# DIY Caves



## Mahlady

Making caves for my future Blood Parrot Cichlid

I went "cave shopping" this weekend. I couldn't find any I liked and none I did like that fit my budget.

After looking on the web for "how to's", I decided to make my own.

Here are some photos of the 2 caves I will be making for my aquarium.

Cost around $10 for the 2.

4" pvc pipes $1.14 each (bought at Menard's)

3/4" River Pebbles $2.89 a bag (50lb.bag)

Silicone (non toxic for aquarium use) $3.87 at Menard's

Time spent so far 2 hours

Step 1

Gather stuff

Step 2

Check rocks with Vinegar to see if they "bubble" (not so sure if this is accurate, but did it anyways)

Step 3

Picked out the ones I liked from the bag - boiled for 2 hours after scrubbing

Step 4

Let cool and dry

Step 5

Took 2 of the bigger rocks and siliconed to what would be the "back" of the cave. Needed a base rock to build off of.

(you could leave open if you choose to do so but then it would just be a tunnel rather than a cave)

Step 6

Let cure for 2 hours

Step 7

Use silicone to decoratively place the rest of the stones where you like for fashion leaving the "frontside" completely open

this is where my pictures end...I am placing some stone, letting them sit for a few hours, then turning the pipe and adding more, then sitting again for a few hours. I found it makes it easier to work with as the pvc keeps rolling around. I used a 4 in terracotta pot to sit it in so it would stop rolling, and let it harden some before moving on to the rest of the stones.

It also allows the stones a bit of a cure time so they wont slip and slide while adding more, plus I have small children and need breaks here and there..work at your own preferred pace.



Step 8

Let cure for 7 days

Done.

Hope you like it, will post pics when I am done with mine.

I really like how it's turning out, I hope it looks good in the aquarium.

It's actually fun to make knowing its for my new water friends.

Mah


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## goldie

Hi Malady

You are busy, would love to see pics as it's progressing


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## Mahlady

tried to post them but I am not sure why the upload didn't work...


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## rtmaston

i would also like to see it to get some ideas.thanks


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## Mahlady

ok not sure how to get you there, but in my photo gallery i made a folder named DIY Caves, should be there now...

and is there a quick way to make a link in a post to my galleries?


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## Mahlady

maybe it's here?


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## goldie

There looking really good and you must have a,lot of patience with the amount of stones you're using. Keep the pics coming love looking at anything like this and then seeing the end result


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## Mahlady

the best part is, i posted them on craigslist, someone bought one of the 4" ones and put in an order to have me make a 6" one. 

I am excited that I will make some money from something I enjoy doing, and I can use the funds to upgrade my tank and get a 55g this weekend!


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## goldie

That's brilliant and getting a 55 gallon as well. I wonder why we get so excited over fish tanks , i think it's the addiction lol

Must say goodnight it's 10.45pm here
Oh, will you post a pic of your new tank when you start setting it up


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## Mahlady

here's the new 55g I got. Traded 2 caves, a 6" and a 4" for it all. Even the stand 

Cleaning it this weekend. Excited!

:fish-in-bowl:


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## Summer

awesome!


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## goldie

Mahlady said:


> here's the new 55g I got. Traded 2 caves, a 6" and a 4" for it all. Even the stand
> 
> Cleaning it this weekend. Excited!
> 
> :fish-in-bowl:


Hi ml, wow that was some trade and wo are you going to have fun with that beauty. Great sized tank, love it. Keep the pics coming when you start setting up will you


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## Mahlady

yep, i will, its really bad today, cleaned the gravel and filled it with water and its really yucky even after cleaning it!


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## Mahlady




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## LTruex

Mahlady, keep your eye on the ph for those stones may alter your ph...not saying they will, just they may be that type. Otherwise nice job.... Larry


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## rtmaston

thanks for the pics


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## goldie

Mahlady said:


>


Heklo mahlady 

I suppose that will be just disturbing the gravel that's done that and will probably clear quite quickly. Is the substrate a fine gravel or sand,it looks like a fine gravel to me . I looked at pics of Blood parrot ciclids because i didn't know which theywere so i think the colour of the fish will really stand out with that substrate you've chosen.

Also are the pots plastic or the terracotta only i read that good bacteria grows well on a terracotta surface. Whether that's true or not i don't know,iv'e got five small ones in my cory julli tank and they love them shooting in and out of them.
As the other poster said (sorry forgotton your name now) thanks as well for the pics and keep them coming. Great size tank


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## goldie

LTruex said:


> Mahlady, keep your eye on the ph for those stones may alter your ph...not saying they will, just they may be that type. Otherwise nice job.... Larry


Hello Larry

Do you mean the larger stones in the middle on top of the substrate? What type of stones alter the PH. If i put say rocks in a tank i just test with vinegar and if they don't fizzzzzzzz in they go. Is that what you mean.


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## Mahlady

I checked them with vinegar they didnt fizz, then i boiled them all to clean em. They are river pebbles I bought at Menard's that I bought. Then I put them in conditioned water for 3 days and did water tests. It didnt alter the ph, but my ph is high even without them. The test strips I have are the max color 8.4 is the highest reading on the test strip. It could even be higher than that I guess. Is there a way to accurately test the ph another way?

and yes those are terracotta pots


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## LTruex

I mean to say rocks should be tested by soaking in a known ph water for a minimum of one week, then a water sample taken and alow to stablize and take a ph reading...leave that sample sit a while longer and take another comparison of that color chart to see if the color has changed anymore, sometime it takes a little time for the water to stablilze the ph under test...that should be your correct ph reading. Larry


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## goldie

Mahlady said:


> I checked them with vinegar they didnt fizz, then i boiled them all to clean em. They are river pebbles I bought at Menard's that I bought. Then I put them in conditioned water for 3 days and did water tests. It didnt alter the ph, but my ph is high even without them. The test strips I have are the max color 8.4 is the highest reading on the test strip. It could even be higher than that I guess. Is there a way to accurately test the ph another way?
> 
> and yes those are terracotta pots


Mahlady i personally like the look of terracotta pots as well in a tank, btw has your water cleared that was bugging you


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## goldie

Larry , I do the vinegar test then soak in boiling water but i've never followed all the info you've given there so, i'm thinking now iv'e just been lucky that the rocks havent affected the water chemistry.

So .iv'e got a few bags of new gravel, is it wise to test that and if so how would i do this
It's vey small grain and been prewashed but i suppose that's not a guarantee it's safe or is it?

The other gravels that are in my other tanks haven't caused any problems ,they've been in more than three years but i fancied a change so this is different


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## LTruex

Goldie, any time the substrate of gravel or rocks are added to an aquarium, it is always a concern it could raise the ph...unless on the label (not taking anyones word) it states it is inert and or will not raise ph in water. Now does that mean worry...no, for it means watch it over a period of a week if already in use. Or test is for a week in a bucket before using the material. Either way be prepared to deal with it if it makes very noticable change to ph, and you have plants or live stock in the tank...it can have an affect upon them. Larry


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## goldie

No it's only just arrived after a very long wait Larry but,as it's different to my others how do i test it. Same as the rock you posted about.

The other in thetanks i know is safe because it's been in use for about three years


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## LTruex

It's tested the same as rocks, for example and intial test is white vinegar to see if it fizzes or bubbles, and if not that a good sign, but for the all around absolute test put in a bucket to sit for a week...I don't favor airation for I'm of the belief it can raise ph just airating, but keep in lit area and sunlit is OK but not a requirement to my knowlegde. Wait the week and test the water ph. Larry


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## goldie

No it dosen't fizz Larry,iv'e done that. On the back it just says Decorative Gravel PH7
My water from the tap is usually 7.5 so is the PH7 showing on the bags a problem do you think. The Orandas are always in about 7.5

So iv'e got to wait another week ,but i will if necessary


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## goldie

goldie said:


> No it dosen't fizz Larry,iv'e done that. On the back it just says Decorative Gravel PH7
> My water from the tap is usually 7.5 so is the PH7 showing on the bags a problem do you think. The Orandas are always in about 7.5
> 
> So iv'e got to wait another week ,but i will if necessary


Oh no it dosen't say that, it just says PH Neutral but, i suppose that means PH7. I'm going to be dreaming about sand and gravel lol


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## Mahlady

yes the tank is settling some looking good, i set it on the stand backwards however wouldnt have been a problem but the fluval filter i got today doesnt fit over the casing since its backwards. I am going to have to either 1.turn the tank around, or 2. exchange the filter for something that will fit over the casing (much easier, just another trip to the LFS sigh)

on a terrible note, my plecostomus has went missing, i have searched high and low through the whole house under the tables behind the tv, anywhere and everywhere. either he went incognito under the gravel, or he met my dog, Fatty.

it's been a day thats for sure...

::update::
the pleco came out from hiding, and got a different filter that fits, a bigger one, different store, for $10 less.
at least the end of my day will let me sleep tonight, i was going to have nightmares about a pleco out of water lol.

Mah


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## LTruex

Goldie and Mahlady...Goldie first your gravel has neutral ph...safe to use, even if it said ph 7 for your water it would have no effect. I would have been stumpped if it said it will make your ph 7?????? Mahlady. You can get a large bucket (trash size) clean it good and syphon off a large enough portion of your tank to move it...then put the same water back...but clean the bucket really good or buy a new one...you will have use for it. On your 29 gal tank shouldn't have to take much more than 50% just to turn it around. That could be a water change if it's near the time for one. Larry


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## goldie

Mahlady said:


> yes the tank is settling some looking good, i set it on the stand backwards however wouldnt have been a problem but the fluval filter i got today doesnt fit over the casing since its backwards. I am going to have to either 1.turn the tank around, or 2. exchange the filter for something that will fit over the casing (much easier, just another trip to the LFS sigh)
> 
> on a terrible note, my plecostomus has went missing, i have searched high and low through the whole house under the tables behind the tv, anywhere and everywhere. either he went incognito under the gravel, or he met my dog, Fatty.
> 
> it's been a day thats for sure...
> 
> ::update::
> the pleco came out from hiding, and got a different filter that fits, a bigger one, different store, for $10 less.
> at least the end of my day will let me sleep tonight, i was going to have nightmares about a pleco out of water lol.
> 
> Mah


lol mah, i laughed when i read about perhaps the plec had met your dog, it was the way you phrased it hahaha but ,glad to hear the day ended well and you didn't have nightmares.So what's your next move with your tank or are you having a break after all that lol


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## goldie

LTruex said:


> Goldie and Mahlady...Goldie first your gravel has neutral ph...safe to use, even if it said ph 7 for your water it would have no effect. I would have been stumpped if it said it will make your ph 7?????? Mahlady. You can get a large bucket (trash size) clean it good and syphon off a large enough portion of your tank to move it...then put the same water back...but clean the bucket really good or buy a new one...you will have use for it. On your 29 gal tank shouldn't have to take much more than 50% just to turn it around. That could be a water change if it's near the time for one. Larry


Hello Larry
I know it says ph neutral on the bag but i have bunged the lot in a container with de-chlor just to be on the safe side.
Iv'e waited 'it seems' like ages for it to arrive so a week won't make any difference to thoroughly test it.
I think i should promise myself i won't talk about gravel ever again lol


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## Mahlady

goldie said:


> lol mah, i laughed when i read about perhaps the plec had met your dog, it was the way you phrased it hahaha but ,glad to hear the day ended well and you didn't have nightmares.So what's your next move with your tank or are you having a break after all that lol


vacuuming gravel and water changes


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## Mahlady

I added a video for this tank in my gallery, not sure how to put a link here...


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