Help An Addicted Fellow Long Islander

[WaterssretaW]

Hey fellow LI folks. Hope that subject wasnt too misleading :-)

My lfs sold me a Tenecor Simplicity not knowing I wanted to go Reef in the future with it.

It has an overflow in the back but not drilled for a sump.

Basically, now that I kinda know what I am doing I am devistated that I spent all this money on a tank that isnt going to work for me...

Is there anyone out there that is willing to help me drill this tank to be "Reef Ready?" I have no idea how to plumb or drill this thing.

I am on the south shore of LI.

[cb747]

Im confused, if you have an overflow how is it not reef ready?

[shyland83]

Drilling an acrylic tank is a piece of cake. But first, is the tank full? will be much easier to drill and add an overflow if it's empty. I would drill at least 2, maybe 3 holes for 1" bulkheads and add some sort of overflow box.

[cb747]

Ooops i just looked up the tank and now see. Piece of cake! Do what Scott suggested :)

[puckbs]

where on the south shore are you?

[shyland83]

hope it's not anywhere near oakdale, or me and Brad will show up at your house and you'll wish you never asked for help.

[billsreef]

Acrylic can be drilled with standard wood working hole saws ;)

[WaterssretaW]

shyland just the kind of enthusiasm ian looking for hehe. Iam in massapequa park right by the mall. The tank is full sadly enough. Can we still do it?

[shyland83]

can definitly still be done. i drilled a glass tank full of water and fish, just adds a few challenges. you'll need to drain the tank level below were you want the holes, and it rules out drilling the bottom of the tank. so if you drill the back, that means the plumbing will be in the back and you'll need enough space back there. do you have at least 5 or 6 inches between the back of the tank and the wall?

[WaterssretaW]

well I have a garage behind the wall. Check out these pics...

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/173511DSC_0079.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/173511DSC_0005.jpg

Whats the best way to do this guys??? :(

[SeaIsle]

Garage Sump? Then you have all the room you need. Then you could grow huge mangroves in your fuge and have the lights on a pully system. Maintenance on the sump would be a breeze. These are just my dreams as I am in an apt and am subjected to the constraints of a sump under the tank. But given your situation a garage sump does seem to fit your situation well.

[pyro383]

oh how my eyes burns, please remove those fake corals.

[WaterssretaW]

oh how my eyes burns, please remove those fake corals.

I know :rolleyes:

Thats not an updated pic...I took all that Sh!t out...Just live rock now.

[imlocke]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11769687#post11769687 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by WaterssretaW
I know :rolleyes:

Thats not an updated pic...I took all that Sh!t out...Just live rock now.

Wow that tank looks really nice in that room, I can't wait to see how it looks with some real corals in it! Good luck! :)

[Reef Junkie]

I live in Amityville Village, you aren't far from me.

I would drain the tank and move it.
Get yourself some good garbage cans. Roughnecks garbage cans (new) are good for holding the water. I would drain it down to the sand so you can move the tank.

Use heaters and power heads in the containers to keep the animals alive. Then move the tank out and drill it. This way you have more than enough room to do it.

Then plumbing is a piece of cake. You'll need the hold saw, bulkheads, PVC (Rigid or flexible), PVC elbows (if rigid) and glue.

I prefer rigid PVC. For your over flows you can use 1" or 11/2"
and 3/4" for the return.

PM or e-mail me if you want more help.

Cheers

[WaterssretaW]

Wow that tank looks really nice in that room, I can't wait to see how it looks with some real corals in it! Good luck!

Thanks for you kind words :-)

Reef Junkie: I PM'd you.

[WaterssretaW]

BUMP: Anyone interested in helping me with this project????

[imlocke]

I would help you, but sorry I don't know enough to be of any use, but I'm sure somebody will be more than willing to help you :)

[Reef Junkie]

I PM'd you back that I would help you.

There has been a lot of good advice given here. I think the biggest problem is this is your tank.

So say if I started drilling it and the hole saw grabbed hard on one side, jerked the drill and cracked your tank or my wrist, one of us would feel really bad. Hole saws are notorious for doing this and you need to be really careful and go slow when you start drilling.

That's why it would be good if someone came over and showed you what to do. Plus the experience would make it so you wouldn't have to ask someone to do this for you if you did it again.

[WaterssretaW]

Bill,

I would totally do it myself if you showed me :-) I am actually fairly capiable with my hands I just never did one of these.

I think Id like to drain the tank to the sand though, put the fish and live rock in garbage cans and do this right.

what are you're thoughts?

[Editour2]

Okay, let me get this straight....you have a simplicity plus system right? That means the back 4 inches of the tank was designed to house a wet dry system, correct? If this is the case, (as was the case with my Tenecor 85 gal simplicity plus system that I purchases used), then you can drill the tank with water in the main display. I drilled my tank when it was empty, therefore it was alot easier. Drilling with water in the main display will be a challenge but I think it can be done. 1) My simplicity plus had two return holes on that internal wall that I plugged, since I ran 3/4 inch pvc returns in the converted overflow area and back into the tank, 2) once the return holes are plugged this would allow you to lower the water in the display tank down past the overflow cutouts, 3) now you have water in the main display without refilling the back 4" area, (which in effect will now become a giant overflow), 4) drain this back area, 5) you now can drill your holes without worrying about the main display. Here is a possible problem: you need to drill not only the tank but the stand that the tank sits on. I intitially cut a rectangular hole in the stand top to accomadate both the drain and return holes, (and associated bulkhead nuts), but since you are keeping the tank filled you won't be able to accomplish this. My bulkhead seats up to the tank not the stand. By not removing the tank from the stand you will need to drill through both at the same time and seat the bulk head fitting on the inside of the stand. I'm not sure if you would develop a leak in between the 2 layers of acrylic. Any thoughts by other reefers?
Frank

[Editour2]

Okay, thought about this a little more. Shyland is correct, you could drill the back of the tank instead of the bottom, still doing what I suggested above regarding emptying the water in the overflow section. This would eliminate the problem with the double layer/possible leak associated with the tank stand. Only problem is that you would need to run the plumbing behind the tank instead of into the bottom/stand. All of my plumbing, sump return pump etc is located in the stand. If you have the room in your garage then in the long run you are better off, (it will be easier to maintain then working with the equipment in the tank stand).

[shyland83]

I didn't totally understand how your tank worked, but i get it now. Drilling through the tank and stand at the same time shouldn't be a problem. The gasket goes on the inside and it should not leak. Assuming the tank and stand together aren't too thick for the bulkhead.