Reef ready tanks

[sharkbait33]

I have a 56gal aquarium that I'm hoping to make reef ready. Can anybody give me advice as to where on the tank the holes should be drilled? Is it more beneficial to get them drilled on the bottom as oppose to the back/sides of the tank? The dimensions of my tank are 48x13x21. Thanks!

[Entropy]

On a tank that skinny (front to back) I would have them drilled on the bottom and in the back corner (either). An internal overflow is going to take up a lot of space and since you only have 13 inches as it is I would advise against a center overflow. If you can swing it you might want to drill close to the top and use an external overflow siliconed (or epoxied) to the back so it doesn't eat up any of your tank space but that is not for the faint of heart and I am not sure the cost would be justified on a tank this size.

[Sean]

I did it on a 55 gallon right in the middle. It worked fine and looked fine too, however it was a fowlr and my lion and triggers and puffer quickly outgrew it hence my now owning a 135. I gave it and the stand away when I moved from Va. Beach to Tx. I wish I still had it though b/c my son wants a horse tank and it would have been perfect!

[Entropy]

I did it on a 55 gallon right in the middle.

How close to the edge did you drill Sean? I am just thinking of a standard size overflow being about six inches wide (front to back) and it would leave seven inches from the overflow wall to the front glass. That seems pretty tight to get any rock in there and have any room to slide a cleaning magnet by.