What to do with a drilled tank?

[CAGE-RATTLER]

I recently picked up 2 40 gallon breeders that were drilled on the end of the tank 4 inches from the top (1 3/4 inch hole).

Im assuming it was used as an overflow.

Now down the road i might run some plumbing to utilize that but for now its not possible. Later on i may use it as a drain and just have a pipe go down lower in the tank.

Im just wondering what the best options are to use this tank as is.

Could i get a bulkhead with a cap to close it off??

And if so ....... where and what kind?

[scans]

Bulkheads and end caps work well. or you could get a rubber plug (http://www.stockcap.com/prod_detail.asp?id=120&cat=13). If you want to seal it forever, silicone a piece of glass over it.

[ronrca]

Home Depot my friend!

You can check out my pics on yahoo album for an idea as well that I use as an self cleaning overflow. :thumbsup:

Or you can ship them to me! :D

[CAGE-RATTLER]

Well i dont think i want to chance using a rubber plug on a 40 gallon tank in my carpeted back room which is also my office.

I went to home depot and looked around the plumbing area and checked out the PVC fittings but really didnt see anything that would work as a bulkhead and cap for it. The closest thing i saw might work with a rubber gasket on both sides ........ but there wasnt a smoothe area for a good seal ........ and what would touch the tank walls wasnt very wide like a real bulkhead if you know what i mean.

So where can i get cheap bulkhead parts??
I guess i'll need one thats threaded so i could put a cap on it.

I thought about patching it for now ...... but instead of glass i would use acrylic so it could be removed easily down the road.

[RockRiverfish]

If you decide to patch, I would go with glass. I have heard that silcone doesn't stick to acrylic very well. Since you already have the hole, I would go the bulkhead direction. With a 1 3/4" hole, you will probably be looking for a 1" bulkhead. The 1 inch refers to the pvc pipe size you would connect it to, or in this case the plug size. Bulkheads come in a variety of choices for how the pvc attaches. I would look for one with threaded fittings on both sides, since this allows you to change the attached fittings/plugs/elbows.

Most of the online aquarium stores will have them.

[scans]

Here you go:

Bulkheads $5 (http://cgi.ebay.com/BULKHEAD-Fitting-1-Thread-Slip-Connection-Blue_W0QQitemZ7735842518QQcategoryZ3212QQssPageNam eZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

Then just get a 1" threaded plug from Homedepot until you do something else with it.

[CAGE-RATTLER]

Here you go:

Bulkheads $5 (http://cgi.ebay.com/BULKHEAD-Fitting-1-Thread-Slip-Connection-Blue_W0QQitemZ7735842518QQcategoryZ3212QQssPageNam eZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

Then just get a 1" threaded plug from Homedepot until you do something else with it.


Good ole aquacave again huh ? lol

Thats almost $10 with shipping (wonder what aqua blue color looks like ... the one pictured is black)

That looks just like the one i saw last night at Drs Foster & Smith and choice of 3 colors.
Wonder what there shipping is?

I need a few other things so i'll probably get the black one fron Dr F&S.

I might send aquacave an email tho to see what the aqua blue one looks like .......... i dont care for the clear blue that Dr F&S has but my paint for my tank is aqua blue so if the one from aqua cave matches i might go with it.

Im assumming a regular 1 inch PVC cap would fit on that to seal it? But unfortunately no colored PVC ..... lol. Do they sell caps for bulkheads so i could match the colors?

I know im nit picking here but the setup is in my officse/back room so i still want it to look good too.

[scans]

The caps and plugs do exist, but not on most pet sites. They have them here

http://www.plumbingsupply.com/pvc.html#plug

[CAGE-RATTLER]

Im assuming they are white PVC as well just like what i can get at home depot. I guess white wouldnt be to bad if i got the plug instead of a cap tho.

[scans]

Yeah... I think they are whitee. I have never seen them in anything other than white and grey.

[ronrca]

Home Depot has them Cage. All you need is a female threaded cap and a male threaded coupling. Then find the plug for it. If you are using 1" pipe, there is a gasket that I use which is outstanding.

[ronrca]

The parts!

[ronrca]

and the install (not exactly the same parts but you should get the idea).

[ronrca]

here is one installed with the exact parts however. ;)

[CAGE-RATTLER]

Thanx Ronrca ............. thats actually the parts i was looking at but figured the small concat area to the glass wouldnt be sufficient.

Did you also get the rubber gasket from Home Depot??

And do you think it would be better to put a gasket on both sides??