How I drilled my 20gal tank, fully setup with fish already in it.

[thomor25]

Materials required are:
Dremmel of some brand
2 dremmel bits #7134 and #7103
paper towel or tissues
scotch tape
a spray bottle with the pump handles like some bathroom cleaning stuff comes with(but buy one that is clean don't use an empty cleaning bottle)
sharpie marker
and the bulkhead you are using (I used a 1" bulkhead)

Additional notes:
You might have to buy a new collet for your dremmel to fit the small shaft of the drill pieces but I just wrapped scoth tape around the end of it till it was tight in the dremmel tool.


How I did it:

I first got everything I'd need together in one spot.



take the gasket from the bulkhead and trace the inside circle onto the glass. then take the round tipped bit and start in the middle and move the dremmel around like you are making a tiny circle, this will help incase the dremmel bend. If you bend the dremmel since the hole is bigger then the bit you won't crack the glass.



Keep going till you go all the way through making sure you spay water on the bit with the spray bottle.



Once the hole has been made switch to the tapered dremmel bit. Start in the hole and work upwards pushing and pulling the dremmel in and out of the hole moving it about 1/4 an inch in each direction but make sure you spay it with water. After getting to the top of the circle you made with the sharpie use the marker as a guide and cut through the marker with the drill bit. Make sure you tape some tissue or paper towel to catch the wate rthat is running down the side of the tank from cooling the bit down.



Keep working your way arounf the tank.



When you get to the top be careful and don't push as hard, do it slowly and just apply as little pressure as possible and it will pop out.



Bulkhead installed





And my fishtank finished.
http://www.ratemyfishtank.com/?i=1

[Bass Master]

Cool. I noticed some Rx bottles in the background. Did you have to "calm" your nerves a little to drill that hole? I wudda'.

[thomor25]

Na I have hypothyroidism, thats my synthroid and ulcer medicine.

[Scuba_Dave]

I might try it full w/a 20g, not much to lose, but not with a large tank w/$2-3k in livestock.

[marm64]

How long do you think that it took to drill out the hole? How think was the glass?

I am deciding if it is worth the effort to enlarge a hole in my 90 and the glass is 1/2" thick.

Verry nice job.

[thomor25]

Originally posted by marm64
How long do you think that it took to drill out the hole? How think was the glass?

I am deciding if it is worth the effort to enlarge a hole in my 90 and the glass is 1/2" thick.

Verry nice job.

Glass is 1/4 inch thick and took about 30 mins.

[Zephrant]

Nicely done!

Thanks for the pictures-

Zeph

[Rezzan1]

Amazing

[Clyde]

i dont get it

20 gallons of water, is chicken feed, why not empty out more water and then put back in..

wouldnt it be more safer ?

[Shoestring Reefer]

You have some big nads, my friend.

Isn't that a "Wizard" from black and decker? I have one, but I call it a Dremel so people know what I'm talking about.

[thomor25]

Originally posted by Clyde
i dont get it

20 gallons of water, is chicken feed, why not empty out more water and then put back in..

wouldnt it be more safer ?

Cause then you would have to move rocks and you could risk disturbing the fish after they have already settled in the tank. Also yes that is a wizard but I call it a dremel as well.

[musicsmaker]

Is the site having problems? All I see is... X

EDIT: Nevermind.

[Clyde]

but if it broke ?

thats a MAJOR disturbing isnt it ?

Originally posted by thomor25
Cause then you would have to move rocks and you could risk disturbing the fish after they have already settled in the tank. Also yes that is a wizard but I call it a dremel as well.

[ofblong]

Originally posted by musicsmaker
Is the site having problems? All I see is... X

EDIT: Nevermind.

id be afraid of glass chips getting into tank and one of your fish or other marine animals swallow it adn die cause they got cut from a glass shaving.

[ekwong]

Nice post. After seeing the pics, i figured what the heck and drilled my 15G sump. Now it has a 3/4inch bulkhead for the external pump. sweet.


edmund

[thomor25]

Originally posted by ofblong
id be afraid of glass chips getting into tank and one of your fish or other marine animals swallow it adn die cause they got cut from a glass shaving.

Drilling it this way does not cause chips if you follow the directions, the only thing that gets into the water is glass powder and we all know what glass is right? For those who don't glass is sand.

[Capt.Dave]

Originally posted by thomor25
For those who don't glass is sand.

Someone is now going to worry about a diatom outbreak because of all of the silica dust


Great Project.

Dave

[TheUPSguy]

You got balls man. All that glass dust going into the tank has to be good for something

[masterswimmer]

great job.........has anyone tried this method on acrylic?

[TheUPSguy]

I think acrylic would be much easier, but why would you drill acrylic on the sides instead of on the bottom?

[Chamkeeper]

I like the two clowns looking at the circle. You can almost hear them say, "What the *&^ is he doing now?!"

[Todd G.]

I have never seen a tank get drilled with it still set up.
I do not know what to say.

I bet the clownfish went *phew*.... we are glad it worked!

:-)
Todd

[thomor25]

Originally posted by Chamkeeper
I like the two clowns looking at the circle. You can almost hear them say, "What the *&^ is he doing now?!"

Actually I was an aqua circus and the "clowns" were gonna jump through hoops but the ring of fore kept going out.

[thedogofwar]

Originally posted by Chamkeeper
I like the two clowns looking at the circle. You can almost hear them say, "What the *&^ is he doing now?!"

Thats exactly what I was thinking. Kinda like mine, *** is he doing now? Can't he just be satisfied?

nice work!

[H20ENG]

and you could risk disturbing the fish after they have already settled in the tank.

LOL, Grinding on the glass for 30 minutes didn't disturb them?
How did they react to the noise and vibration?
I do think this is a good cheap way to "drill" holes for bulkheads.