MAJOR SUMP ISSUE - please help

[pwmin]

I have another question. I've also got an FX5 on this tank and I have another one that I can swipe off another tank. I was thinking about throwing it on there...temporarily, maybe permanently...while I'm fixing the sump. The problem is that I'd have to drill another hole in the top of the tank (300 wide acrylic) as there is nowhere to run the extra tubing. I bought the tank from Acrylic World and they haven't fixed anything that was wrong with this tank, so I'm not worried about violating the non-existent "life-time warranty". Is this too risky to do with the tank with water in it still?

 

[Pharaoh]

I wouldn't drill it if you are working out warranty issues.

 

[pwmin]

I wouldn't drill it if you are working out warranty issues.

I've been trying to work out warranty issues since I got the tank and have been ignored or blown off pretty much the whole time, so I've given up on the warranty. The lids arrived broken and he said he was going to replace them and I've never seen them. The overflow leaked and I fixed that myself and one of the seams started to come apart and I had to fix that myself also. So, I've given up on the warranty.

 

[srawding]

Sorry to hear that about the warranty! You can drill the top with water in it for the hoses I did it with my 180 with the fish in it. You will need someones help to do it but very easy to do. I would def check on the warranty before deciding to do this though.

 

[pwmin]

I have another question. Say I ditch the sump and get a 2262 (I already said f-it and ordered one), would it be okay to have the inlet for the canister inside the overflow? That way, I wouldn't have to drill anything.

 

[jcardona1]

yeah that would work. you may get a build up of debris down at the bottom, so just be sure to to clean it out regularly.

 

[Egon]

^^^ Yeah it will work. I don't think you will get any kind of build up though? Anything that goes into your overflow will get sucked up by the pump. I would also fill the tank until the over flow is almost full. That way evaporation wont be an issue, at least you will have time to notice your overflow level starting to get lower because it will get noisy. Most likely you will do a water change before that happens.

I drilled holes into the top of three of my tanks while they were running for feeding holes. I got sick of moving the huge glass top on my tanks to feed. It really wasn't a big deal. You can see the different thickness of the acrylic. I've gotten the most use out of that modification and it was so simple.

 

[pwmin]

cool, thanks for the input guys.

So did you do anything special or just go really slowly?

 

[West1]

I also drilled the top of my tank. I did it during a 50% water change. I also had a bag I tapped under the area I was drilling to catch any tiny pcs of acrylic that may fall into the tank. It worked like a charm

G/L

 

[Egon]

cool, thanks for the input guys.

So did you do anything special or just go really slowly?

Yes, go slow! Also keep it cool with water while drilling. I used a mister type home depot spray bottle filled with cold water to keep everything cool. I would stop about every minute and clean the melted acrylic from the teeth of the saw blade. The saw blade actually got so hot the water steamed off it so I'm sure I was going to fast! I think it would of been easier with two people, one to just mist the saw blade and acrylic and one to run the drill.