GH overflow installation instructions 20150316 - Home Glass

Overflow Kit Installation
Thank you for choosing a Glass-Holes overflow kit. Please note that this is a do-it-yourself
project that we supply the do-it yourself stuff for you to do-it-yourself. Working with glass has
inherent dangers, including personal injury, accidental death, or cracked glass, so please be
careful and wear gloves, shoes, pants, eye protection, etc.. and be extremely careful! If you have
any questions or concerns, please email us at [email protected]. Prior to installation, be
sure that you have everything you will need to complete the installation. This includes, but is not
limited to:
1. Aquarium with non-tempered panel to be drilled. If you are uncertain if the panel you are
about to drill is not tempered, STOP! Please contact the tank manufacturer, or visit our
forum, www.WorldReefers.com for tempered panel information. If you attempt to drill a
tempered panel, it will shatter, which is a very conclusive way to determine whether or not it is
tempered.
2. Cordless drill with adjustable clutch. We recommend the use of a cordless drill to avoid
electrocution, (undesirable), as water needs to be applied over the hole saw during drilling.
The clutch will limit torque transfer to the glass, reducing the chances of cracking the glass.
3. Spring clamps and/or duct tape. Used to hold the template in place.
4. Marking pen. Used to mark mounting location.
5. Tape measure. Used to help determine mounting location.
6. Water source. A spray bottle, garden hose, bucket, just about anything will do.
7. Expendable towels. Used for clean-up.
8. Teflon tape or paste. Used to seal threaded plumbing fittings. We prefer teflon plumber’s paste.
9. Magic Lube (optional). Recommended (not required) to use on gaskets.
10.Safety gear. Mentioned above. Be very careful to avoid injury.
11.Your Glass-Holes.com Complete Overflow Kit, which contains:
a. Glass-Holes.com overflow box
b. Diamond coated holesaw 1 ¾ inch for Nano, Super-Nano, and Super Nano con Dientes or
2 3/8 inch for 700 or 1500 or 3 inch for 3000
12.Mounting template (piece of wood with a hole in it)
13.Bulkhead(s), each with 2 gaskets. One 1 inch for Nano, Super-Nano, and Super Nano con
Dientes or One 1 ½ inch for 700 or Two 1 ½ inch for 1500 or Two 2 inch for 3000
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14.Vented elbow(s). One 1 inch for nano, Nano, Super-Nano, and Super Nano con Dientes or
One 1 ½ inch for 700 or Two 1 ½ inch for 1500 or Two 2 inch for 3000
15.A FLexible Underwater Siphon Husher (F.L.U.S.H.) for each elbow. Go ahead and stick the
F.L.U.S.H. tube into the small hole in the elbow now. This is the black tube(s) in the box.
16.Bubble wrap or cardboard. The stuff it came with is fine.
17.Optional: Dope Glass-Holes.com T-Shirt (to be worn immediately following
installation)
18.Piece of candy
19.These instructions. If you do not have these instructions, please email us and let us know.
20.The appropriate plumbing supplies to go from the elbow(s) on the kit to your sump. This can
be rigid PVC or UltraFlex flexible PVC(recommended). Any other tubing will not function
properly. This includes vinyl tubing, pool hose, shop vac hose, etc..
This plumbing should consist of the minimum of fittings
needed, and no valves, or fittings smaller than the pipe size
of the kit you purchased. If you have a nano series kit, this
would be 1” PVC plumbing all the way to the sump, for 700
and 1500, this is 1 1/2”, and for the 3000 kits, this is 2”
plumbing. Do not combine dual drains. Avoid long
horizontal pipe runs. Do not use insert (barb) adaptors in
the elbows. Do not use anything other than PVC pipe or
UltraFlex PVC pipe. The kits will not work properly with
smaller or restricted plumbing!!!!
Here’s what to do with all this stuff:
1. Determine the your desired water level. We find with typical applications within our
recommended flow rates the water level in our boxes will be between ½ to ¾ of the way up the
teeth. If you are using a toothless (Grandpa style) box plan on the water level running 1/8” to
1/2” above the box. Once you have your desired water level determined you can measure and
mark how far down the holes will be from the top of the tank. Be certain that the box (and lid
if so equipped) will be below the bottom of the inside trim of your tank (if so equipped).
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2. Now locate the drilling template where you have determined you need to drill the hole(s). You
can use duct tape to mount the template, although we do recommend using spring clamps to
hold it in place. DO NOT use screw type clamps, these can cause too much localized stress
and crack your glass! Note that the template is shorter that the actual overflow box, to allow it
to be used in tanks with trim.
3. At this point you will want to don any safety equipment you wish to use. We always use eye
goggles and gloves, hearing protection is not a bad idea either, drilling can be quite loud. It is
obnoxious sounding, too.
4. Place something like the included bubble wrap or a piece of cardboard under the future hole,
so the plug doesn’t fall out and crack the opposite panel. You feel really stupid when you drill
a perfect hole and crack the other side of the tank.
5. Ideally you will use a cordless drill with an adjustable clutch that can be set very light. This
will prevent extra force on the glass should you bind the bit during drilling. It is now time to
start drilling!! Pour some regular old water in the template hole to cool and lubricate the hole
saw, you will want to keep the bit wet through the whole drilling process. Start drilling flush to
the glass, using the provided template. Light pressure and a speed of 700-1000 RPM are
optimal. The drilling will make a horrid grinding noise. This is normal, you are actually
grinding through the glass. Be glad you don’t hear these same sounds at the dentist.
6. After drilling for a bit (pun intended), you should be able to remove the hole saw from the
template and see a groove starting in the glass. Once you see this groove you may want to
remove the drilling template; it has served its purpose. If you require multiple holes, (1500 and
3000 kits), be sure to start both holes before removing the template.
7. Now you can come back to the groove you have started and finish up the hole. You will want
to keep the hole saw wet through the process for cooling and lubrication. As you get near to
the end of drilling the hole you will see the water start to leak through, this is the sign that you
are close. Imagine suspenseful music at this time, it makes it much more exciting! At this point
you will want to use very light pressure and patience to minimize chip out on the opposite
side. However, some chip out is normal and likely
8. Clean up all the mess from the drilling.
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9. Take a look at figure 363b.
figure 363b
10.If you have some silicone plumber’s grease (Magic Lube), squeeze a tiny bit on the gaskets,
just a nice little film. I like to use as little as possible to cover the entire gasket. I like to put a
dab on the bulkhead threads, as well. You don’t really have to do this step, but I feel better
about the whole deal when I do, and it makes future disassembly easier.
12. Remove the nut(s) from the bulkhead(s). Put (or leave) one gasket on each bulkhead. Stick
the bulkhead through the holes you just drilled from the outside of the tank. Scratch your
head a little and say, “this seems backwards to me”. It’s not. Get another gasket and put it
over the bulkhead from inside the tank. This gasket will be between the tank and your shiny
new overflow box. If you ordered the tall bulkheads, you may need to trim them to fit. The
bulkhead should be cut down so that they protrude no more than about 1/8” past the nut when
installed.
13. Remove the enkamat and the top of the baffle from the overflow box. It might be in there
pretty tight.
14. Put the box over the holes, snug up the nut(s) onto the bulkhead(s) inside of the box. This is
easiest accomplished by holding the nut in place with your finger, and spinning the
bulkhead(s) onto the nut(s). Eyeball it to make sure it looks level.
15. If you haven’t already done so, put the F.L.U.S.H. tubes into the holes in the elbows. Put
some teflon tape or paste (preferred) on the street elbow threads, then screw them into the
bulkheads. This helps snug up the bulkheads as well. Be sure these elbows end up facing
within 45 degrees or so of straight down. These elbows will likely not thread all the way into
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the bulkheads. The bulkheads and fittings have tapered threads. Hand tight is sufficient, too
tight will crack break the bulkheads. No tools needed on this step.
16. Put the baffle back in the box, pressing it down firmly onto the vertical members so the
bulkheads are covered. Put the enkamat back in over the top of the baffle and pushed down
on the ends.
17. Using PVC primer and cement, or an all in one such as Red Hot Blue Glue, finish plumbing
this to your sump. You can use rigid PVC pipe or flexible PVC like UltraFlex. Just don’t use
a smaller size than the elbow on your box!
18. Fill up the tank with test water and check for leaks. Most likely causes are insufficient teflon
tape or paste, and over tightening the bulkhead(s) and/or elbow(s). The system may be a
little noisy at first, but this generally goes away in a few days. If the noise persists, try
rotating and/or raising or lowering the F.L.U.S.H. tubes. If after a few days of actual running
as a system it’s excessively noisy, email us. Prior to emailing us, be certain that the baffle
and enkamat is in place, that the plumbing is the correct size PVC, no restrictions including
valves, insert (barb) adaptors, reducers, etc.. A few pictures of the drain always speed up the
diagnosis.
19. Fill it up with water, commit to waiting 6 weeks to stock it, get anxious and stock it in 2
days, then overstock the next week and wonder why you have so much algae and everybody
dies all the time.
20. Repeat step 19 about 15 times until you run out of money.
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