Drilling a filled tank

[Mr. Eko]

Okay, my 30 gallon has been up 3 months and im just starting to add corals. I want to add a DIY sump made out ot old 10 gallon and a 30 gallon rubbermaid container. My father wont let me just get an HOB overflow so im looking for some information on how to drill a filled tank. I cant take out all the water but i could take out alot. Yes, i do want to have 2 seperate sumps (if possible, but i can just use 1 if its too hard). If i use 2, how would i plumb it? If anyone can help...please do!
Thanks

[antony1103]

Sorry but it may not be possible to do so. I have a 75 gallon with a hot overflow but i should have gotten it drilled. It is to late now. I have the CPR overflow with aqualifter pump and it is just as safe as a drilled tank.

[dirty59rt]

IMO drilling a filled tank is VERY risky. I've never heard of anyone doing it, but i've only been in this hobby a year. If the tank breaks while your drilling, your gonna have a BIG mess. You can probably buy or make a "weir". It's like a hang on the back overflow. You drill the bottom of it that hangs outside your tank and the water drains down it. Is there a special reason you want 2 sumps?

[Mr. Eko]

There is not special reason that i want 2 sumps, its just that i have a small space. Okay, i understand, is the CPR overflow reliable? And what is a aqualifter pump? Would i need 2 overflows for 2 different sumps? Thanks

[dirty59rt]

http://www.melevsreef.com/acrylics/overflow.html This is a link to Melev's reef. It shows you how a weir works. Maybe you can make one.

[dirty59rt]

You could probably have one overflow and just "T" off it and run it to the 2nd sump.

[antony1103]

The aqualifter pump is like an air pump that pumps water and air. You hook it up on the U-tube where the water goes over the tank and it draws air out that could block waterflow.

More info at
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...1&N=2004&Nty=1

[Mr. Eko]

If i "T" off the overflow....would i need to have a huge overflow so that it is lots of GPH? Or could i just get one of these.... http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...1&N=2004&Nty=1 ...and get the 1400GPH one and just run it to 2 different sumps? But then how would i confugure the return pumps?

[antony1103]

Mine works good with a bi-weekly cleaning with a brush.

[dirty59rt]

That looks like it would work if you got the 1400 GPH. What do you mean by configure? You mean run the return lines back to the tank?

[Mr. Eko]

dirty59rt, Yes, that is what i mean. Like how would i get the pumps to match the overflow and what kind of PVC/flexable piping should i use?? And how would i plump the return pump back into the tank?

[Mr. Eko]

bump?

[antony1103]

I hard plumbed my overflow with 1" PVC. The return line is a Quiet One 4000 Pump with a DIY over-the-side output. Very good circulation at about 600GPH

[Scuba Dog]

Do some searching there is a guy here on reef central that drilled his tank when it was partically full...If your worried take out the water fish rocks corals put them in arubber maid container and drill the tank...be sure to have the right bits...a lubercation method....and some bulkheads handy...you can use pvc or flexable tubing...just plan it out ahead of time ...

[Mr. Eko]

Okay thanks!!
If i have a 400GPH overflow and i "T" it. Does that make each sprout 200 GPH? I am thinking of having a 400GPH CPR overflow and "T" it to two 7gallon rubbermaid tubs and then try to plumb the return pump so that I can have 1 return pump and piping for 2 seperate sumps...is that even possible?

[samsfishnchips]

I have seen a few people drilling the tank while full,

if you decide to do it which ever full or empty, try to get the rotozip tile cutting bit, don't buy any dremel bits, recently I just drill a slot 2"x12" and a few holes with no problems,

good luck,

sam

[Mr. Eko]

Thanks for the advise!
But can anyone answer the question above /\?
Thanks anyways

[samsfishnchips]

ok first thing first,

put a T and you will have two out puts, one will be faster than the other, if you put a valve on the faster one and decrease it them you can get close to match both

so the two container are going to be connect?

this seems like you are complicating yourself more than you have to,

why don't you just get a small glass tank 10g or 20g or the biggest one you can fit and make a nice sump, fuse out it,

sump --> wall --> fuge --> wall --> return area

you can also have in the last wall a bubble trap,

good luck ,

sam

[Mr. Eko]

sump-->wall-->fuge-->wall-->return???
Okay, could i still do that with a rubbermaid container? Or would i have to use a small glass tank? There is a 10gallon for like 17 bucks that i could pick up. Please explain this more...sry i dont understand?

[aqua5]

10 gallon is REALLY small IMO for a sump/fuge. i'd go with the biggest aquarium or rubbermaid that you can use? is there any way to have it next to the tank or have the plumbing go through the wall?

[samsfishnchips]

hi there,

well found this pic to explain things, a pic is worth a thousand words

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showp...sort=1&thecat=


here you can see a wall and a bubble trap, if you have any more ? just let be it known

well about the size I would also suggest trying to get the biggest you can get,

you can also use a rubbermaid container, a sump is a sump, no matter how you cut it,

good luck ,

sam

[Mr. Eko]

okay, does the water go OVER the wall? or is the wall a seperate fuge? If i have a rubbermaid container do i have to have baffles? And how would i make baffles with a rubbermaid container? THanks

[samsfishnchips]

yes the water go over the wall, past the bubble trap and them it reaches your return pump,

you need baffles to eliminated bubbles going back to your tank,

well when doing baffles you really only have two choices glass or acrylic and to stick them silicone, if I had to do baffles on that type of container I would choose acrylic cause I could make the any curves if needed,

the reason I like glass tanks are square easier to do the baffles,

sam

[Mr. Eko]

Okay, how much are 20 gallon glass tanks? What is a good size that i should shoot for? I have a pretty large space (a closet). But i cant put anything through a wall becuae im only 14 and my parently wont let me go that far. Can acrylic stick to glass with silicone? I could always go to my hardware shop and get glass cut, would that be easier?
Also, how far apart should the wall be from the baffles and how large should the wall be? Is the wall the refuge?

[samsfishnchips]

priced on the 20g you got to check your area, if I remember I can get 10g for like $7.99, can't remember the 20g

yes acrylic and glass can be glue with silicone, not strong to make a tank, but strong enough to hold the walls in place, acrylic overflows on reef tanks are glue with silicone

glass would work, I think better so you don't have be cutting acrylic or so,

you have to check your situation on how high the wall should be, you must have working flow in your tank and if powers fell, you need space to hold the extra water,

please do a search on sumps and such, so you can see different type of sumps and how they work to have a better understanding

baffles should be appart on your personal taste and what are you putting in,

in that particular pic, the right is the sump, the middle is the fuge and the left is the return area where you put your pump,

good luck,

sam