# calling DIY experts: will this work as a cave for eels?



## cholile (Oct 28, 2007)

I've read countless threads repeatedly to try and grasp the best way to make a DIY rock, cave, or background. I'm still a bit confused, but below is what I want to do. If those who know the right ingredients and procedures could comment that'd be greatly appreciated.

Ingredients:
*Silicone*: GE1 Silicone Window & Door (in blue bottle). no anti-mildew additives.

*Greatstuff*: let it cure in dark is better b/c toxic when wet and disintegrates in the sun
QUESTION: Is there a certain type of greatstuff I should or must use?

*DRYLOCK Latex Masonry Waterproofer*:
QUESTION: Can I apply this directly to the styrafoam? It seems that if I do this then rising PH should not be an issue and, of course, it is simpler. I've read at least one thread where it appears to work. http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/view ... ostorder=a sc&&start=60 
QUESTION: I just want some for one rock so I don't need a gallon but don't know where, if anywhere, they sell them in smaller quantities. Anyone know?

*Wood charcoal*: crush that into powder for a darker look.
QUESTION: I do this when I apply the wet drylock right?

The idea is to take a thin piece of styrafoam and use that as the bottom. Then I'd silicone 2 or 3 pieces of black pond hose with 1" diameter to the styrafoam. This is for the elipsifer eels to hide in. In the crevices i wanted filled i'd put some greatstuff. Then I would silicone to the top another thin piece of styrafoam. Then I'd add greatstuff to the outer sides of the hoses so that the 'rock' is complete on all four sides. After this I'd coat the styrafoam and greatstuff with the drylock which will be colored dark gray with the charcoal.

My goal is to use as little styrafoam as possible to minimize the buoyancy. I don't want to attach the cave to the glass with silicone. Instead, to weigh it down I hope to have a piece of slate on top. Should that be enough to keep it down?


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## R-DUB (Jun 3, 2007)

The DryLoc I used on my BG went directly onto the styro. I used charcoal colored concrete tint to color the DryLoc. It is a black liquid that is added to concrete to tint it. I dont think I would use crushed charcoal as a tint. Lowes should carry quart size containers of DryLoc. The styro will be very buoyant, but so will the Great Stuff. It is virtually the same characteristics as styro. As far as weighting it down you never said the size of styro. Good Luck.


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## cholile (Oct 28, 2007)

thanks for the tips. i don't know the size yet, but i'm trying to get a feel for just how buoyant styro is. In other words, let's say there's a 12" x 4" x 4" piece of styrofoam will a piece of slate (say 1/2" thick) on the front top covering the front 12" x 2" surface area be enough to easily weigh it down?


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## Cliff.Claven (Jul 4, 2007)

I would look for a 2-part foam that is more rigid than GREATSTUFF. When greatstuff drys it retains a soft sponge like texture, it is not rigid. I'd tried to sand greatstuff before in a similar application and it is a pain in the butt.

fiberlay.com Item number: 401

There is 401Q which is a two-quart kit and yields a two cu ft block of foam. That's a start if you need more go with 401G which is the gallon kit. I know it is kind of expensive, but I have used it a countless number of times and when you need to make foam take on a certain shape this is the way to go. I used to work at fiberlay and have experience with almost everything they sell.

I can give you some more advice if you like...just shoot me a pm. Any questions about materials and safety for your fish I can help you with. If you are local to the seattle area I can get you a discount on the stuff. I'll just tell them it's for me.


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## cholile (Oct 28, 2007)

thanks cliff.

as it says just below my name i'm a little bit outside the seattle area . i also don't want to spend much right now on designs, but will definitely keep this in mind for the future.

are you saying you have had problems with greatstuff after it is covered in drylock? I would think it would be more rigid at that point.

if anyone knows of alternatives to styrofoam which are easier to cut and less buoyant but otherwise work just as well with drylock let me know!


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## fishwolfe (Mar 27, 2005)

i used a type of rock called feather rock for a back ground.you can get it at most rock quarries.i liked it at first but its really sharp,its a type of volcanic pumice.you can easily drill holes in it or cut it.i have been thinking of using it to build another back ground but coating it in drylock this time.the feather rock will float but you boil it or heat it up in the oven then when its good and hot drop it in a bucket of cold water and it will sink.once its totally cooled you have a few days before you need to do it again, so you could coat it inside and out with drylock as soon as the outside is dry.then you wait till the drylock is dry and put it in the tank.


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## HawgHunter (Sep 9, 2006)

I had a 3 1/2 ft feshwater eel in my tank for about 4 yrs....I took a piece of pvc big enough for it to easily get into and siliconed gravel all over it then buried it in the back of the tank....worked great and you never knew it was there.


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## cholile (Oct 28, 2007)

I actually plan to do something like that as well. i'd like t try a few different things though.

by the way, what freshwater eel is 3 1/2 feet long??


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## HawgHunter (Sep 9, 2006)

cholile said:


> I actually plan to do something like that as well. i'd like t try a few different things though.
> 
> by the way, what freshwater eel is 3 1/2 feet long??


One you catch on rod and reel in a creek.... :lol: ...caught it on beef liver.


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## HawgHunter (Sep 9, 2006)

It's was an American Eel.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_eel


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## barbarian206 (Apr 2, 2008)

a hawghunter they have american eels in texas wow i caught 2 about a foot long had them for a year till they got out of tank and dried up they were so much fun to watch go in and out of the skull i had for them they were babies to the one *** seen in the lake out here in nyc the mother was about 5ft long and 3feet wide could not catch it she was to quick . :fish: :thumb: :fish:


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## Cliff.Claven (Jul 4, 2007)

cholile said:


> thanks cliff.
> 
> are you saying you have had problems with greatstuff after it is covered in drylock? I would think it would be more rigid at that point.
> 
> if anyone knows of alternatives to styrofoam which are easier to cut and less buoyant but otherwise work just as well with drylock let me know!


I've got two things for ya. First. because greatstuff is NOT rigid your drylock will have a tendency to crack and break if the greatstuff moves. ie: is pressed against. This is the major concern I have for using greatstuff. I completely understand that you would like to spray it in the realtive shapes it will be in when you're done. It's a great idea. They make other types of polyurethane foam that come in two parts. Both the fiberlay stuff and anything else is sprayable so you can get it to take shape.

Another alternative to standard white puffy styrofoam is insulation foam from homedepot. It's usually pink or blue. Not much different as far as material goes, but it is more dense than the standard white stuff you see everywhere. This allows you to shape it with more detail.


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## a_c_arnold (Mar 7, 2008)

I second the insulation foam, its more durable. I have never seen anyone make a styro structure that wouldn't float, no matter how much concrete they thought that they put on it. In my opinion, avoid really thick peices of styro and apply generous amounts of silicone to every bit of the contact surface when you install your background. If you wish to make rocks or self standing structures for your tank, just make them out of cement and/or rocks and paint them with drylok to match the background.

An example:


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