need help drilling

mk7169 · Mar 3, 2017

Hi guys, I'm in Warminster 18974 and we just bought a 125 gallon tank. I would like to drill the overflow, but I have no experience with this. Is there anyone in the area who might be able to help ?

Thanks in advance!

Greg Miller · Mar 3, 2017

I'm not in the area but I drilled a 75 gallon. You have to make sure what you are drilling isn't tempered. I ended up emailing Marineland. I bought a bit with template. I taped the template and had my wife use a spray bottle to keep it wet while I patiently drilled it. You want to figure out your plumbing and drain before selecting the bit size.

mk7169 · Mar 3, 2017

How can I tell if its tempered ?

This Threejole looks nice:

Greg Miller · Mar 3, 2017

mk7169 said:
How can I tell if its tempered ?

There are tons of threads on how to do this. Most involve using a computer or tablet screen and polarized glasses. I was never sure if I was seeing what I was supposed to though. That's why I just emailed Marineland. They me the back is not tempered but if you drill it you void your warranty.

Greg Miller · Mar 3, 2017

mk7169 said:
This Threejole looks nice:

It does look nice. I looked at something similar but ended up going with a plain box with teeth I got on eBay. The major reason is I'm a cheapskate.

Breadman03 · Mar 4, 2017

Just remember that you're not actually drilling the tank. You are using a drill to sand away a hole. Don't apply pressure or a bunch of speed. Slow and steady are your friends.

I grew up near you. You might look up the Southeastern P.A. saltwater reef aquarium classifieds on FB. There's a very active community from roughly your area to Collegeville or so. You also have a pretty decent selection of good LFS.