-=GASP=- I know...Froggy posting a thread in the DIY section...everyone is just coming to see how many things I blew up or had to replace during the process 
As some of you know...I recently acquired a 29G tank from a neighbor and have it cycling. I decided that 29 was big enough to get some cichlids and I haven't ever had any so I would go ahead and try a cichlid tank. I decided on some Tanganyikan cichlids, who were mostly rock/cave dwellers....and promptly realized that to create caves I'd have to use rock. *cringe* I'm scared of putting rocks in my tank...scared I'm going to drop them or they're gonna be too heavy or they're going to fall and squish my fish...whatever the case may be...they FREAK me out.
SO one of my friends (from this board...once he see's the finished project he's going to make a decision whether he wants to be known who he is haha) was helping me come up with ideas and showing me some DIY cichlid caves from other places. Then we were talking about how heavy rock was...and it came up that lava rock is relatively light. SO the idea emerged to use PVC (or ABS) piping as a base...and cover it with lava rock pieces using silicon to create some cavelike structures.
Overall...this project cost me about 4 dollars for a bag of lava rock (which I have used about 3/5 of and might use more just for the bottom of the tank) and then $5 for each tube of silicon (I used 3.5 tubes...will talk more about this). I got the ABS Pipe for free from my dad's work, he cut them etc...but I believe you can get sections at any hardware store for less than a dollar a foot...so its not a huge expense. The biggest cost was in TIME. It took WAY more time and effort than I thought it was going to...but in the end I am pleased to say that I think it looks good.
Step 1: Figure out a layout that you'd like and silicon pieces of ABS piping to each other. Allow silicon to set for 24 hours before doing anything with it.
Step 2: Wash and dry lava rock pieces. This takes longer than it sounds. Washing not so long...but they literally took overnight to dry. SO I ended up washing some each night, then letting them dry overnight...adding them to the structures the next day and then washing and drying some more.
Step 3: Use aquarium silicon to begin securing the pieces of lava to the piping. This is a bit like putting a puzzle together that really wasn't meant to be put together. You've got solid cylinders that you're trying to stick uneven surfaces to...its way harder than it sounds.
begin sidebar: Silicon is not terrible stuff...it just smells terrible as its setting. Also...Word to the wise. Poke a big enough hole in the top of the silicon tube so you dont put too much pressure on the tube itself. Otherwise you get breaks in the tube and it gets all over your hands. Word to the unwise...once you get silicon all over your hands, just let it dry and then peel it off of your hands. Trust me, thats the easiest way to do it. end sidebar.
Step 4: Cover all of the visible areas with lava rock. Let the silicon cure for at least 48 hours before putting it into a tank. You'll know its dry and cured when it stops stinking!
I dont have pictures to attach and post right now...but here is a link to what I have pictures of. www.geocities.com/silverbelle94/lava.html
I finished the rocks a couple days ago and will be putting them into the tank this afternoon...so I will get some final pictures and put them up for you to check out.
As some of you know...I recently acquired a 29G tank from a neighbor and have it cycling. I decided that 29 was big enough to get some cichlids and I haven't ever had any so I would go ahead and try a cichlid tank. I decided on some Tanganyikan cichlids, who were mostly rock/cave dwellers....and promptly realized that to create caves I'd have to use rock. *cringe* I'm scared of putting rocks in my tank...scared I'm going to drop them or they're gonna be too heavy or they're going to fall and squish my fish...whatever the case may be...they FREAK me out.
SO one of my friends (from this board...once he see's the finished project he's going to make a decision whether he wants to be known who he is haha) was helping me come up with ideas and showing me some DIY cichlid caves from other places. Then we were talking about how heavy rock was...and it came up that lava rock is relatively light. SO the idea emerged to use PVC (or ABS) piping as a base...and cover it with lava rock pieces using silicon to create some cavelike structures.
Overall...this project cost me about 4 dollars for a bag of lava rock (which I have used about 3/5 of and might use more just for the bottom of the tank) and then $5 for each tube of silicon (I used 3.5 tubes...will talk more about this). I got the ABS Pipe for free from my dad's work, he cut them etc...but I believe you can get sections at any hardware store for less than a dollar a foot...so its not a huge expense. The biggest cost was in TIME. It took WAY more time and effort than I thought it was going to...but in the end I am pleased to say that I think it looks good.
Step 1: Figure out a layout that you'd like and silicon pieces of ABS piping to each other. Allow silicon to set for 24 hours before doing anything with it.
Step 2: Wash and dry lava rock pieces. This takes longer than it sounds. Washing not so long...but they literally took overnight to dry. SO I ended up washing some each night, then letting them dry overnight...adding them to the structures the next day and then washing and drying some more.
Step 3: Use aquarium silicon to begin securing the pieces of lava to the piping. This is a bit like putting a puzzle together that really wasn't meant to be put together. You've got solid cylinders that you're trying to stick uneven surfaces to...its way harder than it sounds.
begin sidebar: Silicon is not terrible stuff...it just smells terrible as its setting. Also...Word to the wise. Poke a big enough hole in the top of the silicon tube so you dont put too much pressure on the tube itself. Otherwise you get breaks in the tube and it gets all over your hands. Word to the unwise...once you get silicon all over your hands, just let it dry and then peel it off of your hands. Trust me, thats the easiest way to do it. end sidebar.
Step 4: Cover all of the visible areas with lava rock. Let the silicon cure for at least 48 hours before putting it into a tank. You'll know its dry and cured when it stops stinking!
I dont have pictures to attach and post right now...but here is a link to what I have pictures of. www.geocities.com/silverbelle94/lava.html
I finished the rocks a couple days ago and will be putting them into the tank this afternoon...so I will get some final pictures and put them up for you to check out.
