# The Old Drilling a Hole Trick



## tubamanandy (4 May 2015)

Just started using a very modern Eheim external cannister filter after a break of  over 20 years not using external filters.

Do people still use the old trick of drilling a hole just below the water level on the intake pipe to ensure your tank doesnt get emptied in an emergency situation or is there a better/modern way to do this ?


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## sciencefiction (5 May 2015)

tubamanandy said:


> is there a better/modern way to do this ?


 
Yes, mopping the floor and drying the carpet 

My cheap china filter has holes on the intake pipe by design it seems as I've got two of them.


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## Edvet (5 May 2015)

A closed system like a cannister filter shouldn't need this. I would add a hole when you use a sump, which can empty the tank. When power fails the eheim will just keep the water and not  drain it anywheere.


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## Julian (5 May 2015)

Edvet said:


> A closed system like a cannister filter shouldn't need this. I would add a hole when you use a sump, which can empty the tank. When power fails the eheim will just keep the water and not  drain it anywheere.



I disagree. If your cannister filter starts to leak and the water level drops below the hole at the top of the intake, in theory it should start to take in air and stop water traveling down the intake (depends on the size of the hole). Can't say the same for the outlet though, I imagine water would still find it's way out this way too.


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## Tim Harrison (5 May 2015)

Good tip...pretty hard to do with lily pipes tho'


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## pjpj (5 May 2015)

Got to remember to switch of the filter when doing a water change too.


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## Andy Thurston (5 May 2015)

Julian said:


> I disagree. If your canister filter starts to leak and the water level drops below the hole at the top of the intake, in theory it should start to take in air and stop water traveling down the intake (depends on the size of the hole). Can't say the same for the outlet though, I imagine water would still find it's way out this way too.


if this happens when your not around to hear it, it will probably destroy your impellor and shaft. I'm with edvet on a sumped system maybe, on a canister no. its highly unlikely that a leaking canister is going to empty your tank all over the floor, well at least if its maintained properly. I personally replace seals as soon as they start to leak, I don't bodge them up with sealer (Vaseline etc) and if I do then its only until new seals arrive


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## Julian (5 May 2015)

Big clown said:


> if this happens when your not around to hear it, it will probably destroy your impellor and shaft. I'm with edvet on a sumped system maybe, on a canister no. its highly unlikely that a leaking canister is going to empty your tank all over the floor, well at least if its maintained properly. I personally replace seals as soon as they start to leak, I don't bodge them up with sealer (Vaseline etc) and if I do then its only until new seals arrive


Agreed, will most likely destroy your filter. Rather that happen than it destroy my living room! It is rare that a seal will fail, but I know from my own experience that other equipment, inline co2 diffusers, heaters etc are prone to leaking too.


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## Andy Thurston (5 May 2015)

I've had a leaking inline diffuser, but only co2 and I don't/wont use an inline heater. Again if you check pipework, heaters etc. while you do your weekly water change then its highly unlikely that you will flood your house.


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## sciencefiction (5 May 2015)

Every time I flooded the house, it wasn't my fault 
One filter(sand bed filter) developed a hole at the bottom plastic and leaked half the tank while I was sitting on my a$$ in the other room suspecting nothing.
I ran dry one of my externals for 2-3 weeks as I forgot to turn on hose adaptor switch. It started up again like a champ and it's been working for 2 years since.
Then another time the spray bar of one of the externals detached itself somehow, the water flow twisted upwards as it was hitting against the heater and the inlet somehow,  went through the back hole of the cover, slowly draining out the tank.  I was sitting next to the tank and only noticed when my filters started making noise as they have a gap on the intake and lose suction when the water level goes down(smart Chinese  And fish swimming around happily enjoying themselves the extra oxygen...
And my trickle filters flooded out the back a few times, one time(ok, my fault) I had turned the spraybar holes against the wall after a clean....
Last time it was the planted in the filter peace lily growing too big roots and blocking the flow eventually, water found its way over the back of the tank and then decided to take turn into the cabinet, near my plugs, good job they are hung on the side so it didn't drown them but enough to cause a spike so the electricity shut off, hence I found out.... It felt sort of silent all of a sudden 

I so much miss the times of the undergravel, internl and sponge filters...

And that's not to mention a 2nd hand tank I bought leaking too....

Lucky you that never had a leak


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## Andy Thurston (5 May 2015)

I've had a trickle filter overflow down the back of the tank. I cured that problem by moving it forward so if it overflowed again it runs back into the tank. I've also had plenty fluval externals leaking I solved that problem by selling that crap and not buying second hand filters
most of my tanks are setup so they make more noise as the water level drops, cant beat an early warning system
as for out/inlets escaping off the tank these can be secured using various methods.
maybe I have been lucky and not had any big leaks.


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## sciencefiction (5 May 2015)

Big clown said:


> out/inlets escaping off the tank these can be secured using various methods.


 
Solved that with superglue  Can't move anymore... I think it was my pleco trying to clean the spraybar as he doesn't know he's big.
Yes, there are ways to prevent a lot of these. One lives and learn.  I seem to learn better the hard way, lol.


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## tubamanandy (5 May 2015)

I'm reverting to my instincts and will be putting a hole in my intake pipe just below the water line.

I simply don't want my entire tank emptied onto my front room carpet if I get eg. an external filter leak, pipe come off, leak at a joint etc. I don't mind replacing my filter if I have to.

I did this with external filters 20-25 years ago and I still think its a great trick - convince me not to


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## Julian (6 May 2015)

tubamanandy said:


> I'm reverting to my instincts and will be putting a hole in my intake pipe just below the water line.
> 
> I simply don't want my entire tank emptied onto my front room carpet if I get eg. an external filter leak, pipe come off, leak at a joint etc. I don't mind replacing my filter if I have to.
> 
> I did this with external filters 20-25 years ago and I still think its a great trick - convince me not to




I think your logic is sound. I'd be very interested to see a video of you testing it out!


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## ajm83 (6 May 2015)

This is a good idea, I think I will do the same mod next time I have the pipework out of the tank. 

We had a leak at work when we had a powercut during the weekend. Turned out the canister filter (APS 1000EF+) had a leak in the pump head somewhere. In normal use, no water came out, I guess because the water was constantly being pumped back out. But, when the power went out it started leaking quite badly!

Luckily through a combination of my laziness (leaving the filter sat in a 30L silicon tub after cleaning it the month before) and poor workmanship (cutting the intake too short) only about 30L actually made it to the floor.


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## sciencefiction (6 May 2015)

Big clown said:


> maybe I have been lucky and not had any big leaks.


 
Also, I have 11 filters running amongst my 5 tanks, bound to get an issue it seems at one time or another. 
I think drilling a hole is a good idea, as long as the hole itself is kept clean and doesn't clog or one leaves the water to evaporate too often to hinder the filter performance.


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