Drilling 55g Aqueon Sanity Check

[mhemberg]

I am getting ready to drill my aqueon 55 and the results of the cell phone test are a bit confusing.

Front back and bottom are tempered but sides are not? I called Aqueon and they said typically only the bottoms are tempered but not the front back and sides. The only exception is when they run out of a particular size of non-tempered glass and they use a piece of tempered instead until they get the next truckload.

I assume they ran out of non-tempered fronts and backs and subtituted tempered.

Does this seem reasonable.

 

[veselym]

be careful, I have been seeing a lot of 55g aqeuon tanks shatter from drilling the back recently

I could never get any of the tempered tests to work...make sure there is a sticker that doesn't say all sides tempered

 

[mhemberg]

I just did the test again in the pitch black and the sides are not tempered so looks like i will run a side drain and return. Any suggestions on set up?

 

[veselym]

what do you mean setup...like overflow box size, return pump?

 

[mhemberg]

I guess i was wondering if people wrap the pipe around the back or drop it straight down and drill some holes in the cabinet. I am fine with some exposed pipe.

 

[veselym]

Most people 90 degree it off the bulkheads and go straight down then 45's into the sump...you want to minimize 90 degree turns

 

[Pfisherman]

Dont do it, you'll pop that ***** like a sardine can. That glass is so thin that it will fail under pressure. Is this a new tank?

 

[veselym]

I have a drilled 55...been going strong 7 months

I drilled it myself

 

[mhemberg]

Yeah new tank.

If it is drilled near the top does the pressure still play as much of a role.

 

[Pete polyp]

Usually 55g have a sicker on the bottom that says "all panels tempered"