10 gal tanks normally tempered?

[Wormy]

Hi all,

I'm trying to design a refugium for my reef, and would like to use a cheap 10 gallon tank. I'm planning on placing it above the tank so I'll have maximum life returning to the main tank undamaged. This presents a design problem though, as I will need to drill a hole for the return hose in the 10 gallon tank. Does anyone know if the sides of these are normally tempered? Anyone have any luck with drilling these?

Thanks,

Wormy

[joefitz]

10g are not tempered; however, they are by far the hardest tank to drill -- the glass is just too thin. I just had a few tanks drilled and someone asked about 10g tanks while I was there and the guy (who is really, really good at drilling) basically said, sure, we'll drill a 10g...but you better bring 3 or 4 tanks because it will likely take that many before you get a "success".

Good luck.

Joe

[MarkS]

I've drilled several 10 gallons. While it was difficult, if you go slow and use lots of coolant, you'll be fine.

[slanky]

Hmm, I'm quite interested in using a 10g as a fuge as well, and have considered buying one and trying to dremel it myself. But I've always feared the thin glass :-/ For those that have successfully done it, was it done with a dremel or was it done with an actual diamond glass drill bit?

[MarkS]

I used a carbide tipped hole saw I got at Home Depot and a Dremel with a diamond bit. The Dremel method was by far the easiest and fastest.

[slanky]

Yeah I was going to use the diamond dremel bits with my roto-zip at 30k rpm :-)

[Wormy]

Thanks for the info so far. Sounds like something I might attempt, since I can get 10 gallon tanks for something like $10. I suppose I could always use the ample supply of snow I have outside as a coolant.


Wormy

[bin04]

yeah the dremel bits are definitely the way to go! just finished cutting overflow teeth into one reeeeelly cheap 10g. Had nary a problem. just used a plain 'ol spray bottle to keep it wet and cool.

[eums]

i drilled my 10 gal glass tank for a gravity fed return back into my tank. i cracked the first one though , putting a bulkhead in a little to tight. but the second one was a charm. i use a hose running over the tank with a small stream of water and it kept the bit cold and free of glass.

i drilled my 55 lee-mar the same way.