To DO: Drill a 75gallon

[bronco300]

Well I'm moving on to another step in plumbing for the 200 down the road....drilling my old 75gallon for the sump....using a sequence 5500 i believe it is as an external pump that will run to some spray bars....just thought i would just the steps i took to drill the tank for those wondering about doing it themselves...very easy...i didn't realize how thick the glass was on a 75 though that's for sure. Always make sure your glass is not tempered. I'm using a dremel and diamond bits to GRIND away my glass....so its important to take it slowly and have a cooling liquid, which for me i use a constant slow running hose...i put on duct tape because i've always b een told that in case it does crack, it won't go insane...i'll post once it's done, had to quit early for going out to dinner.

 

[reefkprz]

just hit it with a hammer it would be so much quicker...........

 

[wattsupdoc]

Bronco, when you drill that with the dremel. Unless the bits you have are longer than the diamond ones I have. Meaning the diamond tip length. your going to either drill it essentially twice, or drill it a little and then push it through. I wouldnt recomend the second way. I'd drill it by cutting a grove as deep as the bit you have will allow. Drill the complete circle, then drill it agin. Finishing off the thickness of the glass. If the tip you use is flat on the bottom, its going to want to ride up on you some as you go. Dont fight it. Just go back though that part agian to get your depth. You might want to use a cone shaped bit to get a pilot hole through the glass first. This is where I had the glass chip a little on me. If the tip is pointed and not cone shaped it can break and leave a small piece in the glass, as well as chip the glass out. Just go slow and dont put much pressure on it and keep it cool.

Either way your going to be in for a bit of a treat.

 

[bronco300]

haha, thanks, i'm about half ways done, stupid batteries dont last very long with this....the diamond bit i am using is a cylinder and is indeed long enough that i can grind the hole piece at the same time....but i normally just drill a little ditch a little ways then go back and grind it with the side of the bit...works great so far, just have to finish it tonight. Then its on to a 10gallon to drill

 

[bronco300]

And what do we finish with? A hole of course...the bulkheads fits perfectly for me.

Now for the 10 gallon.

 

[bronco300]

And now the 10 gallon is drilled...and let me tell you this was MUCH easier and faster!

 

[blaze98]

do you know the model number of the bit you used? I am thinking of drilling one of my 10 gallons.

 

[bronco300]

if you have a menards go there..they have a complete set of bits for the dremel by "tool shop"....and just use whichever bit you like...i start with a cone and then move to a cylinder.

 

[blaze98]

Okay, I have seen the cone shaped bit before, thanks for the great thread and info

 

[rykna]

WOW, you are too cool Luke!!!!!!!!!

 

[bronco300]

you bet...once i get through the glass i dont like the cones as much...what i found to be the fastest is to use my cone, angle it and make a first little trench along the ring...little sections at a time...then go back and grind the rest...when i did the ten gallon i did two different, one just grinding around completely, and the other the trench method and it was probably half the time....just have apatience and lots of cooling liquids