DIY: Aquarium Caves

Materials

• The materials you use for your cave are important. Make sure everything you use is safe for your fish and aquarium life. The main structure of your cave will be made of PVC pipe, and the covering can be any kind of rock or substrate that you'd like. To make the cave appear very natural, use the same type of substrate you use in the bottom of your aquarium. For adhesive on the cave, use either 100 percent silicone or a hot glue gun. To construct your cave, you'll need a saw to cut the PVC pipe and sandpaper to rough the surface for the glue and to smooth the edges.

Construction

• First, shape your PVC pipe. The great thing about DIY aquarium caves is that you don't need your measurements to be exact. As long as the pipe is long and tall enough for your fish, measurements can be to your taste. You'll need to cut the bottom of the PVC pipe lengthwise to form the curve. Cut less than half of the bottom of the pipe off.

  Next, you'll sand the pipe so that the glue will stick. After the pipe is sanded, make sure it is clean. Put the glue onto the pipe, and then the rock or substrate, which goes everywhere on the pipe. After arranging the rock or substrate, allow the adhesive to cure. This will take about 48 hours for silicone, or about an hour for hot glue.

  After the glue is dry, gently turn the cave upside down. Some of the covering will fall off, and you may need to do several coats to sufficiently cover the cave.

  When the cave is covered to your liking, you'll need to soak it in tap water for one day and then rinse. You're ready to put the cave into your aquarium.