Trying to build a 'cave dwellers' tank.

cmartin

cmartin

Extra tanks - no place to setup :(
Mar 14, 2007
299
0
0
Hamilton, Ontario
Hi All,

I am redesigning my 72 Gal bowfront freshwater tank. I wanted to do it anyway, but since I am currently battling Ich I have torn the tank apart I am going to plan now and build as soon as the tank is healthy again. All plants are now in the QT - and probably will not be coming back to the main tank.

I have a Black Ghost Knife fish that I hope and pray will survive the Ich treatment. Since he likes caves and hiding places - I have decided to create sort of all "cave dwellers" theme in the tank. I am thinking of using PVC pipe to create tunnels along the back of the tank. Then I would like to cover them with some sort of material (perhaps the plastic grid stuff that people use for crafts) and cut holes for the entrances and exits.

The final product - I hope - will look like a rock wall with caves at various places. My problem is that I have no idea of what type of material to put over the plastic grid material. Not plants - not in my main tank - anything else!

If anyone has any suggestions or experience with materails that would work, I would love to hear about it. I would really like it to look either like rock or mud - perhaps I could use aquarium sealant to affix rocks to it.....

Any and all suggestions are welcome - I have never tried anything like this in the past.....and this may be my one attempt....we shall see.
 
Stones, pebbles...?
 
I ran across several web pages on making backgrounds and cave with styrofoam, Greatstuff foam, and Quickcrete Quickwall. (See lick http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/diy_aquarium_background2.php)

I made one for South Americans with a tree stump and rocks and one for Africans with rocks, caves, and cliffs. They are fun to make and can be done in less than a week. If you don't like the look, (before curing) you can add more foam or cut things off, or try more Quickwall with different coloring. To me, it was worth the time. It looks better than the outside stick ons, and hides line run behind the tank.

fish 009small.jpg fish 039 small.jpg
 
I would lay a 4" PVC elbow on its side over a piece of wax paper. Then I'd smother it with spray foam, carrying it out on the sides so it flows into the gravel bottom like a rock coming out of the ground. Then I'd smother it with quickcrete and paint it diff colors. Then cover it all with epoxy! Oh yeah, and when you spray foam the ends (openings) tape some wax paper on the end of a tube and hold it in the middle of the opening during the spraying. Wait as long as you can stand it and pull it out. This will hide the inside of the PVC so you don't see the ugly white walls and give it some more character. Any variation of this would look cool to me!
 
Sounds cool...I am thinking of doing something similar...just be careful that you don't create an environment with so many hiding places that you never see the fish. Is it possible to curve a two way mirror and put it into the tank so that the fish has the perception of being hidden but, in fact, is really quite visible to you and all of the people viewing it?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom