# making caves/tunnels



## beachtan (Sep 25, 2008)

my most recent idea is to add pieces of pvc as caves.

My plan is to use silicone sealant as glue on the pvc pipe and roll it in dried gravel. then should I pour aquarium sand over it to cover any white showing thru? and how about the inside?

Also, terra cotta plant "caves". some people dont like em, but I found some really small ones for my 1" fish - should I knock out the back so they can swim thru ? or leave them intact?

Or put them upside down after cracking out a "doorway". how do you crack the pot without beaking it all to pieces?

I have so many large riverrocks already that I really dont want to add a lot more weight... as I didnt put styrofoam under. my bad. -didnt know to do that and it's too late now!


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## k19smith (Sep 6, 2005)

I have done the caves just like you are talking about. I Did exactly like what you were saying I just put the sand over them after they were cured and in the tank it covered them well and made them blend in. I didn't do anything with the inside. I found actually rolling them in it didn't work extremely great and put most of them on by hand.

The idea of having the clay pots as caves I would think you need the back of the pot. But it's also your tank so I would do what ever you want. On that note I have no idea how to crack the pot but would be interested if you figure out a way. I've also thought about decorating pots in the same way as the pvc but I haven't gotten around to it yet.


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

Soak the pot for a few days before cutting it. You can use an old hole saw ( a new one will get old fast chewing red clay) or a hack saw. Wood blades will work but after this they will only be for pots. Watch while you cut. The color will change if the pot heats up too much. Before you create a completely dry spot, set that pot back in the water and move on to another one. If you find the right speed, you may be able to complete a hole or door in one shot, but don't see that as an accomplishment. If you are using hand tools, you can work underwater if you want to. once the hole is made, I use a file to smooth the edges and naturalize the shape of the hole. The file I use is flat on one side and curved on the other, and has two different sets of grooves in it. Because of a bad word filter, I can't just type the word for this type of file which also means someone whose mother was not married. But that file is the best to use. I often lengthen a hole with points at top and bottom so that a fish can just fit through.


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## bigwoo1 (Oct 1, 2008)

BEST BET for cutting is a spiral cut with a tile (diamond) bit. IF you have one or know someone that does, it will work best!

Check out the DIY Hollow log and see if that gives you any ideas. I still haven't figured out how to color the styrofoam yet, though.


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## beachtan (Sep 25, 2008)

alright all you dudes. I'm a chick and dont have access to all these power tools! lol. I was thinkin' more like tap it with something... put tape over it and tap gently or something to that effect!  Thanks though! I thought it might be something easy.

So if I have gravel substrate, I can put gravel on the pvc pipe w/ silicone sealant and immediately fill in the cracks between the pieces of gravel with aquarium sand and let it dry for like a day? The sand will just stick?


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## k19smith (Sep 6, 2005)

I'm a chick to. Yes on the pvs and silicone. You need to let the silicone cure for how ever many days it says on the tube 1-14 depending in which one you use. After I put mine in the tank I added a handful or two on sand over it also.

You can pick up a hacksaw for like $5, but I don't know how hard it will be to actually saw the pot.


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## exasperatus2002 (Jul 5, 2003)

you can try using a hammer and flat head screw driver and start chipping it out from the center hole of the clay flower pot. Have it standing like a pot would normally and angle the driver on a 45* angle towards the hole so most of the force is focused where you want it.


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## bigwoo1 (Oct 1, 2008)

Ok... sorry about the dude stuff.  If you have a drill, you can go buy a small masonry bit and drill a series of holes. Moving the drill back and forth will cut the mat'l between the holes enough that you could knock it out if you're careful.

OR... the chisel/screwdriver might work. Better yet, try my wife's favorite tool (I'm amazed at what she can do with it); a butter knife. Use water though. Try running water and submerging it. If the fragments don't cloud the water I would go with submerging it. Then just start scraping. Depending on the pot, it may be easier than you think.

Make sure the pot doesn't change the PH. Check the PH in the water you use to make the hole afterwards or test the pot itself. I'm not very knowledgeable on pot mat'ls. We'll be watching to see how it turns out! opcorn: jim


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## beachtan (Sep 25, 2008)

lol

Thanks for all the responses ! I'm gonna work on all that stuff today! Thanks!!

oh - and I do watch those Bob Villa shows - I love to try and fix stuff - I just dont have any good equipment!!!


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## natalie559 (Dec 6, 2007)

Here are some techniques for making your clay pot idea,

http://thefishcave.com.au/caves_area/diy_caves.html

And the pvc pipe and gravel idea is great. I have two tubes made like this for my shark. I put silicone all over and rolled and rubbed the gravel into place. I let that cure then reapplied to fill in any missing areas.

I left the insides bare except the 'entrance' and 'exit' parts of the tube (first inch or two inside, especially on the bottom) where you would have seen white pipe without some gravel.

Here's a website that illustrates it although I didn't cut the bottom off and didn't cut the ends at angles on the curved pipe,

http://www.aquariumlife.net/projects/di ... ion/99.asp

One straight tube:










And one curved tube tucked into a corner:


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