custom decorations

[mwellsasu]

I hope someone can help me with this. I want to make my own aquarium decorations, particularly some places for loaches and other skittish fish to hide. I went to the local pet store and was amazed at how expensive they are. I’ve done some research online and I’ve read you can use PVC with either silicon or hot glue to affix things such as rocks. I do not have any PVC but I do have a plethora of empty flavored water bottles that I would normally recycle. I will attach a picture so you can see. Would it be safe to use these in the aforementioned idea? If so what would be the best method to make sure they are cleaned thoroughly? If these will work all I would need would be the silicon and/or hot glue sticks. Any and all help would be appreciated. Oh before I forget the tank is a 50 gallon bow front with heater and external filter. I have also added a strip air stone for both aesthetics and aeration.

http://home.grandecom.net/~mwellsasu

 

[ValRasbora]

often you can use terra-cotta pots. (usually very cheap, like 2 for $1) and turn them over sideways for a cave. If you wanna go fancy you might be able to engrave them. I have a cheap little engraver-thing that was $1.

 

[wananwu]

I went to Home depot and got a couple of feet of pvc pipe (I used 1/2 inch, just get the size you need),and used it to make caves for my gudgeons. Take the pvc pipe and cut the the bottom third off of it so that when you look at it from the end it looks like a "C". Then cut it to the length that you would need. After that cut the ends so that it looks like an elongated /trapezoid\. Get some sand paper and use it to round off the edges as well as scuff the surface for the next step. This is optional but i did it and it looks great. Get some aquarium silicone adhesive and glue some extra gravel all over the outside so that it blends in with you tank. Just make sure you let it set-up before you put them in.

 

[OrangeCones]

I do not have any PVC but I do have a plethora of empty flavored water bottles that I would normally recycle. I will attach a picture so you can see. Would it be safe to use these in the aforementioned idea?

Personally, I wouldn't use them in an aquarium. They don't even recommend that they be re-used to hold drinking water.

 

[Orion]

Personally, I wouldn't use them in an aquarium. They don't even recommend that they be re-used to hold drinking water.

I agree. I think the safest bet would be to use the terracotta pots and/or PVC pipe.

 

[littletankbigworld]

You can also buy a bag of river rocks, glue them together with silicon to make caves, and viola! That's what I did.

 

[littletankbigworld]

Or you can buy lava rock or slate.

 

[default user]

I made some of my own caves with some river rocks I got and just glued them together with silicon. Make sure your rocks/pipe is clean before you put them in the tank. I would soak them in a bucket of water with some water conditioner to get rid of any possible harmful that might be on them. Also make sure you use 100% silicon with no additives (i.e. mold inhibitors and what not)

this might help you some http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/do-yourself/58581-aquarium-safe-glue-silicon.html

 

[lynmccoy]

I have a decoration question that may sound silly. A friend told me that I could use any silk plant or flower (except red ones) in my tank instead of paying the high price of silk aquarium plants and that they were prettier. Is this true? They do feel the same,but I am not about to try it until I find out that it will not kill the guppies I have . I'm on my way to stocking my tank with really beautful fish and I don't want them to die because of me.

 

[Thyra]

Try using the "Search" function at the right top of the page. I remember someone - possibly Nanu - put a whole list of things that could be made for little to nothing several months ago.

 

[cuttlefish]

so i have a 90 gallon tank that im setting up for loaches and such.. i want to buy natural slate and aquarium silicone and make layered caves so there are different levels in the tank.. I want to use PVC pipe, possibly cut if in half long ways and put it on the side of the yank so you could see the fish when they swim through..This will be a planted tank with as much natural setting as I can get.. Can I buy the slate from home depot? any ideas would be great

 

[KcMopar]

I have used slate and the red bricks from the home stores without any issues.

 

[MdngtRain]

I use the slate from a local stone supplier. There hasn't been a problem. Just make sure you wash it well in case it came into contact with fertilizers or pesticides. Def please show-off when you are done