To drill or not to drill, that is the question.....

S

Sogas

Another interesting question for tonight...

I was at a LFS and was pricing skimmer, refugium, pump and overflow box. As I was talking to the individual he mentioned that since my tank is arcylic that he could drill the tank and installing a bulk head. This would make it a closed looped system, correct?

Do you suggest this approach? Is it better to go this router vs. the overflow box?

P.S. I am not about to do it but I'd seriously consider paying to have it done.
 
Drilled tank for a sump system is not the same as a closed loop...

A closed loop is just that, it's a closed system, water comes out, goes to a pump, and is sent straight back into the tank, it's purely for circulation...

What you're describing is a "reef ready" system, or a drilled tank, internal overflow, draining down to a sump, then being pumped back up...

IMHO a drilled tank is vastly superior to an external overflow. Much less chance of a flood occurring...

Drilling acrylic, or even (non-tempered!) glass isn't nearly as difficult as it sounds actually...
 
drilling your tank would make it be reef ready if you are using a sump, not a closed loop. a closed loop is separate from the drain/return that utilizes a sump. you can also drill for closed loop if you plan to have both. if you do plan to make it reef ready, i would recommend getting an acrylic overflow built to add to the tank. i definitely think this is better than an overflow as you can encounter more issues with overflow. i had a 55 with the overflow and my current 90 is reef ready, i would not go back.


.:edit:. lol, serk beat me to it and it would appear put it basically as i did
 
same here, but if I were you I drill everything lol..

I even drill my sumpless freshwater tank to do WC, all I do is screw in the PVC pipe and adapter on the tank inside bulkhead, so I won't drain more than I want (50%), open the valve on the bottom of the tank and let it drain outside. Then I run a J pipe to feed new water from a 55 gallon trash bin. I can even do this while watching TV..

stan
 
I would have it drilled if it were me. There are so many things that you have to worry about with an overflow box. First and foremost the potential flood aspect but you also have to think about the plumbing. When you have a drilled tank it can drain directly under the tank into your sump but if it is an external overflow then you have to route the plumbing from the back of the tank back underneath it into the sump. The siphons can be a pain too...not difficult to start but just something else to worry about during maintenance/feeding etc.

My first tank was a 75 gallon non-reef ready and had I done my research BEFORE buying it I would have gone with a drilled tank.

Just my thoughts...
 
I think they charged me about $25 per hole drilled. Drilled is the only way to go. You can pick up an overflow at glass holes. www.glass-holes.com - they will sell you a kit with bulkhead etc for about $50 or $60, and have different sized overflows to fit different flow rates. I like them because their overflows are only 2" deep front to back.
 
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