Best way to drill a 40g breeder?
- Thread starter Mono
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ryeguyy84
Well-Known Member
Make sure nothing's tempered. I'd go back glass. Eshopps overflow doesn't take up much space in the tank
https://clearchoiceaquatics.com/products/eshopps-overflow-box-eclipse-s-up-to-75g
https://clearchoiceaquatics.com/products/eshopps-overflow-box-eclipse-s-up-to-75g
link81
Well-Known Member
depends on how your tank sits.
peninsula style? side all day long.
Standard, up against the wall? most likely back corner. with the return on the opposite side. Helps to match it up to the flow of your sump to make the piping easier.
peninsula style? side all day long.
Standard, up against the wall? most likely back corner. with the return on the opposite side. Helps to match it up to the flow of your sump to make the piping easier.
BornHandy
Active Member
I have drilled 4 holes successfully, and shattered a tank - so take my thoughts as those of an amateur.
I bought a 75 gallon, and was assured that the bottom was the only tempered pane, but as it turns out, all panes were tempered. I didn't do the "polarized test" because I was drilling the back, and as I said earlier, I was assured that the back was fine to drill...
I wasn't able to contact anyone an Aqueon directly, but their website had a chart that showed what tanks had tempered glass, and it indicated that my tank had a tempered bottom, but again, since I was drilling the back, I wasn't too worried about it.
Here's where it gets interesting. I didn't find this when I was getting ready to drill my tank the first time, but I found it after I shattered my aquarium - Aqueon says they use tempered glass if it's what is available, and may be substituted here and there.
My advice is to do that polarized test, and make sure it passes first! If it does, then drill away! If not, find a manufacturer that you can call to verify. I ended up using glasscages.com, and am super happy with the build quality, and thickness of the glass.
If you can bear to watch me break a $200 tank, I got it on film!
I bought a 75 gallon, and was assured that the bottom was the only tempered pane, but as it turns out, all panes were tempered. I didn't do the "polarized test" because I was drilling the back, and as I said earlier, I was assured that the back was fine to drill...
I wasn't able to contact anyone an Aqueon directly, but their website had a chart that showed what tanks had tempered glass, and it indicated that my tank had a tempered bottom, but again, since I was drilling the back, I wasn't too worried about it.
Here's where it gets interesting. I didn't find this when I was getting ready to drill my tank the first time, but I found it after I shattered my aquarium - Aqueon says they use tempered glass if it's what is available, and may be substituted here and there.
My advice is to do that polarized test, and make sure it passes first! If it does, then drill away! If not, find a manufacturer that you can call to verify. I ended up using glasscages.com, and am super happy with the build quality, and thickness of the glass.
If you can bear to watch me break a $200 tank, I got it on film!
Kodock
Active Member
I believe the 75g or 90g and up do not have a tempered bottom, but don’t hold me to that statement lol
Kodock
Active Member
Haha, great video man. It made me cringe and die a little inside when I saw the glass shatter.
BornHandy
Active Member
Thanks! I had hopes it would possibly save someone else a headache, or at least entertain them for a minute or two.
Yup.. I experienced the same exact thing.. minus the shatter part.. YET. I talked to Aqueon as well with the same message.. except now in 2021.. the "here & theres" are Reversed.. as anything made in past 1.5 years is more likely to have been manufactured with tempered because of the continuous supply & distribution issues. I've been trying to spread the word as much as possible.. esp to all the local lfs.. some of which have stacks of this brand of tanks and and overflows and drill tanks for people..And... were completely unaware. It took people like us determined to not waste time & money and having a hard time accepting the difficulty of getting ahold of a manufacturer and the "maybe maybe not, no way to know, do a test" answer from the one we could reach.
Which I too find crazy, but also dissapointing.
I BOUGHT A SEAPORA TANK at first.. because it says online (seapora makes tanks with the hobbyist in mind..blah blah..clear..and all sides drillable) just to get it and it had little emblems in the glass corners saying tempered and realized the cardboard packaging says aquarium masters who's site says tempered. But the scan sticker on the tank says seapora. Not sure if someone at lfs did this or the one company bought the other and just kept distributing to seapora sellers/ customers without notice as to continue orders & sales to minimize the chance of questions & reevaluation of carrying the product.
I did the polarize test and it wasnt working on any even though the sides werent marked and online source said short sides arent. They all acted the same including bottom. And the glass looked thinner and was infact 7.9 mm vs. The 10mm my current & most 90gal are. So just returning and not drilling sides also because other lfs had ONE 90gal aqueon which was floor display/combo kit that had been there 2 years.. and It passed polarized test (which was my first time seeing how it was Supposed to work) phone screen on other side of glass can be blacked out at certain angles while looking through glasses on outside of tank... and bottom panel made the screen be thick lack lines which I thought would be more & thinner lines.. but either way I bought.
... and am going out to drill... .... ...
.... NOW. *phone drop
The polarized lens test is the only way to be sure.
Aqueon makes so many tanks a year and in various sizes, I can see that it would be a nightmare to keep records with this detail on each and every one.
Aqueon makes so many tanks a year and in various sizes, I can see that it would be a nightmare to keep records with this detail on each and every one.
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