cutting glass aquarium for coast to coast overflow

[ghazni]

I am thinking to cut 8 X 1.5 piece of back wall of my glass aquarium to create a outside pseudo coast to coast overflow. My question: is this possible?

 

[plack]

I Don't know sorry but I have a thought or two.

The strength of a tank is often at the top and sharp cut corners lead to cracks sooo...

I would think it would stand a better chance of not bursting from stress later if it had top braces on either side. And if the 1.5" deep cut was a graduall radius on both sides like half of an oval slot instead of a rectangle .

Someone on reefcentral stated that to bond to glass there is sompthing that works better than GE#1 and will not degass( Release harmfull gas into the tank)

"Apparently GE scs1200 & GE RTV108 are the best."

Sompthing to think about... and a bump as well !!



Paul

 

[jagwire]

overflow

just a heads up

i have practiced cutting overflows out of glass tanks and have come to the conclusion that its not a great idea. i have had them work but all, when pressure from me was applied cracked. i think that in time if you do this you will eventually end up with a problem. the best way to go if you decided to do the overflow is with rounded corners make sure there are no straight angled cuts.

good luck

 

[Krish]

I've never tried this either, but had a thought. What about notching the back wall by cutting out a rectangle in the upper part of the tank and not trying to notch teeth in the glass and then get a piece of acrylic cut to size with the overflow teeth already cut into it and apply it silicone it on the inside of the tank giving you a new back wall with your teeth already cut into it. Did that make sense???I'll sketch something real quick incase it could work and possibly an good idea

 

[Scooterman]

Why not buy a piece of 1/2" acrylic & make a coast to coast internally, they don't have to be so big to be effective, just make & drain box to add your drain BH. Silicone will adhere to both surfaces well enough I have my sump like that & my past sumps, very hard to come off if done right.

 

[Krish]

Here's basically what I meant...


Attachment 1 shows what you will cut out of the back of your tank which will be just 3 straight cuts which should be pretty simple.


Attachment 2 shows what you will have made out of acrylic on a flat sheet of acrylic.

Then all you will do is apply the acrylic piece on the inside of the tank which will sort of give you the illusion that the back of your tank is acrylic (I've done this before on my 75gal and will hold and looks nice). Then all left to do is to attach your overflow box which you will have to make to the back of the tank and plub it in!

Hope that made sense. It was just a thought that came to mind

 

[DonW]

You can make a external over flow by notching the back and making a glass box. It will stick to the back of the tank just fine. The biggest drawback is the $200 bit to cut a slot that large. You also need a big variable speed router that can run slow enough for the bit. I also wouldnt do it without some sort of constant 50% coolant supply.

Don

 

[jagwire]

cutting glass

deffinitly do not do the teeth in the glass krishes idea with the acrylic works well.
do not cut glass at 90 degree angle with corners round the edges up.

i have had sucess building the coast to coast overflow inside the tank about 4 inches down with acrylic and the needed wholes in the glass for the right amount of flow.

good luck

 

[DonW]

This guy did a nice job. This is what I'm talking about.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1193819

Don

 

[Scooterman]

Nice that proves more than one way of getting it done, still rather make an acrylic overflow internal, just much easier to do.

 

[jagwire]

agree with scoot

easier to do and i would think safer to keep inside tank rather than outside.