Help! I want to drill my tank but I have fish.

[Ron1776]

Help!

I have a 90 gallon main with a 30 gallon refugium. I have 3 Ocelarus Clowns, 3 blue Damsels and a Bangai Cardinalfish. I have a bunch of live rock and a deep sand bed. I have been using a CPR hang on the back overflow box to connect the sump but it recently failed...:headwalls:...After drying up the mess, I decided it was time to drill. I bought a 20 gallon tank for my fish to use as a "lifeboat" while I drain, drill and refill. I was thinking I should use as much water, sand and rock from the existing set up as possible but what should I do with the remaining sand and rock? :confused: Any advice would be most welcome!

Regards,

-Ron

[Joe0813]

I wouldn't reuse the sand... especially since its a deep sand bed... the live rock just put it on the floor while you drill. It only takes 5 minutes to do. Then clean out the tank, put new sand in and put back your rock

[thegrun]

Can you drill the back instead of the bottom? The you could go with a overflow that doesn't run all the way to the bottom of the tank and leave it 1/3 full with the bottom rock left in place along with the sand.

[fltekdiver]

Use the water from the tank, drain into a small tank

The live rock don't need to be wet for the little time you'll have it out, if you want to be cautious , add some wet paper of them or towels

Drain the tank, drill it. Clean it out real good. And refill using the same water you took out, otherwise you'll have to cycle all over, etc

The only problem with everything is the sand. You don't want to reuse the same sand. I would buy new sand, dosesnt have to be live, since you have live rock, and start with that

Stirring it all up. Removing it, and putting it back into the tank may have major issues

Good luck!

[FTDelta]

You're gonna need to remove one of the clownfish. Once a single dominant pair is established, that third clownfish will be killed.

[fltekdiver]

You're gonna need to remove one of the clownfish. Once a single dominant pair is established, that third clownfish will be killed.

Good catch, your 100% correct! I had the same thing happen to a friend

I did want to mention, I did this , well similiar moving from a 120 to a 180, not the drilling part, but moving tanks, and I dried the sand out for a week, cleaned it in RO water, then let it dry out again, then sold it to a friend, who had no issues using it in his tank

[Ron1776]

I'm putting in an overflow from Glass-Holes. It goes through the back and up high. I like the idea of not having to empty the tank but if I drill from the inside of an active tank, won't I foul the water?

[ViktorVaughn]

I'm putting in an overflow from Glass-Holes. It goes through the back and up high. I like the idea of not having to empty the tank but if I drill from the inside of an active tank, won't I foul the water?

Hopefully there are some good solutions to this as I have been wanting to drill my tank for some time but can't figure out a way to drill through the glass without getting glass particles and drill grime into the tank water.

[schatzi]

I drilled a hole in a tank in the side while it held water and fish. Not a problem. I wouldn't suggest it if it's your first time drilling glass but I'd done a couple before.

[Mark9]

I have been using a CPR hang on the back overflow box to connect the sump but it recently failed...:headwalls:...




What happened to cause it to fail?

[Joe0813]

I would never drill a tank with water in it.... what happens IF the glass shatters and all your water ends up on your floor ... two glass can get in there

[Ron1776]

What happened to cause it to fail?

Air fitting on top clogged which caused a loss of suction...

[Ron1776]

So I pull most of my rock and put it in a Rubbermaid whatever tub (or tubs) with a couple of power heads and the majority of my water. Net the fish and dump them in an empty 20 gallon tank along with the rest of my water and rock. Toss at least 100 pounds of 2 year old sand (ouch), drill and clean the tank. Buy, rinse and dump over 100 pounds of new aragonite substrate and sand. Put back the water and rock from the holding tubs. Put back the remaining water, rock and fish from the 20 gallon tank and have a nice day? Should I put the fish back right away?

[jinks]

I see no reason to not put them right back. They are no better off in the 20 with the rock then the main tank.

[Saltliquid]

This may be of some help?

http://southeastqueenslandm.aforumfree.com/t1866-drilling-holes-in-aquariums-or-just-a-glass-section

[Mark9]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADI3CMMjuI0

[dkeller_nc]

So I pull most of my rock and put it in a Rubbermaid whatever tub (or tubs) with a couple of power heads and the majority of my water. Net the fish and dump them in an empty 20 gallon tank along with the rest of my water and rock. Toss at least 100 pounds of 2 year old sand (ouch), drill and clean the tank. Buy, rinse and dump over 100 pounds of new aragonite substrate and sand. Put back the water and rock from the holding tubs. Put back the remaining water, rock and fish from the 20 gallon tank and have a nice day? Should I put the fish back right away?

You've pretty much got it, but I'd make a few modifications.

First, go buy a few heaters or make sure that you can maintain the room that the Rubbermaid containers are in to about 70-72 deg F. Also ensure that you've at least a couple of air-pumps and air-stones to circulate the water in the tubs (and the 20 gallon tank) in case something goes wrong with your overflow project.

Also - there isn't a thing wrong with re-using your sand. There is, however, something wrong with re-using the bacteria that's in the sand at the moment. When you turn over a sand bed like this, you can re-distribute anaerobic bacteria to aerobic zones, and vice-versa, as well as re-distribute accumulated nutrients. That can potentially cause a cycle or even a hydrogen sulfide poisoning event.

So what you want to do is "virginize" the sand by thoroughly washing it with chlorinated tap water, followed by RODI and saltwater to remove the tap water. It should then be fit for use, though it will take a few months to re-populate with bacteria.