# Neat cave idea's



## aji1217 (Aug 22, 2009)

http://www.petfish.net/articles/Do-It-Y ... ctions.php am probably going to make some of these...love the look.

http://www.duboisi.com/diy/BNdiygrotto/bndiygrotto.htm Really easy /cheap background idea.

just thought I'd share...not sure if its been put up before...


----------



## mightyevil (Oct 23, 2008)

aji1217 said:


> http://www.petfish.net/articles/Do-It-Yourself/PVC_cave_tower_instuctions.php am probably going to make some of these...love the look.


Although they look 50% man made and 50% sci-fi natural (if that makes sense) these look amazing, very nice find!



aji1217 said:


> http://www.duboisi.com/diy/BNdiygrotto/bndiygrotto.htm Really easy /cheap background idea.
> 
> just thought I'd share...not sure if its been put up before...


And these have been posted before, I think they look ugly though...just my opinion.


----------



## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

They seem like a lot of work to imitate an upside-down strawberry pot. Easier and possibly more stable to buy a strawberry pot, even though the DIY consists just of turning it upside-down.


----------



## bacondaddy (Dec 6, 2007)

i made 2 of these and they look really good. but my mbuna don't really like them at all. i only put 1 hole in each cave. they might feel trapped with only 1 entrance. might work better with multiple escape routes. and they way he says to glue each cave together is not very sturdy. i drilled holes to attach them together with zip ties, then siliconded the zip ties and covered them with sand. it is very sturdy and looks very nice.


----------



## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

Both examples show how hard it is to "beat" mother nature.
I have yet to see a PVC decor piece that looks like anything other than..well, PVC.
You are right, they do love multiple entrance/exit ponts.


----------



## mightyevil (Oct 23, 2008)

KaiserSousay said:


> Both examples show how hard it is to "beat" mother nature.
> I have yet to see a PVC decor piece that looks like anything other than..well, PVC.
> You are right, they do love multiple entrance/exit ponts.


I think it is very possible by burning the PVC and using dry lok since it is a latex based "paint" or whatever it is.

I might give it a go and post it here is it works well. I just need to get my hands on some time, I have been busy lately with personal things.


----------



## ben1988 (May 2, 2009)

I like the look of the first ones. while i do think they look a little unnatural covered in sand its a lot better than some of the other things i have seen using PVC


----------



## aji1217 (Aug 22, 2009)

KaiserSousay said:


> You are right, they do love multiple entrance/exit ponts.


you shut your mouth :x

 just kiddin...

I spent the weekend making like 40+ of these (individual ones not the towers, still gotta stack them)  hope they dont mind only one door....cause I am not about to throw them all away.


----------



## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

My suggestions for a more natural look would involve using more variety in the basic forms used. Ever notice that people build straight lines and nature rarely does that? If one used a variety of things rather than all PVC of the same type/size it might help the look. I'm making a bit of a collection of things that I feel will work for forming. I've never liked the clay pot cutting but find plastic works well for me. I use a lot of power tools to speed things along but plastic is definitely easier to work than clay, etc. Small plastic containers like trash cans, flower pots, and such can be had real cheap so that you can waste a few if necessary. The towers don't have to be straight up and down. If they are varied by placing some larger items at the bottom it might look more natural? A small trash can cut in half would give some room for depth. Schedule 40 PVC is way overkill for strength here. I'm looking at several lighter items for variety. Flea markets / garage sales CAN be interesting if you open your thinking a bit. PVC pipe, trash cans, pencil cups, plastic glasses, milk bottles, they all get hidden under the rock/sand cover, so why not?  Cut them at weird angles and they are not the same any more.

Besides it is blowing my wife's mind that I now am willing to stop at a garage sale. She's having a hard time with me buying stuff to take it home and run it through a power saw. :lol:


----------



## ben1988 (May 2, 2009)

:lol:


> Besides it is blowing my wife's mind that I now am willing to stop at a garage sale. She's having a hard time with me buying stuff to take it home and run it through a power saw.


 :lol:


----------

