Drilling Tanks

[CHOMPERS]

Chompers,
how many holes you think you can do with one of those drill bits. I need to drill 28 20gallons with a 1 3/4 hole. Do you think I would be ok by ordering 2 bits?

Thank you

I am sure one bit will do them all as long as you do not use excessive pressure and you keep water on them. Also you need to keep the cut groove cleaned out. For what they cost, order the second as a backup. I cut over a dozen holes with my first bit and it still looks brand new. When placed next to one of the new bits, there is no difference.

 

[CHOMPERS]

Do you know what size "MM" bit would be needed for a 2" bulkhead?

Nope. You have to find out the size of the bulkhead first. The two inch measurement is the inside measurement. What you need to find out is the outside diameter of the treads. This measurement differs between manufacturers and duty strength.

The easy way to find out the metric conversion is to get a ruler, mark off your length on a sheet of paper, turn the ruler around, and then measure the distance with the metric side.

 

[ThePBM]

couple of questions, as i am going to drill one of my 40 gal breeders.

do i get a return pump first so i have in mind what kind of turnover i should expect before i decide what size pipes to use (and ultimately precisely what size of hole i'll be drilling)?
or
is there some rule of thumb about this where someone can tell me what inner diameter my exit tubing should be?

also, do i only need 1 hole drilled for the exit? cause as long as my return is at or above the overflow line, it won't siphon too much out of my tank during power out, right? not quite sure how i would put 2 holes to work- if i went with 2 holes, would i be putting them far apart?

simple question- what turnover rate should i be aiming for in a 40 gal breeder tank? modest current, something gouramis are comfortable in, but nothing too calm that an algae eater would get bored in.

 

[ThePBM]

also, is there a way to utilize the overflow design to get solid waste from the bottom of the tank out and into the sump?

 

[cvermeulen]

Nope. You have to find out the size of the bulkhead first. The two inch measurement is the inside measurement. What you need to find out is the outside diameter of the treads. This measurement differs between manufacturers and duty strength.

The easy way to find out the metric conversion is to get a ruler, mark off your length on a sheet of paper, turn the ruler around, and then measure the distance with the metric side.

or divide the mm number by 25.4 to get inches a 2" bulkhead will probably need at least a 2.5" hole (but I suggest you measure it) 2.5"= 63.5mm

 

[CHOMPERS]

simple question- what turnover rate should i be aiming for in a 40 gal breeder tank? modest current, something gouramis are comfortable in, but nothing too calm that an algae eater would get bored in.

Normally I don't do stocking advice but only parents should be in breeder tanks (no algae eaters). Additionally, research gourami breeding before modifying your tank. Contact JuanTamad; he has been successful in breeding gourami's and can help you out a bunch. He uses only those bubble powered floss filters. Gouramis are labyrinth fish and bubble nest builders. You don't want any current at all while they are breeding.

 

[CHOMPERS]

also, is there a way to utilize the overflow design to get solid waste from the bottom of the tank out and into the sump?

Yes, it is possible to make a tank almost maintenance free (look through my threads for the 250g maintenance free tank thread). If this is still for the breeder tank(s), breeding projects really need a lot of individual attention and manual cleaning.

 

[ThePBM]

I'm not breeding anything, they just call it a breeder tank. I just like the footprint of that tank. Thanks for the help though.

 

[CHOMPERS]

also, is there a way to utilize the overflow design to get solid waste from the bottom of the tank out and into the sump?

On the overflow design in the sticky, you just add another loop and then run a pipe to the bottom. In the extra loop, you need to drill a hole at the very top to serve as a syphon break. At the bottom, you will need to add a screen or strainer to keep fish out.

 

[CHOMPERS]

...do i get a return pump first so i have in mind what kind of turnover i should expect before i decide what size pipes to use (and ultimately precisely what size of hole i'll be drilling)?
or
is there some rule of thumb about this where someone can tell me what inner diameter my exit tubing should be?

also, do i only need 1 hole drilled for the exit? cause as long as my return is at or above the overflow line, it won't siphon too much out of my tank during power out, right? not quite sure how i would put 2 holes to work- if i went with 2 holes, would i be putting them far apart?

simple question- what turnover rate should i be aiming for in a 40 gal breeder tank? modest current, something gouramis are comfortable in, but nothing too calm that an algae eater would get bored in.

With gouramis and plecos (I am assuming), you should aim for around 3 to 5 turnovers or 120 to 200 gallons per hour.

The size hole you will be drilling depends on the outside diameter of the bulkhead fitting you buy. They are not very well standardized.

Go look at the sticky thread in the setup section about sizing a sump to your tank. There is lots of good info there.