Planning holes in an overflow for pass-throughs can be daunting, but in this short article, I’ll try to explain it using examples.
In the diagram below, I will show you how to determine the placement of holes so that you can effectively install pass-throughs through the glass at the bottom of the aquarium.
- Aquarium Glass Thickness.
- Diameter of the hole in the glass – for a pass-through.
- Flange of the pass-through on the glass (total diameter of the pass-through through the glass).
- Overflow Glass Thickness.
- The thickness of the frame under the aquarium (if there is no stand, this would be the thickness of the furniture board at that location).
To determine the position of the holes, we must place the hole for the pass-through through the glass in such a way as to leave space for the flange, ensuring that the pass-through is not too close to the walls of the overflow. Surprisingly, we must also consider that the stand for the aquarium runs underneath, and if we position the hole too close to the back wall, the pass-through will end up on the frame and cannot be installed.
To determine the position of the holes, we need to make a sketch similar to our example.
A-B is the thickness of the frame on which the stand rests (assuming the stand is at the edge of the aquarium).
B-C is the distance from the stand to the pass-through through the glass – in my opinion, a minimum of 3 cm is necessary to allow the pass-through to be screwed on relatively freely later.
C-D is the measurement from the outer part of the pass-through to the beginning of its hole – this step will help us determine the position of the hole for the pass-through; this is the boundary line of the hole (the glassworker has the appropriate drill bit diameters for glass, and the pass-through hole lines will allow them to make holes in these places).
D-F – this is the space for the hole.
Based on these measurements, a technical drawing will be created for the glassworker who will make the holes.
An example of such a drawing is shown below.
About the author
Marek Protasewicz
Reefkeeping has been my passion for over 10 years now. I love learning. The hobby has taught me many valuable lessons, patience being the best example. Combining work and passion is my path. I run Crazy Coral, a marine aquarium shop, for a number of years. Building this business from the scratch I learnt from my own mistakes at a heavy cost.
Later I managed a project aimed at development of methods for quick growth of Corals in non-natural conditions. The project was carried out by Get Sales, Poland. Presently, I am responsible for distribution strategy at Reef Factory, of which I am a co-founder. The company produces smart devices for marine aquaristics. The last projects I have been involved in are Social Reef and ReefPedia.
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