Last Updated on June 10, 2024 by admins
Stay with us and learn all about making PVC pipe aquarium caves. – Save money and give your pets custom-made decorations to suit their needs.
Aquariums are a great way to add excitement to any room in your home. Can the hours of fun that result from this hobby be counted at all? – Probably not.
In addition, we believe that almost every hobbyist is always trying to find new ways to improve the life and enjoyment of aquarium fish. Decorating an aquarium can sometimes be quite spicy, namely, hundreds of dollars add up quickly when buying aquarium plants, arches, driftwood, and anything else you desire for your fish home.
Therefore, today we are going to talk about making your aquarium decorations i.e. PVC pipe aquarium caves. Let’s get to the point.
Table of Contents
Is PVC Pipe Safe For Aquarium Use?
PVC stands for Polyvinyl Chloride, a material used to make sturdy, inexpensive pipes. Since it is made for irrigation, it will also be safe for your aquatic pets. Just make sure it has a potable rating because if it is safe for you to drink from, it will be completely safe for aquarium use as well.
Is There Any Suitable Adhesive For Gluing PVC Pipe Aquarium Caves?
There is specific PVC glue; however, it would be better to avoid it.
Instead, it is recommended to attach PVC pipe aquarium caves with fittings and elbows. If you insist on using glue, use aquarium-safe silicon because this type of adhesive is non-toxic to your pets. Also, don’t forget to give it enough time to dry before immersing it in water.
Does The PVC Pipe Need To Be Cleaned Before Use?
This is part of a project you certainly don’t want to miss. Who knows how much dirt and germ can be on the pipe? Also, keep in mind that the pipes lay in the store for a while before they came to you.
Therefore, it is important to clean them thoroughly before putting them in the aquarium. Only then will you will be sure that they are completely clean and safe to use. Furthermore, if you cut or sand your pipes, try to clean them to remove all particles of dust and dirt. Unfortunately, aquatic pets tend to eat floating particles, which could eventually harm them.
How To Make PVC Pipe Aquarium Caves?
Step 1: Find inspiration
Find inspiration and sketch the PVC pipe aquarium caves you would like to have. Materials needed: aquarium silicone sealant, PVC pipe, and plastic plants designed for underwater decor. Thoroughly clean all materials and decorations with a scrub brush and then boil for 10 minutes to kill all bacteria.
Step 2: DIY
It’s time to make your PVC pipe aquarium caves by cutting a 5-inch length of PVC pipe. The pipe should be measured by marking off the bottom third horizontally with a pencil or chalk line. Then it’s time to say, do it over the horizontal line, and discard the bottom third. You will use the top arched section of the pipe to make the cave shape.
Step 3: Painting
Then you need a thorough and all sides of the PVC pipe, and pay special attention to the ends of the pipes to avoid injuring your pets and live plants. You can also paint in a color that will match the aesthetics of the aquarium as well as your entire home. It is recommended to use aquarium-safe latex paint.
You can even contrast the colors, by making the inside of your PVC pipe aquarium caves brighter than the outside.
Step 4: Apply silicone
After the paint dries, it is necessary to apply silicone sealant to all surfaces and then attach small rocks of different colors and shapes to the sealant to completely cover the PVC pipe and provide camouflage.
Let it stand for at least 48 hours before moving on to the next steps.
Step 5: Making the rock arch
As for the rock arch, it is very easy to make. Simply choose flat rocks and glue them together (three for a small arch and five or more for a larger arch). The stones are also joined with a silicone sealant and must stand for 48 hours before being introduced into the aquarium. The arch is then placed against the side or back of the tank for support.
To add a little enchantment to this underwater cavern, consider using glow-in-the-dark pebbles for some or all of its construction. This particular set from Oubest consists of stones ranging from about 20-30 mm in diameter and are non-toxic to the fish or plants. If you only plan on using them as decorative substrate, then you may find them too lightweight which causes difficulty with cleaning; however, if you plan to use them for this purpose of constructing an aquarium cave, then the weight of the stones should not present a problem. These offer a dim but not a bright glow.
100 Piece Glow in The Dark Fish Tank Aquarium Pebbles
Step 6: Decoration!
The last step is to decorate your PVC pipe aquarium caves. Choose decorations that match the aesthetics of your aquarium. Be careful not to stack them too symmetrically as this will not look natural at all. You can also glue the decorations with silicone sealant.
Once everything is dry, it is ready to be introduced to the aquarium!
Abstract
The caves give a unique look as well as a nice hiding place for your fish. However, their price can be quite expensive, or they can be difficult to modify into other shapes. That’s why you no longer have to worry because now you know how to make your own PVC pipe aquarium caves.
We hope you found this article useful! Do you have any methods for making PVC pipe aquarium caves? Let us know in the section below.
Take a look at this article as well.
FAQs
[rank_math_rich_snippet id=”s-208a8ca8-27f8-4eba-ae3c-c153a5a1b68d”]