DIY Help

[slickshooter]

I'm wondering how many handymen (and women) we have on this site. I'm trying to put together some "rockwork" for my Mbuna.Currently I have various pvc pipes with flatish rocks on top of them forming a pyramid.Unfortunetly the rocks aren't totally flat and are unstable.During playtime sometimes my pvc caves get knocked down. I was thinking of cutting some wood of various lengths and using that.However I don't want to lower the PH of my water.What could I coat the wood with to prevent this?
http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/11733/cid/3035
That would be an ideal product but unavailable (so far that I've seen) in Ottawa
Alternatively any other substances you can think of to use besides wood ....that'd be great.I'd like it to be a natural colour.Ideally something along these lines would be great, this guy made an amazing background.Unfortunetly keeping it from floating in my case would be impossible.....   check out what he did here scroll the various days to see the end product
http://www.catfishheaven.net/day1.html

Here is a link to what I have now.....the fish love it but its too unstable for my liking.

http://waynebrunet.fotopic.net/p8687772.html
http://waynebrunet.fotopic.net/p8687673.html

Any ideas appreciated this is what I'm shooting for :Where the ( O)
is my current pvc caves and the ___ is whatever substance that'll look natural and is light that you can think of that can support the pvc

                    ___O____
                ____O___O______
        ______O_____O________
  _____  O_____________O________
      O                  O                       O

WEll my "drawing" for whatever reason isn't posting like its showing when I type it..........Its supposed to have pvc as a base and a flat layer on top then another couple pvc caves and another flat layer.........like a pyramid small at the top larger at the bottom
Thank you for your help

[Aiglos]

Thats a good idea, Ive been trying to build nice caves for my labids aswell but like you have had problems getting perfectly flat rocks that dont run the risk of tipping.

Good idea, if your works out I will probally try something along the same line.

I was trying to find fake rock,  made of plastic so the weight would not be great and all the rocks would look uniform but having no luck at that.

good luck on your project.

[slickshooter]

"Good idea, if your works out I will probally try something along the same line."

Oh sure I get to be the Guinea pig !  :wink:

My pvc caves are great I think.I just siliconed gravel to them and I think they look ok.I have some with gravel siliconed along the inside lip as well.That way you don't see any of the black pvc. My Mbuna love them as hiding spots and sleeping spots.
I think I'll be making a background as described in the link above I think it looks very realistic and if I can make another and make it sink somehow maybe I'll use it as a my fake rock for my pvc pyramid.Sinking that much styrofoam though would be a chore.Thats why I need other materials.Something a few inches thick that I could "mold" the face into something textured looking like a rock.
Anyone have ideas? How do you provide hiding spots?
My plan is to have a structure that is only a couple pieces that way its easy to remove during weekly maintanence. Some people put real rock stacked up but it'd take hours to move and replace it...no thanks

[dannypd]

You could silicon the styrofoam to the tank itself.

Make sure it is STRONG styrofoam that wont tear easily  (and make sure its not coated..most industrial ones are with some oily resign of some kind).

Not only will this help in keeping things light, but you'll not need as much water in the tank

I've seen this one only ONCE and they glued sand onto the styrofoam to make it look more natural...I will post pics if I can find them.

[Nelson]

I was in a members house several months ago to pick up some fish and I noticed that the person had constructed a wall of plastic, approx 3" square eavestrophing at the rear of a tank.  He had drilled holes in the stacked material and then created separations between the holes using the same material.  The result was a large number of "rooms" that were home to a variety of fish.  I was impressed and constructed the same set-up and was very pleased with the solution to the problem of piling stones and pvc piping to creat caves/hiding/spawning places.  It's rather unsightly so I placed plants in front to the wall which help quite a bit.

[slickshooter]

Thanks people keep those ideas coming.
Styrofoam would be great to work with as it can be molded (burned) into shape and I could silicone whatever I needed ie gravel or sand for a natural look.Bouyancy is the issue and unfortunetly I can't silicone it to my tank.Firstly there is water in it so how would it cure? Secondly I need to make several levels as I want a pyramid shape so I'd have to silicone every level together.........which is fine BUT then I can't get it out of my tank.I have a brace in the middle of my tank and this structure needs to be able to come out easily for weekly maintanence.
Nelson your idea sounds interesting I have seen a background make of eavestrophing where holes were drilled in it for hiding spaces.
Could you provide a picture please? You can't say no because if I remember correctly you share the same hobby as myself.....photography  :wink:  so the no camera excuse can't be used
Thanks and keep those ideas coming

[Nelson]

Thanks people keep those ideas coming.
Styrofoam would be great to work with as it can be molded (burned) into shape and I could silicone whatever I needed ie gravel or sand for a natural look.Bouyancy is the issue and unfortunetly I can't silicone it to my tank.Firstly there is water in it so how would it cure? Secondly I need to make several levels as I want a pyramid shape so I'd have to silicone every level together.........which is fine BUT then I can't get it out of my tank.I have a brace in the middle of my tank and this structure needs to be able to come out easily for weekly maintanence.
Nelson your idea sounds interesting I have seen a background make of eavestrophing where holes were drilled in it for hiding spaces.
Could you provide a picture please? You can't say no because if I remember correctly you share the same hobby as myself.....photography  :wink:
Thanks and keep those ideas coming

After having recommending the "wall" I now must confess that after several months in use I chose to dismantle it for a different "look".  I seem to change the appearance of my show tanks occasionally, much to the dismay of the inhabitants.  Sorry slickshooter.

[slickshooter]

Oh sure not the "I don't have a camera" excuse.........you found another  :lol:
Thanks for the idea nontheless

[gvv]

Oh sure not the "I don't have a camera" excuse.........you found another  :lol:
Thanks for the idea nontheless

OK, Nelson saw this wall in my tank  :oops: ...
You may have a look on the 55G picture here:
http://doncaster.on.ca/~gvv/

[slickshooter]

Thank you,very clever idea.I've seen it done before.Not exactly what I had in mind as that is more of a background for the back wall.
Although I might implement something like that as well.

[dannypd]

After having recommending the "wall" I now must confess that after several months in use I chose to dismantle it for a different "look".  I seem to change the appearance of my show tanks occasionally, much to the dismay of the inhabitants.  Sorry slickshooter.

I have a puffer, you NEED to change the tank around to keep them from getting "bored".

[dpatte]

i have read that dogs cant get 'bored' so im not sure what fish can.

[slickshooter]

Who changes their "tank" around in the wild?

[Aiglos]

in the wild fish can move and around and find new things to play with, I know in my oscar tank that when I change things around my oscar is much happier and energetic searching and foraging around.

[dpatte]

maybe hes just confused by the change and forced to redefine territory?

[dannypd]

i have read that dogs cant get 'bored' so im not sure what fish can.

After a few weeks, my fish will go up and down the sides of the tank...

If I change things around, he'll search the new caves I made, often doing this for several weeks.  Always picking at the gravel, etc.

[slickshooter]

I love a good debate but ummmmm back to the main topic

I've decided to just use very thin panel of wood I found in the basement and silicone my caves to that.
Two things I wonder.Firstly will it affect my PH drastically?Anyone ever tested water before and after adding wood? It is very thin wood actually its the thickness of paneling.
I was thinking I could silicone the whole board and that would seal it from leaching any goodies into my water.Sound good? Are there any paints I could get that would be non lethal to my fish as a substitute for silicone.Silicone would give it a shine that I'm not to fond of.
If anyone knows where I can find that epoxy in my original post let me now. Possibly a marine shop/boating store?