Drilled/crack remote refugium tank. Scrap it?

[jonelder68]

What’s your all thoughts? Attempted my first time drilling a tank and the first hole appears to have a crack running towards the top of the tank from where I drilled. It’s a 20L I’ll be using for remote refugium. Should I just scrap it and try another?

Wanting to drill the display for my modular marine overflow but now I’m worried I did something wrong. Guess good call to start on the small 20L first…

 

[GlassMunky]

Yup that’s trash. Start fresh.

Did you build a little reservoir on the back of the tank with putty and fill it with water while drilling?

When drilling glass it’s VERY VERY important to go slowly and always have a lot of water running over the drill bit the whole time you’re drilling as that acts as a lubricant and cooling fluid. Also try to make sure you go straight in and out without too much wiggle or flex side to side.

 

[GlassMunky]

It’s also possible that you just tightened the bulkhead down too hard and that’s what made the glass crack. You only want bulkheads JUST barely tight. I go finger tight and then use a bulkhead wrench and go 1/4 turn more to lock it.

 

[jonelder68]

It cracked while drilling. I’m installing 3/4” bulkheads so 1.5” hole saw. I used a small 2x4 and drilled it out 1.5” to use as a guide clamped to tank for glass hole saw. Poured water while drilling on bit. 2x4 hole would also hold water in the guide hole. First hole was the crack, second drilled fine. Guess I’ll try again on another 20L tank.

 

[DCR]

I recommend you put (tape) a block of wood behind the glass and drill inside to out to provide support for the glass which is very thin on a 20L.

 

[edd59]

It cracked while drilling. I’m installing 3/4” bulkheads so 1.5” hole saw. I used a small 2x4 and drilled it out 1.5” to use as a guide clamped to tank for glass hole saw. Poured water while drilling on bit. 2x4 hole would also hold water in the guide hole. First hole was the crack, second drilled fine. Guess I’ll try again on another 20L tank.

i think the wood did you in. use card board. if you tilt the drill slightly, the wood will put pressure on the bit/glass. drill from outside. put a towel on the in side to catch the glass. let a hose trickle over the hole and just let the drill do the work. no pressure. good luck

 

[Adamc13o3]

Make a bunch of practice holes before you scrap it though

 

[jonelder68]

6 more holes. 4 practice and 2 in my spare (was going to be quarantine tank) will have to get another. But only first hole I did cracked. Didn’t change anything so not sure why it did it….oh well ready to go now.

 

[JGT]

Too late now but since it’s a refugium, could you have fun it with the waterline below the crack? If so, then it mighta been OK.

 

[jonelder68]

Too late now but since it’s a refugium, could you have fun it with the waterline below the crack? If so, then it mighta been OK.

The crack was from the top of the bulkhead to top of glass. Like an inch long. As long as tank wasn’t overflowing the drains it would be below water line.

 

[jonelder68]

The crack was from the top of the bulkhead to top of glass. Like an inch long. As long as tank wasn’t overflowing the drains it would be below water line.

Sorry crack would be above* water line

 

[jonelder68]

Yup that’s trash. Start fresh.

Did you build a little reservoir on the back of the tank with putty and fill it with water while drilling?

When drilling glass it’s VERY VERY important to go slowly and always have a lot of water running over the drill bit the whole time you’re drilling as that acts as a lubricant and cooling fluid. Also try to make sure you go straight in and out without too much wiggle or flex side to side.

I think doing the first hole when I punched through I might of angled the drill causing pressure and caused the crack. After the first one I realized the sound changes right before you’re getting ready to punch through so knew it was coming. Oh well luckily it was a small tank/cheaper learning experience.