[Packer Lakerfan4]

Okay so im going to drill my 150 gallon reef tank in the making i am going to move the tank from my bedroom to my living room which means i am going to have to take all the fish, live rock and corals out to put in holding tanks while i move everything i am going to take all the water and pump into plastic trash cans and whatever else i can find...my question here is...CAN i drill in the top corners of the tank instead of the bottom and where do i drill at? the tank is 4ft long, do i drill one hole on each side? One for the inlet and one for the outlet? please help any information helps and what sizes do the holes need to be?? and where can i get bits???

[NATIVEVAMAN]

You can drill near the top of the tank,I would say about 6 inch's down from the top.You will need to build or buy an overflow box.For your tank use a 1.5 inch drain line and a 1 inch return about 4 inch's apart.You will need bulkheads to hold the pipe and stop leaks.The wholes for the bulkheads must be larger than the pipe they will hold so check the size's with the lfs.They should have the bulkheads.

[Packer Lakerfan4]

I cant just run a line down into my sump?

[NATIVEVAMAN]

The main idea of the overflow is to skim the water off the top of the tank.The other idea is to maintain a good level of flow as well as a reasonable depth.Without putting something on the pipe to prevent it all your critters will end up in sump.And even with this protection the flow thru it will be so strong that fish will be sucked up against it. It is actually the way it was done back in the good old days,and there is a good reason why it isnt done anymore.

[Packer Lakerfan4]

Okay maybe i'll drill from the bottom as big of a pain that will be it might just be easier

[NATIVEVAMAN]

More than likely the bottom glass is tempered and should never be drilled.

[Lowej82]

I read that when drilling you need to stay atleast the bit size away from the edge. So if you drilling for a 1.5" bulkhead the hole needs to be 2 3/8" so the hole needs to be atleast 2 3/8" from all edges of tank, Like native said the bottom is more than likely tempered.

[Packer Lakerfan4]

I still dont understand about drilling from the back i dont get how that works plumbing wise with the sump

[NATIVEVAMAN]

The only difference in drilling from the back and the bottom is litterally two elbows.The pipe comes out of tha back of the tank and an elbow turns it down.A few inch;s later another elbow takes the pipe back under the stand.Inside the tank you will have a 2 sided overflow that meets 2 sides of the tank.The overflow will have crenalations cut in the top like teeth to let the water into the overflow.On the inside you have two pipes.one goes to an elbow that goes thru the glass to the other elbow going down.The smaller pipe is the return line and generally follows the path of the drain line.At the top of the tank the return line makes a turn over the top of the overflow and back to the tank.If that doesnt confuse you I can do better lol.

[casino royale]

u will b running the piping from the back of the tank down to your sump underneath ... gravity will force the water down and the pump in the sump returns the water back to the DT ... u drill on the back to keep it out of view and its called an overflow box bc its to drain the "overflow" of water from the tank to help with oxygenizing the water and filtering w/o disturbing the fish and other things in the tank ... (i hope that makes sense)

[Packer Lakerfan4]

So do i need to buy one of thoes siphon overflow boxes everyone is always saying how much they suck and loose their siphon?

[reefnoob1991]

May want to just take it to a glass place and let them drill it for you

[NATIVEVAMAN]

No Zach,ask your local lfs and see if they do it,or who they recomend.I had my tank drilled,rhe overflow built and installed and the internal plumbing ready to go for 65$'s.Oh,and they put a light blue plastic cover on the back,the stuff they use for window tints.

[Jeremy0322]

I am more than likely just going to take mine to a glass place, because we know the guy that runs it and it will hopefully be free. After that I am assuming that making an overflow will not be that difficult. And when you had the aquarium in your room, was it really loud? Just a random question because i am trying to figure out where mine is going to go.

[reefnoob1991]

Mine is in my room ( 2nd story house upstairs) and I sleep fine

[Packer Lakerfan4]

No as long as you keep it filled up its completely quiet

[reefnoob1991]

Well you technically can't keep an overflow filled...the water only goes so high and can't go higher than the safety suction break

[Jeremy0322]

I was just asking about the entire tank. I am more worried about stuff like a skimmer and water pump.

[reefnoob1991]

Pump is normally underwater so you can't really hear it, and I can hear the water over my skimmer.

[Jeremy0322]

Good, i think it would be awesome to watch the tank as i fell asleep..

[reefnoob1991]

Yeah I love mine with the moonlights...the powerheads I have give the impression of actual shimmering