Going to dismantle... learn from me!!

[deeishealthy]

So, after all my research, all my reading, all my investigating... I screwed up.

My tank is fabulous, but the drainage is becoming an issue. See, what I missed was that when you put a drainage tube in you should put a slit in a sponge and insert the end of the tube into it, then lay it in the bottom of the tank and cover it with your rocks (or your false bottom) so that the sponge filters. My tank is (from the bottom): river rocks, four layers of screen, potting soil, coco fibre, live plants and frogs. I thought I had it all wonderful until I read about the sponge. Sure enough, my water is starting to trickle from my drainage tube. Drat.

A dismantle is in the future. I have a friend who is a glazier and he has offered to drill my tank for me. I'm going to put a drainage hole on the side right down by the bottom and silicone a tube into it that will drain right into a bucket. I'm doing this in May, so I have time to figure everything out.

Does anyone have any advice for me in regards to filtering or silicone or drilling or anything? Is there anything I should know before I embark on this new adventure? Where do you recommend the hole be? Should it be right at the bottom of the side or should I leave a little space?

I debated long and hard about whether to do the rocks or a false bottom last time, and went with the rocks for aesthetic purposes. Now is my time to change this if I wished to, but actually, I really like the look of the rocks. However, if you have any input as to why I should change from rocks, now is the time!





Any and all input is welcome. Thanks in advance!

[deranged chipmunk]

dee, before you dismantle. try this. blow INTO the tube. it will clear your blockage, the siphon again. you may have to do it periodically, but it beats a tear down. unless of course you want to do a tear down. either that or just clear out enough in the corner to fit the sponge, and recover it.

[verb408]

Make sure it isn't tempered glass or you'll be buying yourself another tank. In reference to drilling.

[deranged chipmunk]

Make sure it isn't tempered glass or you'll be buying yourself another tank. In reference to drilling.

most tank manufacturers will only use tempered glass on the bottom pane. and then it's normally only on larger tanks.

[deeishealthy]

I've been doing that, Bill. But it's getting thick again and the tube is pink half way up, and I'm not keen on siphoning that... ew. I think the drain would just be one more step closer to my perfect scenario.

And yes, I checked. It's only the bottom that is tempered. Which actually makes me feel better about the rocks.

[deranged chipmunk]

gotcha. i figured you tried that, but i had to toss it out there. you'll want the drain as low as possible.remember that the lowest part of the inside of the tube will be your lowest drainage point, not the lowest point of the hole. so any water below that point will be forever in the tank. of course it will mix with new drainage water, so that will keep it from becoming stagnant. Lynn should be able to fill you in on how it's done better than i can. she has drilled her tanks herself. not only brains, but she's handy too

[kcvest03]

I had the same issue! I had a waterfall fat pumped the water from the bottom up and over some rocks....but now the waters nasty how do I clean it with out dismantling my tank I ended up getting rid of the water fall completely and just going with hydro balls and a layer of moss on top with potted plants....it looks great easy to clean bought an all in one waterfall....but I want a river n stuff uggg...I see all these epic vivariums! I want my cage to look glorious!

[deeishealthy]

My glass guy bailed on me. Now contemplating just doing the sponge thing and not having to dig up the whole shebang. The rocks are pretty grungy though... would that be a good bacteria thing? I'm thinking maybe I don't really want to rip the the whole thing apart if I don't have to now.