How I drilled my 20gal tank, fully setup with fish already in it. v2 with pictures

[thomor25]

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

Please note I have created a copy of the old thread due to not being able to edit the old one and inserting the pictures back into it. The old thread is here http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=234382 please ask all questions if they haven't been answered in this one since it does have teh pictures and the other one doesn't.

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 scotch 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.
http://ratemytank.org/tankdrill/DCP02004.JPG


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.
http://ratemytank.org/tankdrill/DCP02005.JPG


Keep going till you go all the way through making sure you spay water on the bit with the spray bottle.
http://ratemytank.org/tankdrill/DCP02006.JPG


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 water that is running down the side of the tank from cooling the bit down.
http://ratemytank.org/tankdrill/DCP02004.JPG


Keep working your way around the tank.
http://ratemytank.org/tankdrill/DCP02008.JPG


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.
http://ratemytank.org/tankdrill/DCP02011.JPG


Bulkhead installed
http://ratemytank.org/tankdrill/DCP02012.JPG




And my fish tank finished.
http://www.ratemytank.org/?i=8

[JAnwyl]

Why play russian roulette?

[thomor25]

Cause I knew I wouldn't crack it. Plain and simple.

[garrett gales]

Wow i would crack it just from shaking so much from being nervous.

[Shak]

Originally posted by thomor25
Cause I knew I wouldn't crack it. Plain and simple.

Famous last words.

Congrats on your success, I'd still never recommend it.

[scuba steve halifax]

The only thing about drilling with a full tank is the noise and stress on the fish. Tapping the glass is not that great imagine drilling. I drilled mine roughly the same way two 1 1/2 in bulkheads and a 3/4 in one as well. The drimal worked great.

[dufferdan]

What speed do you run the dremel at? My dremel has speeds from 2 - 10?

[thomor25]

Originally posted by dufferdan
What speed do you run the dremel at? My dremel has speeds from 2 - 10?

faster is better, as long as you cool the bit down with water it will be fine, if you don't cool it you will crack the tank.

[carpetride]

Only a hearty soul would try this! Just curious wouldn't you get glass shavings into the tank?

[thomor25]

Like I said in the other one, what is glass made of? also it isn't shavings it ends up being powder, if you are concerned with the glass getting into the tank you can put a piece of duct tape on the inside and it will prevent it.

[romunov]

Has any one tried doing this with 3000rpm? My powertool can go only that high.

[Mike_The_Reefer]

glass is made of sand so the glass wouldnt throw off or affect the tank but I still do not like the idea myself anways.

Mike

[romunov]

Never mind. Went and got meself a german counterpart of Dremel with some diamond bits. Tried on a sample glas and it went pretty smooth. Wish me luck when I go do the main tank. :crossedfingers: :)

[jvschlegel]

During many searches I never saw anything on drilling large tanks with thick glass. I just started drilling my 125 with 3/8" glass today, and it is going smooth. Just takes a bit longer. I used the 2 pack of bits you buy at sears. It was $6.99 for 2 bits and they work great.

I am drilling 4 holes. I will post my time to complete once finish for a reference.

[romunov]

Some knuckelhead (me) ordered too small holes to be drilled:
http://gutfeeling.mine.nu/my/img/glassdrill/p1.jpg
In action:
http://gutfeeling.mine.nu/my/img/glassdrill/p2.jpg
Presto!
http://gutfeeling.mine.nu/my/img/glassdrill/p3.jpg

Glass is 10mm.
I used only 7106 bit, but will go and buy 7134. It's a must. It took me 2 and a half hours. Bulkhead is 40mm.

[thomor25]

Good job man, I'm glad my thread is helping people out once again.

[jvschlegel]

Finished drilling the 125 with 3/8" glass today. I have 2 1.5" and 2 3/4" bulkheads. Took about 3 hours with the 2 sears bits for $6.99. Very easy to do and saved me some money for something I did in my spare time doing a little bit each night.

[allimar]

Thank you so much Thomor25!!!

I finally got up the stones to try this out. I just drilled two perfect holes in a 10g (for practice) using a variation of your technique.

On the second hole, I was even deliberately ham-fisted to see how much I could get away with. Your technique is very forgiving.

I drilled the tank empty (as I will my display tank) and on its side. I taped a shallow plastic container firmly to the inside (under the hole template) to catch the coolant (water) as soon as the bit broke through. Using a putty "water dam" on the outside, and this shallow container on the inside, I was able to keep the Craftsman bits completely submerged throughout the 6 minutes per hole ordeal.

Thanks so much, the money saved (@$75) will go towards the new sump and making my fish happier. They thank you as well.

Oh, is it me, or is this common?
"I maintain the tank. I feed the animals. I clean the tank. I replace the lights. But suddenly, when I want to poke holes in it, the tank becomes HERS."

[thomor25]

yes very much so lol, my gf didn't want a tank up at school and I setup a nano and she said she didn't want one, now when I tell her that its mine and to bring it home over winter break she doesn't want to give it up.

[N8MAN1068]

nice.
i wonder if this technique will work with tunjee's slotting method?

[thomor25]

I don't see why not.

[AusCal]

Read the original thread and now this one, well done to the original author!

Just wondering if it would be possible to use this method to create a shallow 'U' shape in the side of a tank starting at the top edge of the tank and going say 1/2" down and 3" long, this way this could be my overflow as it were, into an external box that is on the outside of the aquarium where there can be a bulkhead running into the plumbing system for the sump/fuge etc.

I just don't want to use up any unnecesary space in what i consider to be an already too small tank...

or is it just best to stay a good 2 or more inche's away from the egde? - i guess the thing is the tank wouldn't crack to the edge as I would be grinding the edge away anyway right...

Sounding like a plan to me... or am I just being stoopid and missing something?

Cheers
Cal

[Mchava]

no not at all you might want to do a search on external overflows. I have mine running that way. But I used the rotozip tile cutting bit and only took me about 10min to do it. Give that a try I will see if i can't find that treat for you.
Mario

[Mchava]

Here you go this is the treat on it hope this helps.
http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=271539&highlight=external+overflow
Mario

[thomor25]

Thanks for the compliments, i wouldn't cut a u shape out I'd do an oval and leave some material accross the top for bracing, by cutting out the top of it you are effectively weakening the tank along the top.

[Phildirt]

Hey thomor25, how thick was your 20gal glass?

[thomor25]

1/8th I think whatever teh standard is

[Phildirt]

Thanks!

[Leopardshark]

Hi Thomor25, pretty nice job!.
Stile2,
I would like to ask you a question.
Would you drill a 2 inch hole with a 2" tip to a 300gal tank with livestock in it?. The glass is 1/2" thick.
If so, how long would it take to do it in a safe way (I mean how slow would you recommend me to make the hole?)
I´m asking you because I have a 300gal tank and I have a friend who has a 2" tip, and he has made several holes to many tanks, but I´m unsure to do the same in my tank.
Thanks
Marco

[thomor25]

thanks, haven't been on the fourms in a while but hey the thread could use a bump to help people out.

[Reef_bones]

Forget the diamond bits. Look for the carbide cutting bits or tile cutting bits... I cut 3 holes (1" bulkheads) in a 125 in about 15 minutes...

I personally use a dremal advantage roto tool with the dremel advantage carbide cutting bit. I have the package at home I will post the number of the bit when I can check the package..

[ScottS]

Thanks So Much. Finally converted my 20 gallon to a top off res. It only took five minutes on a 1/2" hole. I used a 7103 and a 7144 to cut it out. It really paid off when I found this thread. Now I'm eye balling my 90 gallon.:D

ScottS