Im building a new 10g system

[NanoNoob]

OK, I have had an extra 10g aquarium just sitting in the car port collect dust and crickets. It's not getting much use out there so I've decided to build a new system from the bottom up. I plan to build a stand and use a 10g sump. I will post pics as they becom availabe throught the process.

 

Step 1 starts tonight! My LFS was kind enough to lend me drilling kit so I plan to drill three holes. One for the drain and two for the return water from the sump.

 

I have never drilled a tank befor so it will be interesting. wish me luck!

[NanoNoob]

Alrighty then!

I think I will leave further hole drilling to the professionals. (Pause for laughing)

Yep you might have guessed already....the glass shattered!X)

After about 15 min of carefull drilling, I shifted my weight for added comfort and spoosh!! the glass shattere.

I will press on with the stand and canopy while I figure out a way to make this work.

I will keep you all informed...

[NanoNoob]

If my drilling went anything like my spelling above, it's no wonder it broke???

[Hobg05]

Did you keep the glass wet when you drilled?

[NanoNoob]

Ok you might remember form a few messages up that I broke my tank trying to drill it. Well I have been busy repairing the tank and building my stand. I replaced the broken glass with a piece of 1/4" plexi. So far it's holding up leak wise. I had a major problem with the top edge bowing when water was added. My solution was to add support braces (Shown in pic). Today I finished up the plumbing and now have it filled with water waiting for something to go wrong but hoping that all goes well. Here are some pics of the project:

 

Before you view the pics I must state that I do not claim to be a carpenter or plumber. The last thing I bult out of wood was in 9th grade back in '85 or so.

 

1. Here is the stands front view.

 

2. The next few pics show the doors open.

 

 

 

3. The next two are the sump I made out of another ten gallon tank. The watter dumps in the center (this area is located to the rear of the tank, not the whole center) and travels to the left, circulates around the front of the tank and flows in the the return pump.

 

 

 

4. A view of the overflow and water returns.

 

 

5. The back showing my amature plumbing, the replaced piece of plexi, and my "Anti-Bow Braces"

 

 

Thats all I have for now. I'll let you know how the water test went when I decide it has sat with water long enough.

[NanoNoob]

Here is the pic that didn't post above. (wonder why it failed?)

 

[gotfrogs]

Looks very nice! Does the overflow drain OK with the exit being under water?

[ysncmary]

Looks really nice. It's hard to believe it's just a 10 gal. Looks alot bigger.

[distantfire]

Nice recovery NanoNoob. I like how your cabinet turned out. I hope to have mine up and cycling in the next 3 weeks or so. My light's and live rock have been put on hold, for the moment. Because the state fair is coming here this week. And I don't want to miss that. Have you figured out what your going to keep in your tank yet? I'm thinking of just keeping it simple with a yellow tail damsel and a couple shrimp and a small clean up crew with ether pipe organ or xenia to cover up the LR. Since pipe organ and xenia are mostly white I thought about puting some red kelp toward's the back of the tank to add a dash of color. But I think the damsel might just end up eating that. What do think?

[tylernt]

I've never drilled glass but I'm told the trick is to play a constant stream of water over the area being drilled. This keeps the area from overheating.

[NanoNoob]

The saga continues.....

Well the plexi repair failed during the night (goof thing I left it in the car port over night!). So I went to my LFS today and asked them if they could drill a new tank for me. This drill failed also. So now I am the proud owner of 3 new 10g tanks (2 shattered tanks and 1 brand new undrilled tanks). Fourtunately for me they sold themto me at cost (6.50 ea). At this point i was disgusted with the idea of drilling the tank and decided to go with an over flow box. I have a few questions aboutthis overflow box that I hope someone can answer. Here is a pic of the overflow kit I purchased:

 

Here are the questions;

1. Why did it come with two U tubes? I thought you only need one. Is it an extra incase you two of them to keep up with the flow of the pump, or is it just a spare?

 

2. I understand the concept of it's operation (siphoning from the tank to the exterior box) but what will happen if the power goes out? Will the siphon break or be maintained? If it is maintained what stops it from sucking out all the watter in the internal box and finally, how is operation resumed when power comes back on and the pump starts pushing water again?

 

I know I am asking alot but any assistance anyone can provide is greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

[distantfire]

The water spray helps keep the diamond bit clean so that it can cut. And it washe's the super fine particules of glass out of the hole or slot that you are making. You know when to add some water because the area that your drilling looks like frost. (Dremel tool in one hand and spray bottle on the work bench) I found that by Duc tapeing the inside and outside of the tank around the area that I'm drilling seem's to cut down a lot of vibrations from the bit. Using a sharpie trace your pattern on to the inside of your tank. You will always be able to see your pattern and the diamond bit's cut clean thru. I also put a towel inside my tank to catch the glass disc that falls from the finished hole. I decided since I don't have my LR yet to put a 3/4" bulk head in my sump and add a 3/4" ball valve to the outside of it. That way when I need to do a water change. I can just open the ball valve and take out a few gallon's, with out distrubing my display tank. Sorry for rambling there NanoNoob. I would go with just one U tube and drill a small hole near the top of the bend. That will break the siphon during a power a failure and prevent your sump from overflowing. That's why external overflow boxes are so nice no siphon to worry about. You can find information about building them on reef central.

[Newbie527]

Nice posts guys.

these are all questions i am trying to answer before i start my build this week.

So which way works better for sending water to the sump/fuge? pump in main tank that sends down to sump and a pump in sump to pump back up?

or the way above?

and noob...what thickness (also type) plastic did you use?

and type of glue?

 

Some company needs to start building tanks with glass fronts and sides and a plastic back for easier drilling...I am not even going to attempt to drill glass!

 

but keep posting i am a follower for this thread!

[distantfire]

Hello Newbie527 and wellcome. Typicaly on small tank's the pump in the sump send's water up to your display tank thru one or two bulk head's in the back. And then one bulk head is put in and attached to it is a ball valve. Gravity feed's the water back into the sump thru this bulk head and the ball valve helps you control the ammount of water in your display tank that your pump is pushing in. That way your display tank never over flows. I hope I didn't confuse you to much with this brief explanation. It's really very simple and by all mean's please give drilling a try. Dremel's work great on 10gal aga 5gal aga 2 1/2gal aga and single strength glass. Just take your time, even if it take's an hour to do just one hole. It's worth it.

[Newbie527]

much appreciated...

Maybe I will give it a try.

also what size and type plastic did you use for your hang on

and what type of glue/epoxy?

[distantfire]

Yes please do, you can buy a pack of 20 diamond bit's for 5 dollar's at menards. The walmart here sells the 4150 dremel bit's for $6.95 A 10gal. aga only cost's 10 dollar's in most store's. So it's not a great loss, if you crack one practiceing you can still practice on the other side's of it. If you take your time you won't have any problem. You can do it right the first time, I did. Lot's of people are drilling there own tank's. Because glass shop's and local fish store's are charging 45 to 60 dollar's a hole. And they don't give you any guarantee that they won't break your tank. That's why I started doing it myself with my dremel. The hang on was factory made and bought from a store. You can buy a small air pump that can be connected to a hole near the top bend of the U tube. The air pump help's get the siphon going again in case of power failure's. The little air line tube on power head's work the same way. And weldon #4 is one product used to assemble acrylic tank's. It's a liquid that you fill a syrenge with because it use's a fine needle applicator.

[Newbie527]

good ideas...

thank you for the info.

Hopefull i will get my 20L up and running soon.

I am building the sump first though.

And I might start that tonight.

This hobby is one of my only relaxtions!

[Angel]

I used my dremel and the diamond bit set from harbor freight. The constant stream of water is a must! It isn't hard. I practiced on some trash tanks (ones people throw away and are freebies) and got it right the first time. It sounds more intimidating then it is actually. I don't know about the bigger drill bits, but my little dremel did the job perfectly.

[calvin415]

Angel, would you recommend doing it dremel style over a glass drill bit? I've got a 10G for a sump that I need to drill for a 3/4 inch return bulkhead.

[Newbie527]

yeh...all good inputs here.

I was at home depot looking at dremel and dremel bits.

They had a diamond "blade" circular disk and a diamond etcher...

 

does anyone have any pictures of the bit you used?

 

I bought my ten gallon refuge/sump tonight. I will be assembling/building the plastic dividers for macro algae and live sand

[tylernt]

You can buy a small air pump that can be connected to a hole near the top bend of the U tube. The air pump help's get the siphon going again in case of power failure's.

Uh... this would work if you connected an air pump's input or suction side, but I've never seen an airpump with one of those. Connecting the output to the top of a siphon U tube would break the siphon and make matters worse.

The little air line tube on power head's work the same way.

That is correct. Powerhead venturi's suck air.

[NanoNoob]

HELLOOO! Can i have my thread back? :|

 

Ok back to my project, so as I said about 20 posts ago, The plexi glass failed during the night. Silicone does NOT work to hold the plexi to the glass. So as you might have guessed I was hot! X)

 

I then tried to have my LFS drill for me...two more tanks bit the dust. Finally I gave up the idea of drilling and bought an overflow kit.

 

Here are a few pics of the finished product. The tank itself is a little bare but have no fear, that is a problem I can fix.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So how does it look?

[NanoNoob]

Forgot to add the close up of the tank:blush:

Here it is:

 

[Angel]

Originally posted by calvin415

Angel, would you recommend doing it dremel style over a glass drill bit?  I've got a 10G for a sump that I need to drill for a 3/4 inch return bulkhead.

 

The dremel is the way that I did it. I haven't used the glass drill bit, but diamond head tips. Just take it slow and use the water continuously.

 

Originally posted by Newbie527

yeh...all good inputs here.

I was at home depot looking at dremel and dremel bits.

They had a diamond "blade" circular disk and a diamond etcher...

 

does anyone have any pictures of the bit you used?

 

I bought my ten gallon refuge/sump tonight. I will be assembling/building the plastic dividers for macro algae and live sand

 

I have a pic, that has the kit I bought in there, but will take a close up of it if you would like. I will upload a few photos and come post the link, as my full thread on another forum, probably wouldn't be left up. Lemme know if you want a close up.

[Angel]

NN, Looks like it is coming along nicely. Once corals start going in, it will fill in nicely.

 

I know these are a bit blurry, but you get the idea. Pointed tip, used to finish hole: http://www.nano-reef.com/gallery/showphoto...o=14809&cat=500

Round tip to start hole: http://www.nano-reef.com/gallery/showphoto...o=14808&cat=500

Kit of diamond bits is in pic: http://www.nano-reef.com/gallery/showphoto...o=14806&cat=500