# 55 gallon from WalMart, can I drill it?



## mightyevil (Oct 23, 2008)

*Attempt to drill?*​
Yes741.18%No!1058.82%


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## mightyevil (Oct 23, 2008)

I have a 55 gallon tank that I bought off of someone and I am 90% sure it was purchased at WalMart because the HOB filters and stand that it came with along with many other things I have seen at WalMart.

It has a sticker on the bottom pane that says "this pane is tempered", so I know not to drill that. The rest of the panes do not have a sticker which leads me to believe that I can drill them but it is logical to think that the previous owner could have taken them off.

My question is, can I drill this bad boy? Does anybody own a WalMart 55 gallon and has successfully drilled it for sump setup?

TIA
Chris


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## fishEH (Sep 15, 2008)

I would say its unlikely that anything but the bottom pane is tempered, hence the "this pane is tempered" sticker. Can't say for sure though, and I don't have any experience with their tanks. Can you tell who the manufacturer is? Maybe check with them.


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## mightyevil (Oct 23, 2008)

Tank seems to be Aquaculture brand, that is the brand WalMart carries for 55 gallons.


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## Malawi_Junkie (Nov 26, 2009)

To keep production cost down I would think only the bottom pane is tempered but check w/ manufacturer to be sure.


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## mightyevil (Oct 23, 2008)

Yeah, gonna give em a call soon.


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## bulldogg7 (Mar 3, 2003)

From Glass-Holes.com:
http://mikekirkman.com/forum/smf_1-1-3_ ... opic=301.0


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## mightyevil (Oct 23, 2008)

bulldogg7 said:


> From Glass-Holes.com:
> http://mikekirkman.com/forum/smf_1-1-3_ ... opic=301.0


Thanks Bulldog, it's funny though, I just ordered a diamond bit holesaw and bulkheads from them...I guess I will use them on my 20 gallon and leave the rest for future tanks.

I must say though, I am really tempted to drill the tank. :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Harkinstein (Aug 23, 2009)

This looks interesting. How to tell if glass is tempered...

http://www.salt-city.org/showthread.php?t=9542


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## mightyevil (Oct 23, 2008)

Harkinstein said:


> This looks interesting. How to tell if glass is tempered...
> 
> http://www.salt-city.org/showthread.php?t=9542


The explanation is kind of confusing but it is a good tip, the pictures make sense.


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## bulldogg7 (Mar 3, 2003)

> If the glass is tempered it will look like this view through the bottom:












Classic :lol:

but it works


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## mightyevil (Oct 23, 2008)

:lol: :lol: :lol: Bulldog

Anyway, I tried to use my laptop but I either don't have the protective polarized screen on mine, I missed something or the tip is no good. Whatever it is thanks for posting anyway!


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## mightyevil (Oct 23, 2008)

I was surfing the web for polarized items that I may use to determine if my tank has tempered side panels and found a very interesting fact!

Have you see a 3D movie lately (in theaters)? Well, the glasses that you use can be very useful! According to the manufacturer they are polarized!!!  Makes sense right!!!

I just happened to save a pair for next time I take the family to see a 3D cartoon, my son is 2 years old and doesn't pay to get in but he doesn't get glasses either unless I pay $2 dollars extra for them. So, I saved the pair for him so I don't have to pay the extra fee next time.

Well, here is the glasses manufacturer's website...
http://masterimage3d.com/products/glasses

And here are my glasses, exactly as the MI-G100s...


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## mightyevil (Oct 23, 2008)

Does anybody know if they will only work in sunlight? or can I use them with the lights turned on in my house?


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

i think he means if you take a picture of it because it doesn't do it with mine if i just look at it


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

and turn the glasses around so you're looking out like you're using them


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## bulldogg7 (Mar 3, 2003)

put them on and look through the tank at your laptop, turn your head different ways and see if you can see a pattern in the tank glass
If it's not tempered, it should only get darker or lighter, unless your laptop doesn't have the polarized screen


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

test it with the known tempered pain, the bottom


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## mightyevil (Oct 23, 2008)

Okay, bad news for me...if indeed it worked, which to me looks like it did, then all sides are tempered.

I did the laptop thing and used the glasses at the same time and I see parallel lines all over the glass when turning either my face at 45 degree angles and or turning the laptop at 45 degree angles, it also works without turning anything but the lines are more apparent at 45 degrees.

I took some pictures and will post them soon!


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## mightyevil (Oct 23, 2008)

Here are the pictures, I took the pictures half looking through the glasses and the other half without so you guys can notice the difference...

Here is the bottom pane, notice the warning sticker...








Here is either the back or front pane...


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

hob overflow box?


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## bmweiler09 (Nov 17, 2009)

Are you sure your monitor is LCD? It shouldn't make a difference which way you have the glasses facing but he did say it had to be at an angle.


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## bmweiler09 (Nov 17, 2009)

sorry didnt see page 2!


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## newfisher (Dec 20, 2008)

Beware using 3D theatre glasses. They are circular polarized, not the same as plain polarized. Take two lenses from regular polarized sun glasses and turn them one relative the other and you will manage to totally blank out light. Now try that with one lens from regular sun glasses and one lens from 3d glasses .... it don't work!

The effect discussed in http://www.salt-city.org/showthread.php?t=9542 is called cross polarization. Cross-polars are used in petrographic microscopes to identify minerals in thin section using a characteristic called birefringence. Different minerals cause light passing through to change velocity and travel path, with the effect being characteristic of the mineral's crystalline structure, general refraction index, and sample thickness, thus causing the different colours and colour patterns that we call birefringence. Birefringence charts are then used to identify the mineral or group of minerals giving various colours. Birefringence may occur as a result of tempering glass, but it may also occur as a function of impurities in the glass, impurities ON the glass, or variations in glass thickness.

There as so many variables that are beyond the technique's control that I would suggest using the "laptop" approach only with extreme caution, or to be safe, not at all.

If in doubt, don't drill unless you can afford to loose the panel of glass.


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## mightyevil (Oct 23, 2008)

So you are saying that the pattern consistency that I saw was or could have been impurities in the glass and may of had nothing to do with the glass being tempered or not?

Just when I thought I had figured it out! What about using one of those old computer screen visors or whatever they are, I heard those were polarized?

Why is it dangerous to use the laptop trick? How is it dangerous?

I also found an imprint that says the tank is AGA, anybody had experiences drilling an AGA 55 gallon? I will try to take a picture of it.


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

all glass aquariums

try looking them up to see


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## mightyevil (Oct 23, 2008)

Here is a picture of the stamp...










All Glass Aquarium right?


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

pity you're not in Florida or I'd give you one of my 55g walmart tanks as a trade just so I could whack this tank with a hammer and be done with this! :lol:

mightyevil, most of the walmart tanks I've seen are all tempered. The thickness of the sides is usually a dead give away. My bet is that it's tempered and the photos of the monitor back up that hunch. 
:thumb:


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

hob overflow!


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## mightyevil (Oct 23, 2008)

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Okay, I'm done with this...not going to drill the darn thing.


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

if you can turn that hunk of rock into a reservior, you can use a specimen box hanging on the outside, and a u tubing to create a diy hob overflow, just drill the bottom of the specimen box for the bulkhead, and as long as the ends of the u tubing are at even hight then you should be good to go


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## mightyevil (Oct 23, 2008)

Those are/were the plans for that rock, I guess I will need those bulkheads after all! :thumb:


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## ksk_che_che (Sep 26, 2007)

My walmart has All-Glass Aquariums still. I think only the ends can be drilled on them, all other panes are tempered (front, back, bottom)


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## mightyevil (Oct 23, 2008)

Yeah, I didnt drill it.


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