Faiirly Cheap/simple Diy Projects?

[rolltide101x]

Tomorrow I am going to make cave for my aquarium just wondering if anyone else has any suggestions on more projects I could do. I have a 30 gallon aquarium with
3 Platy
2 Skirt Tetra
2 Zebra Danio
I will be adding 3 Leopard Corydora or Juli Corydora in the next few weeks and adding sand to my aquarium instead of gravel. Can anyone think of something I could do to make my fish happier or something cool to make for looks (as long as it doesn't bother the fish) Thanks!

 

[denzil1nil]

I like to make caves out of glass or terracotta pots coverd with gravel, Sand or a combination of both using the sand for the gaps when using gravel.

also i make caves out of slate these take some time as the slate is quite heavy so they need to be glued in stages.

Just make sure any materials you use are clean and safe and you use an aquarium grade sealent. The one i use is 'bond it, Ha6' this cost me £5.95 from the lfs and i made 4 good sized slate caves and 2 pots covered with gravel inside and out.

 

[rolltide101x]

I was going to make the cave out of PVC pipe. What exactly is "slate"? I'm American, and I have never heard that term lol. it may be something I do not know of or maybe something I know as something else. Thanks

 

[KrazyKuhli]

You can uses coconut shells cut in half and covered in gravel or just on their own.

Slate is a Rock that breaks into thin slabs and is fairly soft:
http/3.bp.blogspot.com/_OHxeFT_Xlew/TML8fKdlsjI/AAAAAAAAIG8/Cr06FkTPIng/s1600/slate1.jpg

Comes in a range of colours green/purple/grey/blue

 

[denzil1nil]

that is slate but when you buy it from a garden centre or lfs it is cleaner and as khuli said comes in different colours and sizes you can make a simple large structure just using several larger pieces of slate.

I only have a 30 gallon with small fish so i made smaller caves by using a clean roof slate tile for the bases then glueing slate pieces (from my lfs which they sell by the pound/kilo).

I then built up half the cave by gluing the stones on top of each other.

You have to let the stones dry for a few hours on each layer I also built the slate up in the middle of the structhre towards the rear this adds extra support for the roof and also divides the cave giving it two chambers.

I then get another smaller piece of the roof tile slate and made a smaller cave structure on top of this using the same slate stones as before.

I then add this smaller cave on top of my bottom structure (I dont glue this on how ever as its easier to move in and out the tank in two sections)and hey presto a slate cave with two chambers below and a small penthouse on top.

Ps i broke the roof tiles by chipping them with a small hammer similar to a toffe hammer but its actually for breaking glass we get them on our bus coaches here in the uk for breaking the glass in emergencys.

 

[OldMan47]

I break up a slate floor tile using a hammer and following lines to make it break as I want. Then I build caves like this one with it using aquarium silicone.

A slate floor tile costs about $3 if I remember right. It has been a while since I needed a cave for breeding kribs.