Drilling Tanks

cjs4873

Gambusia
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Sep 9, 2008
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bigcol;2656258; said:
i found this for drilling holes http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=CxnugJGiT3o
i havnt tried it yet but it looks preeety simple and easy to do, the only problem is i have backing on the tank where i want to drill, will this be a problem?
It is mate, as for your backing just drill that as well, just take your time, and just put your pipes through the holes. Get the right bulkheads and will be able to make the tank as long as you need.hth
 

Dragon Hunter

Redtail Catfish
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Apr 29, 2006
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i did it. drilled a 3" hole for a 2" bulkhead. I bought the drill bit and bulkhead from www.glass-holes.com. Wasn't sure if my bottom was tempered or not but from doing a lil research online is 60% sure it wasn't. Since i got the tank for a very good deal i said what the heck. Took me probably 40 mins to get through the .5" glass. What i did was drill the tank from the inside. I left 1/4" of water in the tank and just drilled it.

DSCN7411.JPG
 

CHOMPERS

Silver Tier VIP
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Apr 28, 2006
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Cool. The toughest hole to drill is always the first one.


edit: ...wait a minute, that didn't sound right.
 

soulvdog

Feeder Fish
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May 24, 2009
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Brisbane, Australia
Has anyone had experience drilling twin wall tanks?

My 5x2x2 has 2 pieces of 5mm laminated glass pieced together instead of 10mm glass. This is on all 4 sides, i guess it makes it pretty strong.

I want to drill some holes for a sump so any help would be appreciated

thanks in advance.
 

Goanna

Feeder Fish
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Aug 27, 2008
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Staten Island NY
Does anyone know where i might be able to find smaller size bulkhead fittings? I was thinking about drilling a smaller tank that I wanted to use a tiny canister filter on, maybe the Zoo Med 501. I found some 1/2" bulkhead fittings but I think the 501 filter uses smaller tubing then that.

It's only going to have like 10 gallons (at most) of water in the tank, and the reason I want to drill it is that it's going to be a planted paludarium tank with a custom foam background and a small water section, so i want to hide all the plumbing and then make a waterfall out of the return, which will be on the top of the tank.

If there's nothing smaller, does anyone happen to know what size bulkheads I would need to hook up a Fluval 105, as I guess that's the smallest normal canister filter I will be able to find (and does that odd crimped tubing of the fluval series hook up to the bulkhead fittings properly)?
 

CHOMPERS

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Half inch is the smallest you will find. You can get reducers to 3/8" and 1/4" but even they are hard to find. Ace Hardware will have them, but you will have to find someone that has been working in the store for a long time just to find them in the store.
 

Goanna

Feeder Fish
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Aug 27, 2008
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Staten Island NY
CHOMPERS;3333203; said:
Half inch is the smallest you will find. You can get reducers to 3/8" and 1/4" but even they are hard to find. Ace Hardware will have them, but you will have to find someone that has been working in the store for a long time just to find them in the store.
That's cool. I think half inch should work as I'm probably going to wind up with A Fluval 105, which uses 1/2" ID tubing, although it's that weird ribbed tubing though, so I hope that connects to the bulkhead okay. If not I guess I'll have to get regular 1/2 strait tubing for it.
 
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