Advice on location for drain hole

sid700 · 09-24-2004, 10:49 AM

Hello. I am about to drill a drain hole for the over flow and I would like opinions/advice on whether to drill the hole on the side or the bottom of my 55-gal hex, acrylic. I don't really know the pros and cons of each.

Geoff · 09-24-2004, 03:50 PM

Welcome to TRT!!!

are you using a full sized overflow or just an elbow with a strainter on it? i just use elbows with strainers on them for my drilled overflows. they take up a lot less room in the tank. i drilled them on the side near the top. that way if anything does decide to leak it will only drain 1/4 to 1/3 of the tank and not the entire tank.

i think i drilled mine about 3 inches below the plastic rim.

HTH,

G~

Krux · 10-11-2004, 01:04 AM

the pro to side drilled is that you do not need a hole in your stand to allow the drain pipe to come through. the pro to bottom drilled is that you do not need to plumb behind the tank, so you can get it closer to the wall.

it depends on what scenario is more important/feasible for you. both will get the job done. if your hole is in the bottom make sure you have room to work in a drain pipe with some sort of silencer (durso, stockman, etc.) though, as water falling to the bottom of the tank from the top is quite loud.

RobinsonFam1 · 10-12-2004, 08:04 PM

make sure whatever you drill is not tempered glass as it will shatter.