# Undrilling a drilled tank



## iamntbatman (Jan 3, 2008)

I have a 20g long that's been laying around for quite a while and fairly soon I might be setting up a stand for it. the problem that the tank has been drilled on the back wall for LFS-type plumbing. The previous owner (who I assume was the one who bought it from the LFS) is kind of...well, nutty, especially when it comes to DIY projects. He simply tried to fill the holes (we're talking 1.5-2" holes here) with silicone. I don't trust that at all, even if it's only a few inches below the water line.

So what's the best way to go about this? I'm thinking of taking off as much of that silicone as I can with a razorblade, then cutting pieces of acrylic into squares to go inside and outside the tank over the holes, with lots of silicone inside the sandwich. Will this do the trick, or is there some easier/safer/better way I haven't thought of?


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## Pasfur (Mar 29, 2008)

Forgive my total lack of technical vocabulary. That being said....

Why not just use bulkheads, etc. to cover the opening. A closed bulkhead on both sides. Again, i have not idea what this piece of plumbing material is called, but we see it all the time on marine aquariums where the owner only wants to use one of the 2 overflows.


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## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

You know the end caps you can get in various sizes in the pluming section, that's what I'd use on the in AND outside of the tank, shop around for some serious glue that'll bond glass-plastic.
Then I'd glue it to the inside, silicone the heck between the plastic end cap and glass, then glue the heck out of the same part on the outside. But make SURE to get a glue that does work for both (glass & plastic). And also clean it thoughugly ideally with alcohol before applying any of that stuff.

Alternatively dep on close to the surface it is, I may just leave it as it is and use it for the heater and filter cables and just keep the water below that line.


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## Robanada (Jan 16, 2010)

Is the tank glass or acrylic?


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## iamntbatman (Jan 3, 2008)

It's glass. The hole is a few inches below the top of the tank, so I think I'd want to fill it somehow if I do end up using it for a "regular" tank. I did think about maybe trying a beach type setup with mudskippers and fiddler crabs, but I think I might try shellies or something instead. 

Angel, do you mean the caps like are on the ends of this pipe? Mark, do you have a link to the type of thing you're talking about?


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## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

Here's similar plugs to the 1's I was thinking off, thou the plugs I have in mind are fully plastic (not metal cap) and the skinner piece is shorter....Man I wish I could just go shopping with ya and show it to you in seconds....I even checked Lowes online and couldn't find the exact one I was thinking off :roll:


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## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

2nd alternative....Now I tried my best to draw it out for ya w/out having the proper software at hand right now but I'm hoping you get the picture.

Buy a ticker sheet of plexi-glass.
Cut 1 circle out at least 1" wider in dia then the actual hole you have and 1 circle the exact size of the whole.
Glue both parts together.
Duplicate this so you have 2 of the same "plugs".
Glue them to the tank wall from the inside and the outside of the tank and glue all of the parts where they meet at the existing hole in the tank together real well.
What I'd do if you tank wall's are 0.5" thick I'd get half the thickness as plexi glass, building 2 of these plugs will then fit flush into your tank.

:roll: I'm not good in explaining DIY stuff am I!? I hope you're getting the picture .....:lol:


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## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

3rd and my last option for today: Googel images for "paludarium" and set one up so you'd have half water half nature habitat for frogs etc.
That said I'd then at least cover the hole you have with a piece of screen or alike.

Now I have no more ideas for ya


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## iamntbatman (Jan 3, 2008)

I see what you're saying with those pictures, thanks. The thing is, it's only a 20g long tank, so the glass is nowhere near that thick (you suggested 0.5" but it's much less than that). I think if I made something like that, I'd be afraid of it being too thin.

Hmm, well if you guys have any more ideas, keep them coming. This probably won't get done for a few months as I like to do aquarium-related projects one at a time and I've got a couple of other things on my plate before this happens.

Thanks!


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## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

If anything I'd ensure that the 1st 'outer' disc that's in the tank is FAR larger in dia then the whole; then plug the hole with the exact sized disc whatever your hole is; glue the 1st disc superst to the tank and glue the 2nd one on it and then glue a 3rd one to the outside.
The biggest pressure will occur pushing you from the inside of the tank out, so that's why I said to make the inner one far larger; being held in place not only by the glu but the disc filling the actual hole this should be plenty sufficient.

You know sorta like these plugs in baby pools that are lil larger then the actual hole itself but pushed down by the water weight?

Sorry if I'm rambling on...just trying to help


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## iamntbatman (Jan 3, 2008)

Yeah, that sounds like a better idea than my original plan of just putting discs (or squares) on this inside and outside and filling the inside with silicone.


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## rsheets (Oct 25, 2009)

You could get some glass, and silicone it over the holes. I would not trust just plain silicone covering up the hole.


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## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

rsheets said:


> I would not trust just plain silicone covering up the hole.


Oh def not! I'd do plexi-glas the same thickness as your tank glass is (advantage between that and the plugs from the pluming section: Its clear not colored white).


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