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Need Help, Too Scared. DRILLING TANK

R

reneeRN

I was wondering if anyone could come help me drill my tenecor acrylic tank in my family room. Here is the problem, I have very little clearance between the wall and the tank, and I am not moving the tank. I dont have a standard overflow to the basement, just a few "u" tubes. Once they lose their prime, I have a flood. This has happened many times and I am sick of it. I dont have a drill to fit that small space to put in a durso standpipe. I was going out the back. I cannot drill thru the bottom.
 
magic

magic

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Renee

Can you lower the water level and drill it from the inside out (don't know how practicle this is). You would have to catch the waste material and brace the back of the tank against the wall with something to take the pressure of the acrylic.

Bob
 
RichT

RichT

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
49-22-8510.big.jpg
 
magic

magic

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
RichT said:
there is a 90 degree attachment for drills available.
Click to expand...
That crossed my mind also but I figured with the hole saw attached it might still be too long.

Bob
 
R

reneeRN

magic said:
Renee

Can you lower the water level and drill it from the inside out (don't know how practicle this is). You would have to catch the waste material and brace the back of the tank against the wall with something to take the pressure of the acrylic.

Bob
Click to expand...

No, Bob, there is an old wet/dry system in the back of the tank.
 
Phyl

Phyl

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Renee, are you really going to drill that tank full of water? I'd have to advise against that! While nothing MAY happen, anything that does go wrong is going to be much worse if you can't empty it to drill it...
 
D

danthemanj

FRAG SWAP VENDOR
Renee,

How about going out the side of the tank, towards the back of the tank? If you plumb it right, it won't look bad at all. You could use Black PVC plumbing. You could also build a small internal overflow in the corners where you install the bulkhead so that it looks like it is part of the tank. Just a thought..... What size bulkheads are you looking at installing?

Dan
 
J

Jcurry@wesketch

I have a 90 degree drill. It saves some space but you still need enough room for the drill & the bit. I would think you would need atleast 10" from the tank to the wall to get the drill & bit in there and get started. Measure the distance from the tank to the wall and I'll measure my drill tonight. They're around $200 new but I think Home Depot rents them pretty cheap.
 
R

reneeRN

Phyl said:
Renee, are you really going to drill that tank full of water? I'd have to advise against that! While nothing MAY happen, anything that does go wrong is going to be much worse if you can't empty it to drill it...
Click to expand...
this tank is an old tenecor i bought in 1986 when a "wet dry bioball filter" was new and all the rage. So the back of the tank, facing the wall is a large overflow. i empty the overflow and the main water is still in the front of the tank. Get It?
 
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