Drilling a full tank - scaring!

[Guillaume]

Hi All,

Need some precision on drilling my acrylic 33g tank while there is stuff (corals:eek1:)in it. I emptied the tank by 1/3 to drill a 2 1/2 inches hole to put a plexi overflow box I made to connect it to a sump. The hole will be at around 3 inches from the top, on one of the smaller sides.

At lunch time, I started to drill a hole of 1/8 of inche with intention to drill with the regular holesaw after. It took 3-4 minutes and I probably not went over 1/4 of the acrylic. So I thought drillign after with the holesaw would take too much time, or ever. So I refilled the tank and went on Reef central.

Can this take so much time? Shoud I expect waiting 15 minutes while drillling with my holesaw? I didn't put water yet on the drill since it was still the small drill bit. Need to know cause some corals has their head on air.

Thanks!
G

[Guillaume]

Any idea? I'm sure there is a lot of acrylic experts here...

[NanoReefWanabe]

i am a bit confused...you were drilling a pilot hole with a 1/8" drill bit and it took you 3-4 minutes to get 1/4" into the acrylic?

how thick is the tank?

though you have to take your time drilling acrylic. drill speed is the key, along with a new quality sharp bit...too fast and you melt the plastic...too slow and it will chip and catch...

i assume you were using a very dull bit, there is no reason you couldnt have the hole for the bulk head drilled in 5 minutes...

however let me stress it is a very bad idea to drill a running tank...have buckets on hand...drilling is a fairly nerve wracking but easy job, however while full, the possibility of catastrophic failure raises exponentially...

all that said i am a glass guy, and have very little experience working with acrylic, however the processes i can only imagine for drilling are similar.

[noobtothereef]

i can drill a 2 3/8" hole in acrylic in about 20-30 seconds, 5 minutes youve got some issues, maybe try taking the drill out of reverse......

[hebygb]

+1 and +1... as mentioned the bit is likely suspect... i hope its not in reverse. Drilling acrylic is probably the easiest DIY in the top 3 pages.

[Slim_jim989]

Hey there so did you cont to finish drilling your tank? I have drilled an acylic tank while it was 2/3 full, it sucked because my battery kept on dying because i thought it was fully charged and it wasnt :( but i guess that helped me in not melting the plastic. But a nice new bit is usually good to have.

[Guillaume]

Thanks Guys,
Looks like I'm stupid:D or too streesed with the process to see my drill was reverse. Well, it was not. That said, I started with a 1/8 first to get an idea of the speed of the operation with a small and easy size before to go with the holesaw.
Drilling a full, I agree, is not the best idea, but I need a sump to put a phosphate reactor for helping with algea issue (before leaving the hobby) and don't want a siphon overflow.

Thanks for the comments guys, I'll less stressed next time! May even post some pick, in case it all break, could be nice shots! ...and good pretext to get a larger tank:D

[Guillaume]

oh, yes, to answer NanoReefWanabe, the glass thickness is standard for this size, about or less than a 1/4 of an inche.

[Guillaume]

Little update on this: After verification with the manufacturer, the tank is glass made. So the problem with low speed drilling was there. Having a hard time to find a diomond holesaw here in Québec city, my wife just proposed to upgrade!:dance:
I ordered a 65g 36X20X20 rimless from Miracles Aquarium that should arrive soon. Now building a stand, a sump with refugium, planning landscape, ordered Vortech MP20, planning new fishes, corals, etc. :) ...and hoping to win against HA.
Should be very nice soon!

[username in use]

Im amazed you didnt crack the glass going at it with an 1/8" bit like that. Your one lucky dude.

[ihavtats29]

so how did you manage to drill a hole in a glass tank witha standard drillbit?

[username in use]

The secret is reverse haha.

[kcress]

He didn't drill the hole he wore the hole. http://i46.*******.com/qp2kcm.gif

[davocean]

I've done acrylic while running no problem, wouldn't even sweat it.
Glass, nu uh, would not try that while running.

[AcroSteve]

wow.

[Guillaume]

Well, not drilled over but did a good mark on the glass. I will be remembering this try for a while since the tank will become a sump on a new system.
Better think it's part of the learning!
A bit nut to think it was acrylic tough!:spin2:

[NanoReefWanabe]

you dont need a diamond bit to drill the glass either...you can go to a hardware store and get a tile cutting carbide bit....it will cut 1/4" glass with no problems..and it doesnt matter if your drill is in reverse to use it either...LOL

[Guillaume]

Mmm, good to confirm that idea! Thanks NanoReef. Was not sure and no one could answer in stores or glassshops.
Knowing this, I could have done it reverse for you all guys!! lol

[JeF4y]

wow.

Sums it up.

[draleigh]

How does one confuse acrylic and glass.....really???

[Guillaume]

Probably blond.
For real? The blond has never seen acrylic tank... :fun5: