Drilled overflow vs Overflow Boxes

drilling is very easy as long as you go slow and use water. check out the site glass-holes . com they have everything included in the package to drill

 

A single 1" pvc overflow using schedule 40 piping will flow around 1000 gph, far more than is needed for most reef tanks.

I have two 1" overflows on my 200g and all the flow goes though 1 of them, with the second as a back up.

 

drilled....drilled....drilled. i made the mistake of using an overflow at first. tore down the tank and all my stuff to have it drilled. when i had the overflow i NEVER had piece of mind i always thought when i was gone the siphon would fail and i would have a flood.

 

amen. drill baby drill.

 

drilled with built in overflows....the only way to go!

I will never do a tank any other way!

 

go for it. The $100 price cant be beat, check with your local glass shop to see if they will drill the tank for you if your uncomfortable trying it yourself. Some local fsh stores will also drill tanks for their customers.

 

Only HOB overflows that require lift pumps are in danger of losing suction. If you are using the "u-tube" styled overflows, they are at no greater risk of overflowing from clogging than an in-tank overflow box. The "u-tube" style overflows are reliable. The "lift-pump" overflows seem to give more headache.

Drilled tanks are very clean and nice looking, but you will also lose at least that much space in your DT for the box-out of the overflow. Also, if you do have to maintain/repair an in-tank overflow there might be some major heavy moving involved. Also, I havent heard of as many people with cracks generating in their expensive display tanks with a HOB overflow.

I currently run an Eshopps 1800 that we are moving about 2000GPH through. It is turned off several times a week for feeding and has made it through a power outage already without a hitch.
I will be installing a "high limit" sensor in the DT to kill the main return pump in the case of something going wrong

If the tank is pre-drilled that is one story.

I'll let DIY drillers be the brave ones . . . I am too leary to drill a big tank myself!

But that's just my .02 FWIW

 

Drill & use a glass-holes overflow. Their boxes are very compact & don't take up very much room. They have probably the best customer service I have ever seen & they give you candy with your order! I've drilled a 72 bowfront & a 30 with no problems. Never even practiced. Just take your time, let the drill do all the work & you'll be fine. Don't force it. Important thing is to determine if the side panel is tempered since you can't drill tempered glass. Most tanks only use tempered for the bottoms but there are a few out there with side panels that are.

 

yea drill it, i just drilled 2 holes in my 120 with 1/2" glass and it was very easy.

 

Drilling is not hard... I have done many. If you were here (atlanta) I would do it for you. The bits cost about $40 each. if you only want one drilled, go to a glass shop and let them do it for you. it is not hard.

If you do it for your self... get the bits off of ebay (make sure you get the right bit for the "rough opening" and have some one hold a water hose over while you drill it (with a battery powered drill). Water hoses and 120v scare me.

I have drilled dozens. it is not hard. NEVER drill a tempered glass plane. although it makes for a really cool explosion if you have never heard of it.


easy and slow are your friends.

way better than HOB's

imho

johnny