Plumbing and Drilling?

[dplantz]

Ok so i am in the process of setting up a new tank. I was just wondering how easy it is to drill your own tank if you have the right bit for a drill? And are the Wal-Mart 10g (?) drillable (meaning are they tempered?). I want to plub my Dt, sump, and frag tank all together.

 

[wattsupdoc]

It's not difficult to drill glass with the right equipment and some patience. The 10's are drill-able, but I wouldn't recommend drilling one. The glass is so thin it breaks very easy. Drilling them is easy without breaking, it's handling them afterwards where they tend to crack.

 

[dplantz]

What brand would you reccomend then? I have some credit to a Petsmart near me that sells some tanks in my size range. Or are they the same? I would drill the 10g at the bottom and have it feed my frag tank. I might just do away with the in between tank and use like 1/4 of my frag tank to hold the skimmer and return pump. I'll just make a false eggcrate wall to help diffuse.

 

[tr1gger]

I may be wrong, but i think ALL tank bottoms are tempered unless they are very very cheap tanks. What size is your DT, a 30g maybe a better option for a sump? Its all up to you. There are sites that sell Glass drilling hole saws and there are other tricks such as Plumbers Putty (i think) that lets you make a small coffer dam around where you are cutting to allow water to be present while you drill. Do a little research on this site and you will find what ya need, this place is full of great info and how-to's

 

[wattsupdoc]

Any 10 would be too thin IMO.
No, not all tanks have tempered bottoms. There are many that do not. Even large ones. Most though large tanks are tempered bottoms. Not being tempered also doesnt make it a cheap tank.

 

[dplantz]

I think Im scraping the idea and putting my skimmer in my frag tank.