Help drilling tank

Off The Deep End

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#1
Ok the time has come to drill the biocube, anyone have a 3/4" diamond bit and the experience to help me drill it?
 

TheRealChrisBrown

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
ex-officio
#2
I have a 45mm bit....which drills a hole for 1 inch bulkheads, in Loveland, and I just drilled my 29 biocube with 3 holes. I don't know how many holes a bit is good for, this one has 12 - 15 I've drilled with it.
 

Off The Deep End

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#3
So I'm thinking I only have the room for 3/4"as I'm trying to keep it all in the last chamber. How did you plumb yours? I would love to see other options than what I was thinking.
 

TheRealChrisBrown

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
ex-officio
#4
So I'm thinking I only have the room for 3/4"as I'm trying to keep it all in the last chamber. How did you plumb yours? I would love to see other options than what I was thinking.
Ahhh, I removed the back wall that makes is an "all in one" since I'm running it down to a sump that will do the job that the divider wall was doing. Freed up more space in the 29 which is the display. I don't have it set up yet, just a side project to my side project...
 

Off The Deep End

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#5
Yeah I was considering removing the divider wall since it's being plumbed to the sump but i like the extra added filtration areas in the back for whatever I might want to put in there in there future. I'm guessing yours is getting plumbed to your sump in the basement?
 

TheRealChrisBrown

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
ex-officio
#6
Yeah I was considering removing the divider wall since it's being plumbed to the sump but i like the extra added filtration areas in the back for whatever I might want to put in there in there future. I'm guessing yours is getting plumbed to your sump in the basement?
I think I might run it as a stand alone system, I already have a 40b plumbed into the system that sits right next to the sump. I've been contemplating the MASC build off competition for it, but I go back and forth a lot on that. Regardless, I was surprised at how much space I got by removing that divider...it was surprising.
 

Off The Deep End

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#7
I think it's like a 6-7 gallon difference, surprising what that little chamber holds.
 

SynDen

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#8
I have bit for 3/4" bulkheads. Don't think I'll be up in loveland anytime soon though. If you coming down to Denver anytime soon, you could bring it and we could drill it here.
 

SUS

Blenny
M.A.S.C Club Member
#9
I bought a set off amazon a while back. Worked great. Drilling a tank is super easy. Drill a piece of wood to create a jig (this prevents the bit from walking around on you). Fill hole in wood with water and start drilling. Key here is to let the drill do the work. Don’t put any force on the drill, just let the weight of the drill do the work. Stop to add more water as needed. Put a towel inside to protect the glass from the the cut piece falling. I’ve drilled probably a dozen or so holes this way and have yet to crack one.
 

Off The Deep End

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#10
I have bit for 3/4" bulkheads. Don't think I'll be up in loveland anytime soon though. If you coming down to Denver anytime soon, you could bring it and we could drill it here.
Thanks I appreciate the offer, don't make it to Denver much but if I get a wild hair I will let you know for sure.
 

Off The Deep End

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#11
I bought a set off amazon a while back. Worked great. Drilling a tank is super easy. Drill a piece of wood to create a jig (this prevents the bit from walking around on you). Fill hole in wood with water and start drilling. Key here is to let the drill do the work. Don’t put any force on the drill, just let the weight of the drill do the work. Stop to add more water as needed. Put a towel inside to protect the glass from the the cut piece falling. I’ve drilled probably a dozen or so holes this way and have yet to crack one.
I was thinking of just taking the plunge and doing it myself, I did see a good trick on a video I watched to keep the glass from falling out and hitting the tank... put a piece of tape on the inside of the glass.
 

TheRealChrisBrown

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
ex-officio
#13
Also if you want you can swing by my house and see the biocube without the back and the 1" bulkheads. Or when you get the bit you want to use I can come over, or you can come over to my place, and I can help drill it with you.
 

SynDen

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#14
The bit I have, I got at Home Depot, in the tile tools section. Comes with a guide and everything, which makes it pretty easy to do. Just stick the guide to the glass, pour in some water and start drilling.
 

Off The Deep End

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#15
Thanks for the help/ advise all, I ordered a bit and bulk heads and think I'm just going to go for it... what's where worst that can happen lol
 

Off The Deep End

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#16
Also if you want you can swing by my house and see the biocube without the back and the 1" bulkheads. Or when you get the bit you want to use I can come over, or you can come over to my place, and I can help drill it with you.
Are you available this weekend I would like to come check out the bio cube.
 
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