Replacing the bottom pane of glass on my 55 gal tank

Its not the size of the vessel
Nietzsche LOL

 

i was told that you cannot drill a bowfront tank at all on any place ,bottom,front,or back cause its all temperred.i bought a 55 gallon tank reef readdy.the bottom looks like they put 2 untemperred panes together with glue before drilling it.so if you do decide to replace the bottom,that is how mine was done.they used the same frame so the double layer of glass sits flush with the frame instead of below it.basically the bottom has at least a half inch of glass.

 

I would worry running the risk it even slowly leaking out which would cause a mess and huge clean up - transfer problem and a new tank as well. Just be double sure before you drill yourself but it can be done with the right know how. I almost cracked the bottom of my 90 when i was setting it up -- I was adding substrate via 5 gallon bucket from my 72 bow front and DROPPED the 5 gallon bucket 3/4 full of heavy substrate inside the tank. Small scratch and no crack thank god!

 

If it is tempered it will have a mark on each piece. This is the DOT number and is required by law in case the temper is not done properly.
The mark is usually right close to the edge so watch out it is not under the trim.
All bow tanks should be tempered on the curve as they will heat the glass to bend it. unless it is made out of lami. That is like the front window of your car it has a thin layer of plastic in between two layers of glass.
I would not recommend the acrylic bottom as glass and acrylic contract and expand at different rates.
My 2 cents order a new btm pre-drilled or drill one of the other panels as Tangster suggested just make sure it is not tempered.

 

Ziggy222 your Btm is more than likely Lami glass.

 

thanks marlin.learn something new every day.i replaced the bottom of a glass 10 gallon tank with half inch acrylic so i could drill it for my daughters room.i put a 10 gallon sump under her 10 gallon display with a clown and shrooms,zoos,xenis,gsp,with a 40watt pc light.its nice but i would'nt do it with a bigger tank.i seeled the heck out of it.it'll never leak.i'd just buy a 55 reef ready like mine for $150

 

$150 that's good deal at least $450 up here and not reef ready.
I am in the process of setting up a new tank just sold my 66 tonight.
I work with glass so it will be 12mm temp with an opti-clear front.;D
Sorry to drift the tread.

 

You know Wigger glass is not that hard to drill. The guys here charge $20 a hole. Ask the local auto glass shops. The thicker it is the less likely it will break. They probaly won't warenty it, but if it breaks you can still change the btm or back.
Are you sure the bottom is tempered??
You don't have to replace it with tempered either if you use 3/8" float glass.
If it is tempered don't try to drill it. It will blow up.

 

lol i tried to cut tempered glas once.it was hard to etch and the 1st tap shattered it into a million tiny gravel sixed peaces.

 

I never have seena DOT mark on a fish tank as for the Law ? Not sure I ever heard of that either. Now building codes require tempered glass on all window Glass that have their bottom sill 18 inches or closer to the floor. Like with all to the floor windows and doors and DOT controls its use in all Vehicles but unless its a new law I have drilled more then several thousand tanks over the last 25 yrs and I have never seen mark from DOT on a single panel even the ones sticker ed tempered glass .. I had a Perfecto that they said was not tempered I said it rang like it was tempered they said nope its safe POW! and had their been a Govmt agency stamp I'd have seen it I hope its a new lay and its correct ?