Some time, in the near future, this WILL be available as a podcast bonus through the burners etc. However, after speaking with Rob and understanding the current scheulding etc. I've asked permission to let this one out, early, and off of the Talking Reef site. Sooooo.....
Gustavo (Neo) and I (JustDavidP) would like you to learn along with us about drilling tanks.... via this quick (less than 2 minutes) video, on YouTube...
He he he.... Whoda thunk that an AGA 29 was tempered like that?
That was SUPPOSED to be my lionfish tank Actually, Gustavo has another 29, drilled on the bottom, that he's giving to me. We're building an acrylic overflow box (when we build your box) and I'm going to durso it and sump it. It's allll goood
Anyways... it's worth the "investigation" to find out if even your smallest tanks are tempered before drilling eh?
He and I have drilled a BUNCH of tanks with this dremel method. This is his first loss in many years. We even dremeled my 29 Bow with the water half way and fish in there.. Can you imagine if this happened THEN?
Personally, I can't tell by just "looking". Yeah..I'd depend on a sticker... if new. Otherwise, I'd ensure that you contact the manufacturer before you take out the drill
How do you tell if the tank is tempered or not. I knew my 44 gallon had a tempered bottom... because it had a sticker on it that said so.
If you have a pair of polarizing sunglasses, you can look through them at the tank. It's best to have sunlight passing through or shining on the window when viewing it. You should also be looking at the tank at an angle rather than straight-on. Hold one lens close to one eye and slowly rotate it. If the glass appears to have a patchy, quilted, rainbow appearance and as you rotate the lens (this pattern will fluctuate during rotation), then you know that the glass is tempered.
I dunno...it's all gibberish to me... In English or Portuguese He's setting up for filming at WGBH in Boston today and may not be back on until tonight.
I won't even pretend to answer...this stuff goes over my head. This is why I tag around with him... He's brighter than a Metal Halide... I'm always humbled by his thought processes.
A polarizing filter for a camera lens comes with two connected filters. One rotates independantly of the one mounted to the lens to create the desired polarizing effect. Not sure if he means two pieces of "glass" which would equal one polarizing filter or if you need 4 pieces of glass which would mean 2 polarizing filters.
He says, if you hold one polarized lens to your eye and a second, close to the glass itself, you should see the difference.
He likened it to using polarized sun glasses and looking at your windshield. You will see a pattern in the glass that looks like "foggy squares" or other pattern.
He said if you use just one lens, you may not see this. If you use one on your eye, and rotate that one around, while looking into another polarized lens close to the glass, you should see it.
I think I understand, and will go on to further guess that if you have a dual lens system for a polarized camera lens, and you hold it close to the glass, and look into it as you would a magnifying glass or telescope, you should see this. You have to look at an angle for the 'depth' or dimension in the glass, but you should see it.
Actually, Gustavo has another 29, drilled on the bottom, that he's giving to me. We're building an acrylic overflow box (when we build your box) and I'm going to durso it and 
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