First Time Drilling Glass Tank

Teemingtank

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Saw this tank for free in Facebook marketplace today. I think it’s a 30 something bow front. I’ve always want to try and drill my own tank, so I figured “free” is a good place to start. I was wondering if I have to cement the plumbing for my supply?I’m just going to soft plumb the return...

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lapin

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........ I was wondering if I have to cement the plumbing for my supply?I’m just going to soft plumb the return...
The bulkhead will seal the tank. The inside plumbing will be ok just pushed together. The outside the tank plumbing needs to be glued, clamped or screwed together to be water tight
 
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Teemingtank

Teemingtank

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The bulkhead will seal the tank. The inside plumbing will be ok just pushed together. The outside the tank plumbing needs to be glued, clamped or screwed together to be water tight
Do you think I will have an issue with livestock going down that elbow inside the tank?
 

Peace River

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Do you think I will have an issue with livestock going down that elbow inside the tank?

Congratulations on successfully drilling your tank! Depending on the fish that you have in the tank it is a possibility. One possibility is to wrap it in plastic gutter guard (or something comparable). Please realize that your current design will probably not be quiet.
 
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Congratulations on successfully drilling your tank! Depending on the fish that you have in the tank it is a possibility. One possibility is to wrap it in plastic gutter guard (or something comparable). Please realize that your current design will probably not be quiet.
Anyway I could improve it?
 

Peace River

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Anyway I could improve it?

Because you have already drilled the tank a standard external overflow box (e.g., Eshopps Eclipse) probably will not work because of how the hole lines up. One possibility is to add a retrofit overflow box on the inside of the tank and remove the elbow. Then on the outside of the tank remove the 90 elbow and replace it with a PVC T and an end cap on the top side that has a 1/4" hole drilled in the center of the end cap for air release. Hopefully others will chime in with more options. Good luck!
 

lapin

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+1 Above
Your overflow is sort of a duriso type.
You have 1 pipe to act as an overflow, it will hard to make it quiet.
You have 1 pipe to act as an overflow, the pump can push too much water into the tank causing an overflow. Make sure the pump is small and not too powerful.
 
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Keep the fish out or make it qui
+1 Above
You have 1 pipe to act as an overflow, it will hard to make it quiet.
You have 1 pipe to act as an overflow, the pump can push too much water into the tank causing an overflow. Make sure the pump is small and not too powerful.
what if I added a second pipe? I have another bulkhead handy. I also have an old hob overflow as well
 

lapin

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keep fish out

Not sure what to do with a second pipe. Maybe someone has an idea
 
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Teemingtank

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Because you have already drilled the tank a standard external overflow box (e.g., Eshopps Eclipse) probably will not work because of how the hole lines up. One possibility is to add a retrofit overflow box on the inside of the tank and remove the elbow. Then on the outside of the tank remove the 90 elbow and replace it with a PVC T and an end cap on the top side that has a 1/4" hole drilled in the center of the end cap for air release. Hopefully others will chime in with more options. Good luck!
Am I following you correctly? I have an old hob overflow and I have another bulkhead (I connected two sumps awhile back for my 125g) as well. Could I drill the overflow box (the one that goes inside the tank) slap the bulkhead on it and use that as the overflow box? Then I could use the T and end cap?
 
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Teemingtank

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Am I following you correctly? I have an old hob overflow and I have another bulkhead (I connected two sumps awhile back for my 125g) as well. Could I drill the overflow box (the one that goes inside the tank) slap the bulkhead on it and use that as the overflow box? Then I could use the T and end cap?
And the hole on the end cap helps with flow? Similar to shotgunning a beer?
 

Peace River

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Drilling a second hole will increase your drain capacity and that would still fit within the retrofit overflow box. Because I'm not sure what overflow box that you currently have I can't address that directly - do you have pictures or a make/model?
 

Peace River

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And the hole on the end cap helps with flow? Similar to shotgunning a beer?

Lol. Although that is not the example that I would have thought of, it seems to be a reasonable comparison! :)
 

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