Drilling

[Milo]

Can anyone tell me what the pros and cons of drilling a tank is? I am new to the SW world and see it all over the place. Just wanted to know why people do it.

Thanks

 

[seastaar88]

a drilled tank makes plumbing the tank to a sump or other external equipment easier.

 

[Joe Fish]

the only down side I can think of is hiding the plumbing. If i ever get a larger tank i'm probably going to take that route.

 

[seastaar88]

usually the plumbing is in back where you wont see it and can be masked by live rock. pvc returns eventually get coraline algae growth whcih helps to camoflague.

 

[Milo]

LOL Thats what I figured. Joe I am with you, if i ever get bigger, which in Marine Aquariums you always do, i will probably go that route aswell!

 

[KahluaZzZ]

and the con about drilling is micro cracks in the glass...can happen...then one days boom...but when you're tank is a HQ one and they driller is experimented you can even drill it when the tank is almost full.
You see less equipment with a drilled tank...just the skimmer..it's ugly in the display tank.

 

[Milo]

Wow yeah I guess that would make sense.

Question though, If you had a stand with a large enough capacity couldn't you store everything under the actual tank?

 

[Joe Fish]

Yes you should be able to. Say if you setup a sump to fit everything. That's another pro. Nice clean tank.

 

[OCCFan023]

a drilled tank is basiclly for sump purposes (unless your drilled bulkheads for maybe a closed loop)

sump should be able to hold all equipment and keep everything out of site in the display (overflow boxes)