Suggestions for an all-tempered-glass tank...

[minus_3]

Bear with me all... I am a newb and am getting started with my very first tank. Here's my dilemma: I have a tank that I bought a year ago, a perfecto 46 bow-front tank :? . Anyhow, I just made a larger home for the reptile that was in the tank originally and am ready to convert the tank into a nano-reef.

With that said, after doing much reading, I am definitely set on using a sump for my tank. The problem is, I don't want to have to use an external overflow. In other words, I want a drilled tank, preferably the bottom, but I would settle for the back. From what I understand, the entire tank is tempered glass . So what options do I have?

1. Can the bottom be changed to non-tempered glass with pre-drilled holes?

2. If not, can the back be changed to non-tempered glass with pre-drilled holes?

3. If 1 or 2 is possible, what size should these holes be, at what height (assuming I have to drill the back and the height is 21"), and will I only need two?

Forgive me if these questions are really stupid. I don't have an unlimited budget and I am trying to use the tank and stand that I already have. They are both relatively new and have a really nice design. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for any responses!

Suggestions for an all-tempered-glass tank...

(sorry for the double post in the DIY forum... I tried to delete it)

 

[liquid]

Hi minus_3 and

First thing I'd do is to contact the manufacturer directly and verify which panels are tempered. I find it hard to believe that on a bowfront tank that every single side is tempered. I could be wrong but normally only bottoms of tanks are tempered glass. If after talking to the manufacturer you find out that every single pane is tempered, you have the choice of manually removing one of the sides or bottom and re-installing a new, non-tempered, pane. Doing so would be at your own risk. I can completely understand where you're coming from with regards to trying to save money, but if you don't adhere the panel exactly right, you could run the potential for the tank to either leak or catastrophically fail. My opinion would be that if the tank is 100% tempered glass that you end up buying a new bowfront. You should be able to buy only the tank if that's what it comes down to.

Maybe someone else has a differing opinion than mine. Anyone else?

Shane

 

[minus_3]

Woohoo! I called Perfecto Mfg. and they said that on their Bow-front 46, only the glass on the front and the bottom is tempered! Sounds like a go then...

A few more questions then:

1. I am thinking of using the Durso design for my bulkheads (if that is what they are called when it is on the side). 1" holes would be sufficient for this correct? 1 for the overflow and 1 for the return?

2. The overflow box can be made out of plexiglass, right? If so, what type of glu/silicone do you guys recommend? I would imagine that black silicone would be the best... aquarium safe of course.

3. The durso website does not show the location of the return from the sump. Is it ideal to drill this hole on the opposite side of the tank? If so, then what? Should the top of the return pipe break the surface of the water ever so slightly? If the pipe is facing upward, what can I put on the top to redirect the water back down? In other words, in what fashion do I put in my return standpipe?

Ok... I think those are enough question for now... Thanks for your help liquid, and thanks in advance for any other responses...

 

[liquid]

FWIW, you don't need to drill a hole in your tank for a return line. You could just bring the plumbing over the lip of your tank and you'd be set. That way you only have to chance drilling one hole instead of two. You may want to consider drilling two Durso standpipe holes for redundancy in your system. With only one standpipe, you run the potential of it plugging somehow and ending up with a nasty mess on your hands. If you can somehow design redundancy in, I'd say do it.

I would think a 1" hole would be fine depending on what size return pump you were thinking about using. If you haven't already chosen one, head over to http://www.reefs.org/library/pumps and start looking around at the specs.

I have no experience w/ making overflows or adhering acrylic to glass using silicone. I have heard that it doesn't work very well as the silicone has a hard time bonding to the acrylic. Maybe some other people might have a better idea tho.

hth

Shane