- Please consider Joining our community to get access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today!
- If you are new and want to check out the podcasts you can find a full list of FAQ's to get you started. The most recent shows are on the homepage of Talkingreef
Morning everyone! I am getting ready to pick up my tank this week and I had a question. Has anyone drilled their own overflow holes in a new tank before? my LFS is charging an arm and leg (or a fin and a tail) to do it. The tank is a 90 gallon tank (48 L x 18 w x 24 h) and it costs $300 without the holes and overflow box. To have them add the holes and overflow box would bring the cost of the tank up to $440. I would really love to put that extra money toward my skimmer or something. Are there any resources or tips on doing the overflow DIY? Or would it be smarter to just have the LFS do it and bear the risk?
It can be done. You need to know if your glass (where you are drilling) is tempered or not. Some manufacturers even drill then temper the glass. No LFS that I know of will try to drill tempered glass. It's just a disaster waiting to happen.
My LFS charges 10 bucks a hole. That quote you got seems a lil' bothersome to me, but I don't know what kind of tank, glass etc.
Do a search for "Diamond Hole Saw" on eBay, you'll find tons of bits for sale.
Personally, my buddy and I use a dremel with glass cutting bit and a template (wood or steel) and take my time etching through until I break through. It makes a ton of noise and a lot of dust, but does the job.
It makes a ton of noise and a lot of dust, but does the job.
I hope you wear protection from the silica dust when you are drilling glass tanks with your Dremel tool. Silica dust in the lungs is bad stuff.
__________________ Amphibious
Reaching my 70th BD, I realize that I cannot help but grow old. However, I refuse to grow up!!! My wife would tell you, "He may be 70 but, He's going on 17". Life is wonderful with a woman like that.
Actually I chickened out and bought a reef ready 90 gallon. I did the math and figured that I would have saved about $10 if I drilled the tank myself. So, I figured that I might as well just spend the extra cash and get it done right. Thanks for following up!
__________________ - Eddy
"Corals require an aquarium, seawater at the right temperature and salinity, waterf flow, light, food, bicarbonate/buffer, and calcium. Period. No other equipment, apparatus, magic potions, pills, voodoo, prayer, or other sacrafices are necessary." -Eric Borneman
I'm not so sure you chickened out. I'd like to believe you read my sig line and took that advice.
__________________ Amphibious
Reaching my 70th BD, I realize that I cannot help but grow old. However, I refuse to grow up!!! My wife would tell you, "He may be 70 but, He's going on 17". Life is wonderful with a woman like that.
yeah, if Murphy and his lawbook would have visited....it could have went from saving $10 to costing a whole lot more. I'm pretty sure that when I eventually get a larger tank it will be pre-drilled, or I'll be using overflow boxes.
__________________ Tank setup 8-5-05
26 gal bowfront
i had a tankt aht wasn't drilled... a pain in the *&^ and then I had a leak. when I replaced it, i replaced it with a reef ready tank and am very pleased with it.
I just drilled a 40G Breeder last night. I used a 64mm (for heavy duty 1 1/2" Bulkheads) diamond drill bit. It took a total of about 20 minutes and went very well.
I used a 18V battery powered drill. Here is what I did.
First I decided where to put the wholes and take a piece of cardboard down on the glass. I drilled through the cardboard, which acts like a guide. After you have etched the glass enough so the bit will easily go back into the same spot (1/8" or so) it is fairly easy. Also after you have etched the glass you can take the cardboard off. Make sure you save the cardboard for the next whole. Just turn the cardboard to the downside of the hole #1 for the exact mirror location for hole #2.
Make sure you do not push at all on the drill, use the weight of the drill to put very light pressure on the bit. While you are drilling you need someone with a turkey baster to dribble water on and around the bit. You will hear the noise and know when you need to add water. If the noise is annoying or hurting your ears you need water.
You will eventually drill through and see water dripping on the inside of your tank. At this point, you need to put a towel or something soft under where the whole is so the cirlcle of glass you cut does not hit and break the tank. OK, now that you are seing dripping you need to go real slow (not the bit speed). You actually need to support the drill and only allow about 1/2 the weight of the drill press against the cut. Eventually it will cut through.
Couple of notes.
1. I used a new battery for each whole, you want to run the bit at full speed
2. Wear safety goggles
3. Do NOT use the hammer setting on the drill :razz:
4. Did I say wear safety goggles??
That is really it, just remember, take things very slow and deliberate.
Reaching my 70th BD, I realize that I cannot help but grow old. However, I refuse to grow up!!! My wife would tell you, "He may be 70 but, He's going on 17". Life is wonderful with a woman like that.
JBW Thanks! My main tank has already been drilled. However, my Sump may need a hole in it depending on how I configure everyhting so I will follow your advice. Thanks again! That was exactly what I was looking for.
__________________ - Eddy
"Corals require an aquarium, seawater at the right temperature and salinity, waterf flow, light, food, bicarbonate/buffer, and calcium. Period. No other equipment, apparatus, magic potions, pills, voodoo, prayer, or other sacrafices are necessary." -Eric Borneman
Drilling is easy!! I just finished drilling my next project, a 30g. I bought my suplies from Glass-Holes.com. The owners spent way to much time talking to me from Cal. for their own good. I only spent $30 or so.
I drilled the holes SLOWLY, using play-Doh as a dam to hold water around the hole. ( I couldn't find the plumbers putty). I finished (6) 1 1/8 holes with the bit still sharp and almost no chipping.
I was going to drill my 75g, but as my fiance nicely put it...you crack it and you won't be replacing it
I heard a lot of great things about glass-holes.com and was even tempted to drive down to Fresno and check em out. You can get a drill bit for under $10 shipped I believe. There is a video on the site of them drilling a tank. Use a dam, angle the drill slightly to start the cut and go slow and lubricate!
I'm going to be drilling a 20g sump and will be ordering a bit from them in the next few weeks,, but not ballsy enough to even try on my main tank. I'll deal with an overflow box
I would recommend the glass holes guys, the spent at least half an hour going over my ideas and making suggestions, before I ordered anything.
I drilled my holes just like they showed in their video, it worked great and the bits are still good after 5 holes for one and 2 for the other. I also used a hole saw and made a guide out of a piece of wood to start the hole.
to do it. The tank is a 90 gallon tank (48 L x 18 w x 24 h) and it costs $300 without the holes and overflow box. To have them add the holes and overflow box would bring the cost of the tank up to $440. I would really love to put that extra money toward my 
Thanks for following up!
Linear Mode
