Hi,

I'd like to drill a couple of holes in my my Aqua One AR380 for a sump, and install an overflow box.

Now I'm not very confident working with glass - is there anyone in the auckland area that will do this for me? I've already asked at Hollywood Fish Farm and they've said the guy that does their tanks doesn't deal with readymade tanks.

Cheers.

you will have about a 80-% chance of breaking it

Barrie is the man with this, but I have seen a guy drill all his tanks to plumb them all in, he drilled them all intact and just used a glass cutting hole saw from mitre10 went really slow with his drill and started on an angle and used water from a spray bottle as lube.. He didn't break any and would have around 20 tanks in his room all plumbed up, maybe he was just lucky or really good at it, who knows but I have never given it a go

ok do do on a normal tank but ready made tanks are a different kettle of fish and barries stats are pretty accurate

Why is it more likely to break than a standard 2ft aquarium?

as during the forming process i think the glass surface can have imperfections that can cause any drilling to impact on the integrity of the glass

i think

Is this a general rule for all already built aquariums? That there's a 80% chance of breaking it I mean? Or just readymade ones like Aqua One / Juwels etc?

Remember if I drill the Aqua one I'll be drilling the back part, which is just a piece of glass. It's not ALL moulded in one piece or anything - just the front, left and right sides are moulded in one piece.

any moulded tanks i think

if you look at the gass near the top from an oblique angle you can sometimes see ripple in it

But the back of it isn't 'moulded glass'? If I understand the term correctly, moulded glass means forming the aquarium from one continuous piece of glass right?

With the AR380 just the front, left and right are 'moulded glass'. The back and bottom are siliconed on just like any other tank.

there is a way to find out

those posts were only my personal opinion don't forget

So can anyone explain why this tank would have a high chance of shattering while drilling it high up for an overflow?

Thin glass

In perfections in the glass

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I am a Glass Merchant and have a glass company

Your glass needs to be firmly supported behind the area you are drilling

Your glass needs to be cooled as you are drilling with running water or at least a dam of water around the area you are drilling

If you have very steady hands and can get a drill that is slow enough you can drill it with copper pipe and carbonundum powder but make sure you drill very slowly and have the area cooled.

If you put uneven presure on as your drilling (especially when your over half way through) you will "shell" out the drilled hole resulting in breakage later on

Drilling through 6mm thick should take you at least 60 to 90 minutes.

When we use water fed habit drills in ideal conditions, we still break about one in ten

By all means ignore my advise and have fun as I can only offer advice as I see it as a person thats been in the trade for 42 years

Not very many glass companies will offer to drill it for you as the cost of a good habit drill is well over $100 and will probably jam up if the glass breaks which will probably damage the drill makeing it totally useless

Good luck

Thanks Barrie. I was just curious as to the reason. So there's no chance of having a glass specialist attempt it either?

If so then I suppose I can go back to looking at PVC siphon overflows or similar.

Yeah just go with a siphon overflow box.

A glass specialist could no-doubt try it, but it wouldnt be their responsbility at all if it breaks... lol

So there's no chance of having a glass specialist attempt it either?

I AM A GLASS SPECIALIST WITH 42 YEAR EXPERIANCE

you may find someone that is willing to risk a $120 drill for a $5 sale and if you do, get in quickly as it simply dosnt make financial sense

I was quoted $30 a hole when getting my tanks made, decided against it. Not such a wise move now I see. Will probably use an overflow box or (if I can grasp the concept) a 100% PVC pipe overflow.

There is a weir setup that you can hang over the side of the tank - will see if I can find the link.

Cheers Zev. How quiet are these siphon setups? Has anyone here ever built one?

just another idea but not sure on the cost.

You could get a another back sheet of glass made that has the hole cut in it. Then just take one off and put the other on.

Cheers Zev. How quiet are these siphon setups? Has anyone here ever built one?

viewtopic.php?f=28&t=44098

There is a weir setup that you can hang over the side of the tank - will see if I can find the link.

(http://www.melevsreef.com)

Could something like that be made from pipes somehow? Acrylic seems difficult.

http://www.melevsreef.com/acrylics/overflow.html

Probably wont be able to get it on the back of a 380 though

Dang - you beat me to it Sam, teach me to yap in the chat room too much!

Dang - you beat me to it Sam, teach me to yap in the chat room too much!

Only beat you by 52 mins