ZooMed Low Boy frag tank - drilling questions

[danschoenherr]

I have a Zoo Med 50g Low Boy frag tank that I will be drilling. I have a custom made overflow box, similar to an Eshopps, that I plan on installing on one end with a single bulkhead. As for the return lines, which I am planning on using (2) 3/4" Loclines, one on each side of the overflow, is it preferred to drill the tank and use bulkheads, or is it safer to just run the Loclines over the top? I know these tanks have thinner glass than most and have seen some people crack them. I will have a mesh top, but if needed, I can add a piece of acrylic to the end and notch for the Loclines. It would be a cleaner look if I did not have to do that though.

 

[Peace River]

I have a Zoo Med 50g Low Boy frag tank that I will be drilling. I have a custom made overflow box, similar to an Eshopps, that I plan on installing on one end with a single bulkhead. As for the return lines, which I am planning on using (2) 3/4" Loclines, one on each side of the overflow, is it preferred to drill the tank and use bulkheads, or is it safer to just run the Loclines over the top? I know these tanks have thinner glass than most and have seen some people crack them. I will have a mesh top, but if needed, I can add a piece of acrylic to the end and notch for the Loclines. It would be a cleaner look if I did not have to do that though.

I agree that it would be a cleaner look if you could drill the tank and, as you implied, there is a different "feel" when you are drilling different thickness of glass. Although I haven't drilled a 50g low boy tank yet (it is on my wish list), I have drilled many other tanks of various sizes. I doubt if the 50g frag tank has any thinner glass than a standard 10g tank. You may want to pick up a used 10g (or even new) to use for practice - you should be able to drill several holes in that one tank so that you have the process down when you are ready to do your 50g frag tank. Good luck!

 

[ArizonaAquatics]

I have a Zoo Med 50g Low Boy frag tank that I will be drilling. I have a custom made overflow box, similar to an Eshopps, that I plan on installing on one end with a single bulkhead. As for the return lines, which I am planning on using (2) 3/4" Loclines, one on each side of the overflow, is it preferred to drill the tank and use bulkheads, or is it safer to just run the Loclines over the top? I know these tanks have thinner glass than most and have seen some people crack them. I will have a mesh top, but if needed, I can add a piece of acrylic to the end and notch for the Loclines. It would be a cleaner look if I did not have to do that though.

When drilling glass (especially thin glass) it is important to keep the drilling area wet with water and not to apply much pressure at all. A good rule of thumb is basically allow the weight of the drill to do the work for you with very little extra down force. It will take a while but it ensures the cleanest cut and reduces the risk of cracking.

As for the returns, I have done both ways. I prefer drilling, but on my 250 I opted to just make my returns go over the back. 1 because I couldn't physically move the tank to drill it, and 2 because a tank so large is rather expensive to replace. Like you said though, it might hinder the use of a lid without some customization. Imho, it's all about how much you weigh risk vs cleanliness!

 

[Peace River]

When drilling glass (especially thin glass) it is important to keep the drilling area wet with water and not to apply much pressure at all. A good rule of thumb is basically allow the weight of the drill to do the work for you with very little extra down force. It will take a while but it ensures the cleanest cut and reduces the risk of cracking.

As for the returns, I have done both ways. I prefer drilling, but on my 250 I opted to just make my returns go over the back. 1 because I couldn't physically move the tank to drill it, and 2 because a tank so large is rather expensive to replace. Like you said though, it might hinder the use of a lid without some customization. Imho, it's all about how much you weigh risk vs cleanliness!

@ArizonaAquatics - welcome to R2R and thank you for the great input! As you implied, drilling thin glass is more like grinding than drilling. It is important to go slooow! Actually, may be even slower than that!!!

 

[ArizonaAquatics]

@ArizonaAquatics - welcome to R2R and thank you for the great input! As you implied, drilling thin glass is more like grinding than drilling. It is important to go slooow! Actually, may be even slower than that!!!

Hey thank you and no problem! But yes exactly, as slow as your patience will allow at least right?[emoji23]

 

[danschoenherr]

Thanks for the replies.
I am not concerned with the drilling aspect of this project, mainly the ongoing strength of the glass after I drill. If I drill for the returns also, there will be 3 holes in the 24" end of the tank. I am mainly concerned if the rigid plumbing is bumped, that may cause a crack. I was thinking I could possibly add a piece of silicone hose close to the where the returns enter the bulkhead, or even cut larger "discs" of clear acrylic to act as a washer on the dry side of all 3 bulkheads to spread out the load.

 

[ArizonaAquatics]

Thanks for the replies.
I am not concerned with the drilling aspect of this project, mainly the ongoing strength of the glass after I drill. If I drill for the returns also, there will be 3 holes in the 24" end of the tank. I am mainly concerned if the rigid plumbing is bumped, that may cause a crack. I was thinking I could possibly add a piece of silicone hose close to the where the returns enter the bulkhead, or even cut larger "discs" of clear acrylic to act as a washer on the dry side of all 3 bulkheads to spread out the load.

Hey no problem. You are right though, thin glass will be more prone to breakage due to the plumbing being bumped. But, as long as you're careful, you should be okay.

I wouldn't use any tubing if you have the ability to hard plumb. All I've ever gotten from using tubing was leaks (maybe not immediately, but as soon as you need to remove that tubing for any reason, it is not as likely to seal again). I would go hard plumbing over the back before I would use soft tubing of any sort. My 250g runs with the returns over the back so i would recommend that as well!

I've never used spacers, but that's a good idea. Not sure if it would add any real "structural integrity" to the surrounding glass though. If you do use them, I'd be interested to see how they turn out!

 

[Peace River]

Thanks for the replies.
I am not concerned with the drilling aspect of this project, mainly the ongoing strength of the glass after I drill. If I drill for the returns also, there will be 3 holes in the 24" end of the tank. I am mainly concerned if the rigid plumbing is bumped, that may cause a crack. I was thinking I could possibly add a piece of silicone hose close to the where the returns enter the bulkhead, or even cut larger "discs" of clear acrylic to act as a washer on the dry side of all 3 bulkheads to spread out the load.

That is a valid concern but I think it is a reasonable risk to drill the tank. On the topic of hard plumbing, one issue is the vibration being transferred from the pump through the hard plumbing and then to the tank. To mitigate this, I (and several others that I have seen) add a small piece of hose at the return pump (as opposed to at the bulkhead as you suggested).

 

[Nep2nRev2]

Cool, I have the same tank and am in the planning stages of setting it up as an sps grow out/frag tank. Good discussion and information. I'll be drilling for the overflow only. This system will be in a spare room that I use to support my DT (my wife calls it the lab). Aesthetics aren't as important to me here as functionality so running the return/returns over the side is the way I'll go. All PVC hard piped with sched. 80 unions. (I'm a plumber by trade.) Much easier to break apart a union for maintenance purposes that to pull a piece of silicone/nylon tubing off of an insert fitting.

 

[danschoenherr]

Drilling went fine. I only drilled for overflow box and ran return over the side, but split it into 2. I really like this tank so far. I'm still working on getting fairly even flow. I have one gyre on the end and am adding a Jebao SOW15 somewhere in the mix