Need advice on drilling a large tank. Please help.

BHHOWARD

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I just absolutely hate the sound of overflow drains, and I’ve already spent a lot of money on quiet equipment like dc return pumps and skimmer etc. I also just want the extra safety of the emergency overflows on the Herbie style.
Sorry if I wasn’t clear. In what I described, there are 3 total drains. This is one more than herbie. There is only one coming from the pump. As you stated, you have enough in-tank flow in the tank with the the MPs. Just because they are in different towers doesn’t mean that the whole tank isn’t covered. It is all based on the level of the water in the tank.

I can tell you that my tank was dead-silent with this design.
 
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Ishai Thatcher

Ishai Thatcher

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Sorry if I wasn’t clear. In what I described, there are 3 total drains. This is one more than herbie. There is only one coming from the pump. As you stated, you have enough in-tank flow in the tank with the the MPs. Just because they are in different towers doesn’t mean that the whole tank isn’t covered. It is all based on the level of the water in the tank.

I can tell you that my tank was dead-silent with this design.
Ahhh, I understand better now. My bad. This is a great idea, I will definitely consider doing this. Thank u so much!
 
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Ishai Thatcher

Ishai Thatcher

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Sorry if I wasn’t clear. In what I described, there are 3 total drains. This is one more than herbie. There is only one coming from the pump. As you stated, you have enough in-tank flow in the tank with the the MPs. Just because they are in different towers doesn’t mean that the whole tank isn’t covered. It is all based on the level of the water in the tank.

I can tell you that my tank was dead-silent with this design.
Do you have any idea how much flow the main drains on this type of overflow can handle together, like in gph? Im aiming for 10x turnover as the tank is gonna be really heavily stocked. I remember it being something along the lines of 600-700 gph per 1 inch drainpipe?
 

BHHOWARD

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Do you have any idea how much flow the main drains on this type of overflow can handle together, like in gph? Im aiming for 10x turnover as the tank is gonna be really heavily stocked. I remember it being something along the lines of 600-700 gph per 1 inch drainpipe?
Are you looking for 10x through your sump or inside of your tank? Is your skimmer rated to handle 1,200gph?

here’s a thread that talks about siphon rates.

 
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Ishai Thatcher

Ishai Thatcher

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Are you looking for 10x through your sump or inside of your tank? Is your skimmer rated to handle 1,200gph?

here’s a thread that talks about siphon rates.

10x through the sump, 100x total flow. And yeah I got a big skimmer, not that big but big enough. I also got a huge refugium and a lot of ceramic biomedia.
 

ca1ore

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Are you looking for 10x through your sump or inside of your tank? Is your skimmer rated to handle 1,200gph?
Do you have any idea how much flow the main drains on this type of overflow can handle together, like in gph? Im aiming for 10x turnover as the tank is gonna be really heavily stocked. I remember it being something along the lines of 600-700 gph per 1 inch drainpipe?
Amount of flow through the sump and ‘size’ of skimmer is immaterial. One has no bearing on the other.

Aqueon used to claim 700 through the durso. My experience is they start to misbehave well before that. That much through a 1” siphon is more reasonable.

10x is unnecessary IME even on a heavily stocked tanks. I’ve over 100 fish in my tank and am at less than 3x.
 
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Ishai Thatcher

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Amount of flow through the sump and ‘size’ of skimmer is immaterial. One has no bearing on the other.

Aqueon used to claim 700 through the durso. My experience is they start to misbehave well before that. That much through a 1” siphon is more reasonable.
Yeah I think I’m gonna drill the back for two 1 in bulkheads for the returns. Skimmer is rated for a heavy bio-load tank of 175 gallon, the system is about 160 right now with the sump and also a 32 gallon that will be plumbed in the system. So I’m thinking that with the refugium, filter socks, auto water changesand carbon dosing I’ll be able to control the nutrients. I’m planning on feeding close to every hour with a dosing pump a mix of coral and fish food. The main reason for that is just the desire to have fish like chromis, anthias, and cleaner wrasse with super fast metabolisms. That’s why I want the true 10x turnover.
 

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I have anthias, chromis and a cleaner .... still don’t need 10x. But if you think you do, go for it. Grinding holes just requires patience, a lot of water to cool the bit and a deep breath. Thicker glass is actually more forgiving. Your tank is likely 12 mm glass.
 
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Ishai Thatcher

Ishai Thatcher

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I have anthias, chromis and a cleaner .... still don’t need 10x. But if you think you do, go for it. Grinding holes just requires patience, a lot of water to cool the bit and a deep breath. Thicker glass is actually more forgiving. Your tank is likely 12 mm glass.
If it was your tank would you drill it yourself if it was your first time? Or would you get a glass shop to do it for you?
Thanks for all your advice.
 

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I bought a few pieces of glass at the hardware store my first drill time. Use a brand new diamond drill, lots of water, lots of water, lots of water, near perfect parallelism of drilling by using a drill press. Slow and steady, lots of water. Don't let the piece of glass move at all. Stable, slow, and did I mention lots of water
 
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Ishai Thatcher

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I bought a few pieces of glass at the hardware store my first drill time. Use a brand new diamond drill, lots of water, lots of water, lots of water, near perfect parallelism of drilling by using a drill press. Slow and steady, lots of water. Don't let the piece of glass move at all. Stable, slow, and did I mention lots of water
How much water? a little bit you said?

thank you, I’m definitely gonnna drill the smaller tanks I add to the system as I wanna add a 10 gallon or two for breeding.
 

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If it was your tank would you drill it yourself if it was your first time? Or would you get a glass shop to do it for you?
Thanks for all your advice.
I think it may be a challenge to find a glass shop that will do it - at least, I never could in my area. A better option might be to find a local reefer with some experience who could help. Where are you located?

I've ground dozens of holes in tanks of various thickness. Just go slowly and have a garden hose flowing water over the bit as it grinds the glass. I bought a drilling guide, though you can also make one from a scrap of wood.

Glass Drill Bit Guide THK - Bulk Reef Supply
 
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Ishai Thatcher

Ishai Thatcher

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I think it may be a challenge to find a glass shop that will do it - at least, I never could in my area. A better option might be to find a local reefer with some experience who could help. Where are you located?

I've ground dozens of holes in tanks of various thickness. Just go slowly and have a garden hose flowing water over the bit as it grinds the glass. I bought a drilling guide, though you can also make one from a scrap of wood.

Glass Drill Bit Guide THK - Bulk Reef Supply
Thank you so much, I think I’ll just get a Reefer friend of mine to help me. I’m in flagstaff, arizona. I think I will buy the drill guide and a corded drill for it. wish me luck!
 

MalteseOne

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Rather than that still guide, I used the diamond drill bit to cut a hole into a piece of wood. Then placed wood under the glass and long wood clamps to clamp the drill wood on top. I use a drill press and stabilized the tank. Vibration makes the hole large, the press makes it a straight cut. If you don't go by drill press, you can use a thicker piece of wood to help stabilize the drilling.

Also, no matter how hard you will try, the piece will fall out with shards.

You will need to place something like towels to catch the piece that falls out so it doesn't shatter into a million pieces. Or worse, bounce and hit something else.

Might be fun to record as well.

One other fun note, buy a quality diamond drill bit and check that it spins centered. I bought 2 cheap ones and almost didn't notice. I was playing with the bit on the drill and noticed that it wobbled. Lucky for me, I saw it before drilling and used the other one.
 

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