trust the guy and I will not ask him. the company is called california customs and I have emailed them about it. Secondly, do I have to take apart the tank to drill it or can I just be very careful? thanks novice150.
 

bigred

Member
If it sounds like a gargle just wad a piece of filter pad up and put it in the top of pipe were the water is sucked down to the wetdry. I had to do this also.
 

novice150

Member
If you decide to drill the tank, here are some tips.
IMO It's unlikely that the tank is made from tempered glass. Maybe the bottom, but I doubt it. Just to be sure though, here's a neat trick I learned to find out. If you or someone you know has a pair of high quality sunglasses, with polarized lenses they will help answer the question. Put them on and take a look at the panels. If they are tempered, you'll see it. You'll see the oven/heat marks in the glass itself. It looks kinda wavy, with a uniform cross hatch appearance. Ever seen that wavy appearance in a cars windshield? That's what your looking for.
If it's not tempered, here's a few tips.
You don't need to take the tank apart to drill it. Just lay the tank with the panel your gonna dill facing up. Get a quality diamond impregnated bit. Not just the steel kind with diamond paste. Duct tape all around the area to be drilled on both sides. Use a 50/50 antifreeze/water solution to lubricate/cool the bit and glass at all times. Use a generous amount of coolant, and most important, take your time. Let the bit cut slowly, and don't force it.
I don't know how thick the glass is, but obviously the thicker it is, the longer it takes to cut. It wouldn't hurt to buy a small piece of glass from the hardware store to make a few practice cuts.
HTH
 

cincyreefer

Active Member
Most manufacturers use tempered glass, but if this is a "custom" built glass tank then it probably isnt tempered... Just a word of caution about drilling a tank. I have seen many people ruin a number of tanks trying to drill them or resealing them. That doesn't mean it can't be done or that it isn't that hard, but Novice seems pretty good mechanically and good with DIY projects... so it might seem easier to him than others. Myself included... I won't drill a tank unless i have one to spare. Not saying that you can't do it, just think about it before you decide to drill and not just use an overflow box.
 

novice150

Member
Cincy: Just a word on the manufacturers choice/use of glass. While many (if not all) do use tempered glass, most do no use it exclusively. Cost, design, size all play a part. If you look up/request info on the "major" glass aquarium manufacturers tanks, you will find that most use two types of glass. Tempered and annealed (hardened Vs softened). Some use both types on one aquarium, tempered bottom, annealed sides.
The price tag on Xtremenemo's tank leads me to believe the tank is not constructed of all tempered glass. But, it's worth knowing for sure before trying to cut it. A tempered glass panel is not only incapable of being cut, it will burst/shatter if you even try. Thus the reason I reccomended checking beforehand.
Plenty of people have succesfully drilled/cut their tanks. This would not be possible if they were all tempered.
JMHO
Xnemo: Glad to hear you came up with a solution to your dilema:)
 
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