Lowering a center over flow tower in a 8X3X4 720 Gallon

amazontank

Redtail Catfish
MFK Member
Nov 14, 2010
1,250
512
150
Miami and San Diego
www.Facebook.com
Lowering a center over flow tower in a 8X3X4 720 Gallon?

Anybody have any photos or can explain the best way to actually do this.

I was thinking of drilling 1" holes all the way around? Any other better ideas?

I want to be able to easily cover it up in the future if I decide to fill it up 4 feet!

Thanks in advance MFK the coolest fish keepers ever!
 

David R

Blue Tier VIP
MFK Member
Apr 26, 2005
5,025
228
320
42
New Zealand
Could you drill two holes then cut out a piece in between to give a wider opening? I've never tried cutting acrylic before so not sure what you would use. A row of 1" holes would work, but you may want to put a few more above in case some of them get blocked.
 

amazontank

Redtail Catfish
MFK Member
Nov 14, 2010
1,250
512
150
Miami and San Diego
www.Facebook.com
Could you drill two holes then cut out a piece in between to give a wider opening? I've never tried cutting acrylic before so not sure what you would use. A row of 1" holes would work, but you may want to put a few more above in case some of them get blocked.
Thanks for your message bro!

I was thinking of drilling holes or slits somehow. Since I want to lower the tower 12 inches.

In the future I was thinking if I wanted to fill it up I can glue acrylic on the inside of the tower.
 

wednesday13

Silver Tier VIP
MFK Member
Mar 2, 2008
4,237
3,817
1,629
The deep south
Lowering the tank a full 12" is unnecessary. 3-5" is all u need to relieve alot of the pressure. Ive drilled 2.5" holes around boxes and used screens to cover them. Made the "teeth" deeper with a dremel and rotozip bit and also drilled multiple 3/8" holes in towers all the way around to set water levels. Just need to deciede what way u want to go. I have 36" tanks in 1/2" acrylic u will be more than fine with 44" of water with 1" acrylic.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 

wednesday13

Silver Tier VIP
MFK Member
Mar 2, 2008
4,237
3,817
1,629
The deep south
uploadfromtaptalk1375840194649.jpg
uploadfromtaptalk1375840208398.jpg
This is my 180 lowered about 2-3" with alot of 3/8" holes and screen cover

View attachment 938314
This is my 230 lowered around 3-4" with two 2.5" holes and egg crate screen cover.



Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 

wednesday13

Silver Tier VIP
MFK Member
Mar 2, 2008
4,237
3,817
1,629
The deep south
Couldnt find ur other thread...heres some pics of how to reinforce the inside with 1" square acrylic rod. Dont waste ur time ordering cut pieces. Square rod is alot cheaper than cut pieces and can be shipped to ur door in a tube. Usplastics.com has square rod for sale.
uploadfromtaptalk1375840927851.jpg
uploadfromtaptalk1375840941381.jpg
uploadfromtaptalk1375840958840.jpg
uploadfromtaptalk1375840971874.jpg
This is my 450 reinforced with 1" square rod on all inside upright seams and along the back wall at the bottom seam.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 

jeffers

Piranha
MFK Member
Jun 11, 2009
1,582
90
81
39
southern indiana
cutting holes would work then if you wanted to raise it you could put a pipe in up to the level that you want it to be. may i ask why you want to lower 12"
 

jeffers

Piranha
MFK Member
Jun 11, 2009
1,582
90
81
39
southern indiana
great link! think im going to order some of the triangle rod to reinforce a tank myself and some of that 6" tubing for future projects.
 

Squirtle919

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Sep 5, 2011
1,564
2
53
Within Earth
U could just cut it right off then if you ever do go 4 high order the 12 inch or so sheet and re-glue it to the old one? Pretty sure you can do that with acrylic.
^^ I would use an angel grinder to cut it from the front on stop maybe 10mm from the back wall of the tank, I imagine you will have to run a razor down the back wall of the tank to get the glue off if its even possible, Once its loss cut the extra 10mm off with a jigsaw blade. saves you putting a nice slit in the back of your tank. then we have issues...

If you do want to go all 4ft, I would weld a frame around the tanks base and top, trick is to make it a few mm to big and really pack it with a glue (not sure what glue for acrylic) then add the rods as wednesday suggests. I dont think the tank will pop then! else the acrylic is very under sized and the pressure causes the acrylic to crack xD!
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store