Aquarium Drilling
- Thread starter kingspade
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jc85
Guest
Originally Posted by SCSInet
JC, there is NO way to tell if glass is tempered by looking at it. Tempered glass is just normal glass that has been heated and cooled very quickly, so it looks the same as normal glass.
There are two other means of determining if it's tempered.
1. Contact the manufacturer of the tank and ask them. Chances are if the tank is any bigger than 30-40 gallons, the bottom is tempered, except if it's Oceanic. Oceanic uses very thick glass for their tanks so they do not always temper the bottoms, but I still wouldn't count on it.
2. Drill the tank. If you succeed, it wasn't tempered. If it shatters, then it was.
Okay, that made me laugh! Success (or failure) would be self-revealing, correct? Thanks for the giggle and the info! JC
JC, there is NO way to tell if glass is tempered by looking at it. Tempered glass is just normal glass that has been heated and cooled very quickly, so it looks the same as normal glass.
There are two other means of determining if it's tempered.
1. Contact the manufacturer of the tank and ask them. Chances are if the tank is any bigger than 30-40 gallons, the bottom is tempered, except if it's Oceanic. Oceanic uses very thick glass for their tanks so they do not always temper the bottoms, but I still wouldn't count on it.
2. Drill the tank. If you succeed, it wasn't tempered. If it shatters, then it was.
Okay, that made me laugh! Success (or failure) would be self-revealing, correct? Thanks for the giggle and the info! JC
sleasia
Active Member
Ok since the dremel bit is only $8 and the diamond core drill bits range from $30-100 depending on size...I decided to buy a dremel bit first, see if it works, and if not get the diamond core bit...which no one seems to have anyway off line.... so I practiced and guess what, you guys are right ...this works. so if I can do it, anyone certainly can.
scsinet
Active Member
Originally Posted by Bojik
Well many times tempered has kinda a greenish hue when looked at though the edge.
could jsut be a special coating though. Just talking from what i have seen/used personally.
All glass does that except if it's designed NOT to. What you are talking about is one of the chief complaints about glass... it's not as "clear."
Well many times tempered has kinda a greenish hue when looked at though the edge.
All glass does that except if it's designed NOT to. What you are talking about is one of the chief complaints about glass... it's not as "clear."
hardcrab67
Member
Originally Posted by sleasia
2"inch bulkhead through both the container and wall of the tank with maybe an extra gasket (rubber seal) tighten until its leak proof and continue with the outside pvc plumbing into the slip side of the bulkhead??? like this
I have 2 bulkheads w/ the rubber seal on the waterside and neither leak. In fact in moving the position of a fitting(took all apart to clean), I placed the seal on the wrong side and it leaked, IME a double seal is not needed, the side w/o should be on a hard surface to maintain pressure for the side that has the rubber seal. My fuge is the same way, but silicone was added to the outside edge of the hole and threads before tighten the flange down. HTH
2"inch bulkhead through both the container and wall of the tank with maybe an extra gasket (rubber seal) tighten until its leak proof and continue with the outside pvc plumbing into the slip side of the bulkhead??? like this
I have 2 bulkheads w/ the rubber seal on the waterside and neither leak. In fact in moving the position of a fitting(took all apart to clean), I placed the seal on the wrong side and it leaked, IME a double seal is not needed, the side w/o should be on a hard surface to maintain pressure for the side that has the rubber seal. My fuge is the same way, but silicone was added to the outside edge of the hole and threads before tighten the flange down. HTH
sleasia
Active Member
OK...first I will just see if I can cut these holes....then I will just test a couple of ways of doing the overflow...I always order extra parts, 2 or three bulkheads for every one I plan on using, assuming somewhere along the road I will likely mess up. Is it better to place the bulkhead low in the tank? or better to place it higher. some people claim that the box type internal overflow with the bulkhead low in the tank produces alot of noise ..more than placing the bulkhead high and using a horizontal surface skimmer or strainer. But then I think some people think the internal box overflow with a low bulkhead is more efficient....which way should I go? My current tank is acrylic and has an internal box overflow with a 2"bulkhead placed low in the tank for the drain....Yes its a bit noisy, but It seems to work well, should I just emulate it?
javatech1
Member
Look at it through crossed polarizers - tempered glass usually shows a lot of strain bifringence. Get some polaroid material (cheap plastic clip-on shades will work) and view through the glass with one sheet on each side rotated 90 degrees to each other. For instance, clip on one pair to your glasses, hold the other polarizer in front of your light source and rotate it until you get maximum extinction. Now insert the glass in question between the polaroids. Tempered glass will exhibit distinct patterns of dark and light bands or other shapes. You might even get groovy colors. If you can see through the glass edge-on, then it will show a dramatic pattern of colored bands parallel to the faces. If you see no patterns, and light is evenly extinguished as you look through it, then it is not tempered and is pretty well annealed.
Finally, you can examine the glass closely for any brand name etched into it. Examine the edge for any sign of fire polishing. Examine the surface for little dimples where tongs may have indented the glass. Any of these indicate tempering, and you should not try to cut or grind this glass, or you will have a terrible mess.
Finally, you can examine the glass closely for any brand name etched into it. Examine the edge for any sign of fire polishing. Examine the surface for little dimples where tongs may have indented the glass. Any of these indicate tempering, and you should not try to cut or grind this glass, or you will have a terrible mess.
sleasia
Active Member
OK!!!The tank lives!!!!! AW2 was right on the other glass drilling thread. The roto zip tile cutting bit works great...You have to go at about medium speed or a bit above medium speed with the dremel. Drill the pilot hole first and then cut out to the drawing of the circle your cutting and just slowly follow the edge. My 2" hole took a very long time, an hour or so, because the bit probably wore down and I couldn't get it out to change it...by the second and third (1") holes I was able to change to a new bit and they really only took 3-4 minutes each. I would say change the bits after every 4" of cutting or so. I rigged up a small water pump to spill water contained inside the tank to the outside surface where I cut, I used tape to hold this gizmo in place and used tape to cover the spray end and direct water and avoid too much water getting on the dremel. here are pics.... the tank and the holes...
aw2x3
Active Member
The bit didnt wear down...you were just nervous...that's why it took so long. It was the same way with me.
After you zipped out that first hole, you felt more comfortable with the drilling...that's why it was so much quicker with the other holes.
Glad it worked for you. I also responded to you in my tank drilling thread.
After you zipped out that first hole, you felt more comfortable with the drilling...that's why it was so much quicker with the other holes.
Glad it worked for you. I also responded to you in my tank drilling thread.
martinc909
Member
Originally Posted by javatech1
Look at it through crossed polarizers - tempered glass usually shows a lot of strain bifringence. Get some polaroid material (cheap plastic clip-on shades will work) and view through the glass with one sheet on each side rotated 90 degrees to each other. For instance, clip on one pair to your glasses, hold the other polarizer in front of your light source and rotate it until you get maximum extinction. Now insert the glass in question between the polaroids. Tempered glass will exhibit distinct patterns of dark and light bands or other shapes. You might even get groovy colors. If you can see through the glass edge-on, then it will show a dramatic pattern of colored bands parallel to the faces. If you see no patterns, and light is evenly extinguished as you look through it, then it is not tempered and is pretty well annealed.
Finally, you can examine the glass closely for any brand name etched into it. Examine the edge for any sign of fire polishing. Examine the surface for little dimples where tongs may have indented the glass. Any of these indicate tempering, and you should not try to cut or grind this glass, or you will have a terrible mess.
STILL, NO IDEA BUT I HOPE SOMEONE CAN FIGURE IT OUT.
Look at it through crossed polarizers - tempered glass usually shows a lot of strain bifringence. Get some polaroid material (cheap plastic clip-on shades will work) and view through the glass with one sheet on each side rotated 90 degrees to each other. For instance, clip on one pair to your glasses, hold the other polarizer in front of your light source and rotate it until you get maximum extinction. Now insert the glass in question between the polaroids. Tempered glass will exhibit distinct patterns of dark and light bands or other shapes. You might even get groovy colors. If you can see through the glass edge-on, then it will show a dramatic pattern of colored bands parallel to the faces. If you see no patterns, and light is evenly extinguished as you look through it, then it is not tempered and is pretty well annealed.
Finally, you can examine the glass closely for any brand name etched into it. Examine the edge for any sign of fire polishing. Examine the surface for little dimples where tongs may have indented the glass. Any of these indicate tempering, and you should not try to cut or grind this glass, or you will have a terrible mess.
STILL, NO IDEA BUT I HOPE SOMEONE CAN FIGURE IT OUT.
martinc909
Member
is "glass dust" dangerous?
martinc909
Member
okay thanks. I'm going to drill my 20g and I have diamond coated dremmel tool bit. I've already done one hole but even with practice I'll still be pretty nervous with the 20g. You know $30 is a TON of money!
sleasia
Active Member
martinc909...I'm not sure the diamond dremel bit is the better choice...I started using it for practice, but when it came to drilling the tank I used the roto zip tile bit that AW2 recommended because the cutting surface on the dremel diamond bits is so short that I wasn't sure it would even cover the thickness of the glass on the 150 which is about 1/4 inch....the roto zip bit has a much longer cutting surface - maybe an inch and 1/2? I think it might be better than the dremel diamond bit....just be sure you lubricated constantly with water. when you cut the pilot hole drill a bit, then pull the bit out and let water cool it, then drill a bit, and pull the bit out again and let the water cool it...once the pilot hole is in and you begin traveling with the bit through the glass, the water gets into the cut fairly well and cools the glass well. But the pilot hole made me most nervouse because I wasn't sure water was really getting into the hole until the hole is drilled right through.
go slow, with very little pressure until you get the feel of it...let the bit cut the glass, don't force it through the glass, and you will be fine. :cheer:
go slow, with very little pressure until you get the feel of it...let the bit cut the glass, don't force it through the glass, and you will be fine. :cheer: