How close can you drill glass holes?

I want to drill some holes on my 34G Solana glass top. This would allow my AI Sol to be able to shine in without having to cut through glass with condensation on it. Will also make feedings a bit easier. Dimensions of the tank are 20x20 and the top is slightly less than that to fit.

I don't want to go the screen door way right now so I am just thinking of drilling holes in the included glass top which I am fairly sure isn't tempered. I could also cut a .25 inch sheet of acrylic to the same dimensions if it's any easier or better to use acrylic sheets.

My current dilemma is whether to drill 2 or 3 large holes or 8 smaller holes matching the light. The AI Sol has six circular emitters about 1.8 inches in diameter with about .8 inches in spacing edge to edge of each circle .

The largest affordable glass cutting hole saw I came across is 4.1 inches. I could just make one hole near the middle with that or possibly two holes spaced some distance apart? I don't mind a spotlighting effect.

Alternatively I could cut six 1.5 inch holes that correspond to the layout of the AI Sol.

Thoughts?

 

Me, I would just do away with the glass top. If you have fish that jump out get a screen kit from BRS. But since you don't want to go that way, you would be better off getting a 1/4" peice of lexan and drilling it. If you have fish that will jump out do the screen, because at some point they will make a perfect jump thru a hole.

 

+1 to these suggestions.

 

even drilling holes wont allow the full light to go through unless you have the ai mounted almost directly on the top of the tank. Also, i think that most of those glass tops are tempered and cannot be drilled. Do you have the glass top on for a specific reason?

 

Yeah, I don't think I need all the lights to go through, just some more than now.

 

Yeah, a few holes in the glass to won't really help. Actually, I've done some PAR testing and glass tops don't actually block much light to begin with, even with condensation, only a few percent. but as others have said, the spread will miss the hole, unless directly in top of it anyways. Glass tops just don't go we'll with saltwater though, better off with screen anyways.

 

The way it is mounted, it is only about an inch or 1.5 inches above the glass top from the stock rails.