PVC

[subopposite]

Hello all. I wanted to buy some short curved PVC and make a little tunnel. At least one tunnel to start. I was planning on attaching materials all around it so you won't be able to tell it is PVC. I was going to attach rock or something by using Aquarium silicone. What kind of things can you attach to PVC to create a cave effect. More so, what kind of rock can be used. Any good place to buy rock. Like a Grossman's, lumber company, Home Depot, etc. Thanks for any and all help. 8)

 

[semper fi]

you could attach the rock to the pvc or partially bury the pvc in the substrate and lay slate over it. do that with the larger fish so the slate will not crash down on them when they are in their little hidey holes.

if you buy gravel at a building supply store make sure that you wash it very well. lots of sand and debris in it. best to buy the rock from an aquarium store. usually pretty cheap also. can also be bought in bulk.

semper fi

 

[Dogsby]

We made a tunnel out of a 2 inch pvc tee. We siliconed some small (1/2 inch and smaller) river rocks that we bought at wally world (in the craft section...cheaper), and put on a few small fake plants that came with the net breeder thingy we have. Looks pretty good, and the fish love it

Shawn

 

[subopposite]

Right now I am taking my PVC and just attaching the same gravel that I am using in my fish tank to start. I am attaching it with aquarium silicone. I am even going in side of it, so when it will be set up, you can look in and won't notice the pvc. I bought a 3" one that is an elbow and has a hole up top too. I will leave the far inside alone, so they have a nice smooth area. I guess I will check out a lumber store and a Walmart or something to see if I can find some bigger stones to use. My only concern is that I don't get stone that will change any water conditions or have anything harmful on it. I may get a small fish plant or two to silicone on it also. Good idea Dogsby. I guess I will look for some slate. I guess that is safe stuff to go with.

 

[-=DG=-]

You know what might also work - if you get the completed tube, then smear the silicon around the sides and then roll the tube is some fine gravel or sand (like putting bread crumbs on meat or something). Then you've have a wicked looking cave which the fish cant uncover and no risk of anyone getting squashed or hurt.

 

[Jamnog]

well i normally just find three rocks and would use silicone sealent from the fish shop for sticking it together but if you wanted to use the tube you may have to scratch the surface first before the selent would take . hope it works out ok for you sounds like you have very lucky fish.

 

[subopposite]

Thanks for the advice people. I did finish with it and I have my tank up and running. It took me many hours to put that gravel on the PVC tube. It was pretty much a one piece at a time project as the "load the silicone on and roll it in rocks" didn't work to the level I was hoping. On top of that, I have some slate that makes a little cave and they can hang out on the bottom and be covered by the slate too. Right now I have 2 gouramis....1 blue/red and 1 flame. The flame picks on the other one some, not too bad, but I don't like it. I will prob. get 2 more blue/red ones and hopefully they will kick his butt or at least he will pick on all of them. I have 2 other small very active fish that I don't even know what they are but are pretty colorful. I am pretty sure they are not painted fish. They look like guppies with not quite as bushy tails as those yellow guppies with the huge flailing tails. Who knows? I will find out soon what they are though as I can just go to the place that I bought them, which is an hour away. However, I am willing to travel that far to purchase much brighter, faster moving, uncrowded fish. They actually take care of their fish and have some stuff in their tanks for the fish to swim around in. Anyhow, thanks for the help.

 

[Jesse]

I have a question. Do you have to use aquarium silicone? We have some silicone that you squirt through a caulking gun. Will that work?

 

[kevin007]

sorry but what is PVC

 

[Jesse]

PVC is a type of pipe used in homes - mostly for drainage.

 

[DizzyDezzy]

PVC = Poly_Vinyl_Chloride - the plastic these pipes are made out of

 

[subopposite]

From what I have learned you want to use aquarium safe silicone. I guess other silicon can seep chemicals into your tank. I had a big thing of silicone that I could put in a caulking gun too, but it is not for aquariums. I wouldn't use anything that doesn't say aquarium safe. For 3 bucks for 3 oz. its worth your fishes life. Usually, the silicone will say on the back, Not recommended for aquarium use.
PVC is usually that white plastic drainage piping you see that is used for plumbing. It comes in super long lenths and also in curves and other interesting and fun shapes and some can be put together. I got 3" PVC and it works great for the guppies and gouramis that I have. I would bet bottom feeders will like it too when my tank becomes established. It does take a long time to put on the gravel if you want it to blend in with the environment, but it was well worth it to me. I like building things. I have an angle PVC and put it in the corner.
A warning on silicone. When it comes in a metal tube, the tube will bend and split very easily. It sucks when this happens, so always work from the bottom like toothpaste. My first tube had like 10 cracks in it and was a real pain. If your looking for a long project and enjoy building fishy stuff, I sugguest getting some PVC that your fish can swim through and deck it out.