Creative Cave Ideas

[Eraestar]

I've seen so many awesome DIY ideas here- so I thought I'd get some opinions on the best DIY cave ideas! I've got some project time on my hands and am looking for inspiration! What's the most creative cave you've seen or made? I'd love to see pics too! Thanks!

 

[Heavy]

In also looking for some inspiration. I've been TIL in here that slate works really well when stacking them make nice pockets for the lil guys

 

[Mlani]

Subscribing to this thread as I also am curious and looking for inexpensive light weight ideas for my tanks too.

 

[Autumnsky]

Bamboo chunks to make a big Pyramid, or slice each piece to make a honey bee hexagram. condo.

 

[scoles_b]

I made a few caves out of 3in(or maybe 2 1/2in) PVC pipe for my cichlid tank a year or so back. cut the entry ways out with a dremel, each cave about 3in tall. poked a few holes into into thin plastic sheets with a hole punch, siliconed to the top of each cave. then siliconed 3 caves on top of one another. then siliconed the outside and covered them in sand. quite a long/tedious process, but was very cheap, looked great and my fish loved it! I had all the fish safe silicone and sand on hand so I think I only spent about $10 or $15 in pvc. Hope that gives you a few ideas

 

[Jfolk1895]

All my ornaments and caves cost less than $2, skulls came from family dollar during halloween season, and slate tile from home depot .40 a slate

 

[Eraestar]

Great Ideas! I've been thinking about trying a PVC cave of some kind...or a coconut cave!

 

[xCitrol]

I just made a coconut cave was around 1$ and it looks very natural to boot, my pleco and corys are really enjoying them.

 

[Angel_fish]

I have a tea light candle holder thats actually a geode. My background is made entirely from foam board, and painted with drylok, and glued in with silicon. 7caves built in. In pic. In the past ive used reptile caves, piles of sticks and rocks, flower pots painted with cement, decorated cigar boxes, coffee mugs. Theres no end to what u can use for caves really

 

[Eraestar]

Wow! That looks fantastic!

 

[Mebbid]

Saw this at petsmart the other day and plan on gluing gravel to it for my upcoming cichlid tank.

 

[Langerz]

I made a few caves out of coconuts and slate.

I ment to my local diy shop and bought a big bag of plum slate and siliconed it together.












This is it without the roof on

 

[marsh]

I find bizarre shot glasses and cover the exterior with glue and roll them in dry gravel, so they match my tank floor perfectly!

My best one so far used a "Hornitos" tequila shot glass shaped like a horn.

 

[tarheel92]

I just made this for my 29G out of natural slate tile from Home Depot

 

[54seaweed]

in my 37 g sw tank I ran pvc piping under the rocks creating tunnels once rocks were placed you can't even see the pvc pipes
but the fish and hermits love them

 

[Lady_Glock9]

I would also like to add something to my tank. I bought a halloween skull and painted it like a sugar skull and i would like to put it in my tank. But I know theres some kind of glaze or something that im suppose to put over my item but idk what it is. Any info would be great help.

 

[tarheel92]

I would also like to add something to my tank. I bought a halloween skull and painted it like a sugar skull and i would like to put it in my tank. But I know theres some kind of glaze or something that im suppose to put over my item but idk what it is. Any info would be great help.

I would recommend Krylon Fusion Clear Coat. Just make sure the paint is fully cured before you apply it, then let the clear coat fully cure before you put it in the tank.

 

[Lady_Glock9]

I would recommend Krylon Fusion Clear Coat. Just make sure the paint is fully cured before you apply it, then let the clear coat fully cure before you put it in the tank.

Awesome, but where can i get it. And how many coats should i apply? This is the skull im working on. Its not finished yet tho.

 

[tarheel92]

Awesome, but where can i get it. And how many coats should i apply? This is the skull im working on. Its not finished yet tho.

View attachment 159298

That looks awesome! One coat should do, but more will never hurt. You'll just want to apply all the coats you are going to do within 24 hours of each other or you need to wait for it to cure before adding another coat. I know walmart for sure carries Krylon products, I'm not sure where else though.

 

[Langerz]

I heard somewhere that you can use lacquer. Same stuff that you would use to cover the paint on your car.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong