Tank Journal Archive

mcclown

Member
Mar 12, 2017
55
23
Holes In All The Right Places
Just a quick update...I didn't crack the tank!

I got a lot done this weekend. Managed to drill both the overflow box and the return, without popping the tank, which I think we can call a success...I think the magic ingredient was the glass of wine I drank while drilling. Im a little dissapointed in how much flow I'm getting out of the Ehiem Compact+ 2000, even running at full power (2000 lph) it just doesn't look like a lot of flow to me...I guess it's time to look into an additional power head. Any suggestions? I may try replacing the 90 degree elbow on the return and see if that that is responsible for the poor flow.

I also dremeled off the top of the tank I'm using for the sump. There was a bunch of black plastic attached to the tank, as part of the lid, that didn't seem to be structural and just took up space in the cabinet, while adding nothing. I'm pretty happy with how that turned out as well.

Here you can see a little leak running down the glass. A little bit of teflon paste and it seems to have cleared right up.

ai.imgur.com_uORBCBYl.jpg


The dremeled Blue Planet Classic 40, fitting beautifully into the cabinet (even if I do say so, myself).

ai.imgur.com_YvRiVcjl.jpg
 

Wrangy

Member
May 7, 2013
2,923
1,567
Research
Looks fantastic mate :) you did a bang up job! I can't wait to watch it progress as you seem to have a solid base understanding from your other posts :)

My only suggestion is get some clips on the hose of your overflow! All you'll need is a nice hot aussie day and it'll pop straight off! And none of us want to see that!
 

mcclown

Member
Mar 12, 2017
55
23
@Wrangy yip, I have the clips already....just didn't put them on for this test. I want a reef tanks, not a new water feature, all over my living room floor ;-)
 

slin1977

Member
Jul 13, 2011
3,476
1,661
Sydney
Great job there, however may I suggest reinforcing the area around your newly drilled bulkhead.

Your return pump is not performing due to the head it needs to overcome, you only really need about four or five times volume per hour through the sump. Or find a pump better suited to giving you a higher flow rate on the head chart curve.
 

mcclown

Member
Mar 12, 2017
55
23
@slin1977 Have you seen issues with cracking around bulkheads? How would you suggest reinforcing the area around the bulkhead?

Yeah, I think I'm going to add a powerhead...now the big questions, which one and how much!
 

slin1977

Member
Jul 13, 2011
3,476
1,661
Sydney
@slin1977 Have you seen issues with cracking around bulkheads? How would you suggest reinforcing the area around the bulkhead?

Yeah, I think I'm going to add a powerhead...now the big questions, which one and how much!
@mcclown - I'm not here to take a thing from your achievements, yes I have seen some epic installations fail at the bulkhead drilling points.
I have had success in doing 6mm euro brace side bulkheads on four by two tanks and seen some 12mm four by two rimless fail in the early days when rimless became the trend a decade ago, this was mainly due to the curved coast to coast weir splitting on the curved water jettered profile that was glass cut. All I'm saying is you could run a couple of strips on the vertical or choose not to. I fear that sheer factor is increased considerably with the length of that thread as it turns into your 90 degree bend.
 

mcclown

Member
Mar 12, 2017
55
23
@slin1977 no offense taken. I'm all for the constructive feedback...it's why I'm on here!

So I think I understand you. You worry about the issue of a shear force coming down on the 90 degree elbow and causing the glass to crack. This would be an issue for both the overflow and the return. This makes sense, since there's extra stresses at that point due to the drilling as well as the plumbing fittings. Is that what you're saying? So, I think the solution, from what you say, would be to reinforce the glass at that point? Add another piece of glass, with a holes drilled through, that line up with the existing holes...then put the bulkheads through both pieces of glass?