DIY center overflow hexagon tank, side drilled at bottom???

TETONVALLEYREEF · 12/11/2017, 04:00 PM

Hey all,

I just got ahold of a 40 gallon glass hex tank, I'm really excited to get it up and running!

Planning on drilling it and was originally going to side drill it on the top, and install an internal overflow box, with a herbie setup (2 drains, 1 return).

BUT- WHAT IF: instead of drilling it at the top, I drilled the 3 holes in the side, at THE BOTTOM, ran pvc across to the middle, and 90degrees up a central 6-8" sleeve? holes drilled in PVC or acrylic sleeve to let pass the (2) 1" drain lines, and (1) 3/4" return line, all silicone sealed holes and attached to base glass (which is tempered... ie- reason for workaround).

Anyone care to comment who has done ALOT of diy tank drilling? would it be an epic mistake to have the 3 bulkheads at the base of the tank without the ability to isolate them? (PRIMARY CONCERN- if any bulkheads started leaking, tank would have to be completely broken down).

n2585722 · 12/11/2017, 04:37 PM

That would not be an old Oceanic hex tank would it?

TETONVALLEYREEF · 12/11/2017, 05:20 PM

let me get home from work, check, and get back to you on that! Tank was just delivered by a friend yesterday from Missoula; didn't have a chance yet to scrutinize it...

...I'm hoping you're not inferring that ALL sides are tempered...

der_wille_zur_macht · 12/11/2017, 06:39 PM

There's nothing wrong with your plan and it should work fine if you execute it carefully. Bulkheads don't just suddenly start leaking, they generally only have problems at install. That said, it seems overly complicated and I'm not sure why you'd want a center overflow in a tank that small, especially a multi-pipe overflow, as it's going to take up a lot of room.

n2585722 · 12/11/2017, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TETONVALLEYREEF

let me get home from work, check, and get back to you on that! Tank was just delivered by a friend yesterday from Missoula; didn't have a chance yet to scrutinize it...

...I'm hoping you're not inferring that ALL sides are tempered...

I really don't know if it would be are not. I have a 42 gallon Oceanic that I built a canopy and stand for. I cannot give a link to it on this forum, but if you do a google search for "Canopy and Stand Build for 42 Gallon Hex Tank" you should be able to find it. I used an off the shelf overflow on it.

TETONVALLEYREEF · 12/12/2017, 09:40 AM

Checked last night, and couldn't find a label or brand stamped on it anywhere.

Did the tempered glass check, and the bottom is tempered, sides are not (as expected).

Looking at the dimensions of the tank, it looks like its feasible, but you would have to have 4-5" of substrate to cover up the tubes... not sure if thats the route I want to go!

12/11/2017, 04:00 PM	#1
TETONVALLEYREEF Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Posts: 8	DIY center overflow hexagon tank, side drilled at bottom??? Hey all, I just got ahold of a 40 gallon glass hex tank, I'm really excited to get it up and running! Planning on drilling it and was originally going to side drill it on the top, and install an internal overflow box, with a herbie setup (2 drains, 1 return). BUT- WHAT IF: instead of drilling it at the top, I drilled the 3 holes in the side, at THE BOTTOM, ran pvc across to the middle, and 90degrees up a central 6-8" sleeve? holes drilled in PVC or acrylic sleeve to let pass the (2) 1" drain lines, and (1) 3/4" return line, all silicone sealed holes and attached to base glass (which is tempered... ie- reason for workaround). Anyone care to comment who has done ALOT of diy tank drilling? would it be an epic mistake to have the 3 bulkheads at the base of the tank without the ability to isolate them? (PRIMARY CONCERN- if any bulkheads started leaking, tank would have to be completely broken down).

12/11/2017, 06:39 PM	#4
der_wille_zur_macht Team RC Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NY Posts: 17,749	There's nothing wrong with your plan and it should work fine if you execute it carefully. Bulkheads don't just suddenly start leaking, they generally only have problems at install. That said, it seems overly complicated and I'm not sure why you'd want a center overflow in a tank that small, especially a multi-pipe overflow, as it's going to take up a lot of room. __________________ Inconveniencing marine life since 1992 "It is my personal belief that reef aquaria should be thriving communities of biodiversity, representative of their wild counterparts, and not merely collections of pretty specimens growing on tidy clean rock shelves covered in purple coralline algae." (Eric Borneman)

12/11/2017, 04:37 PM	#2
n2585722 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Cedar Park, Tx Posts: 1,072	That would not be an old Oceanic hex tank would it?

12/11/2017, 05:20 PM	#3
TETONVALLEYREEF Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Posts: 8	let me get home from work, check, and get back to you on that! Tank was just delivered by a friend yesterday from Missoula; didn't have a chance yet to scrutinize it... ...I'm hoping you're not inferring that ALL sides are tempered...

12/12/2017, 09:40 AM	#6
TETONVALLEYREEF Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Posts: 8	Checked last night, and couldn't find a label or brand stamped on it anywhere. Did the tempered glass check, and the bottom is tempered, sides are not (as expected). Looking at the dimensions of the tank, it looks like its feasible, but you would have to have 4-5" of substrate to cover up the tubes... not sure if thats the route I want to go!