Tips on Drilling an ADA Tank

ADA aquariums are beautiful, seamless aquariums that can be used for fresh or saltwater fish. Drilling a glass aquarium can give you extra filtration options and allow you to connect multiple tanks into one system. However, drill glass carefully as it is easy to crack the glass sheet and ruin the aquarium. Do not try to drill through tempered glass, typically found on the bottom aquarium.

  1. Choosing the Grinder for the Drill

    • First, carefully plan what you want to accomplish by drilling the aquarium and measure as accurately as possible. You will only get one chance to do it correctly. Start by choosing the right bulkhead you will attach inside the drilled hole. The bulkhead will specify the size of the hole it needs for a proper fit. You need to find a drill bit, called a glass grinder, that will drill the exact size hole you need. You may need to order the grinder online as they may be difficult to find in hardware stores. Order two for each hole you plan to drill.

    Water

    • Grinding the glass of the ADA tank will generate a great deal of heat. This heat will build up and eventually crack the glass. Additionally, the grinding process will generate glass dust which will limit the effectiveness of the grinder and could pose a health risk if inhaled. To guard against both of these problems, use water to keep the glass cool and wash away the dust. One idea is to use plumber's putty to build a small wall around the area where you will be drilling. Fill inside the wall with about 1/2 inch of water. Drill inside the water and change out the water as often as you can.

    Drilling

    • Drill as slowly as possible. High speed rotary tools are therefore inappropriate for drilling an ADA aquarium. Keep the drill level as you grind through the glass. Drilling too quickly will generate too much heat and risks cracking the glass. Depending on the thickness of the glass, you may need to change the grinder once or twice.

    Cautions

    • When you finish the drilling, the inside of the hole will fall into the aquarium. Place a towel inside the aquarium so that the plug falls onto the towel; otherwise, it may crack the opposite end of the aquarium. Also, use caution when handling the glass plug and the hole, as they will have uneven, sharp edges. To clean out the rough edges around the inside of the hole, use the grinder and, as gently as possible, sand down the uneven edges. The hole will still be sharp, but the bulkhead will fit better.