Ideas/pics wanted for aquarium cave

[crackatinny]

Next week the art teacher where I work is going to roll out a sheet of clay for me to build a cave for our Oscar and red devil, without being to complicated, I was just after ideas for a shape, if anyone has any pictures to give me an idea it would really help, I will be starting just a sheet of clay to form into a shape, not really interested in caves built from rock, more so clay or resin ones.
Any pics would be appreciated.

[Lady Hobbs]

Are you sure clay won't muck up the water?

[crackatinny]

Are you sure clay won't muck up the water?

Yes, I checked that with her, once fired it will be hard as a brick and being submerged will be fine, also it will not be glazed, just natural clay, depending how the colour go's with my gravel, it may or may not, have gravel siliconed to it in the end.

[Lady Hobbs]

Just checking. I was afraid it might get soft and gooie.

[crackatinny]

Just checking. I was afraid it might get soft and gooie.

No worries, I was also worried about that till I checked with her LOL

[Lady Hobbs]

Since Oscars get big, how about something like a train tunnel. You could paint railroad signs, etc, on it?

[crackatinny]

Since Oscars get big, how about something like a train tunnel. You could paint railroad signs, etc, on it?

LOL not quite what I had in mind, I dont think the train signs would give that natural look.

[Lady Hobbs]

LOL What? Train tunnels are not underwater in real life? haha Cover it in moss.

[hungryhound]

LOL What? Train tunnels are not underwater in real life? haha Cover it in moss.

Actually the Eurostar runs from London to Paris. So it could be a natural western Europe decoration :)

[gm72]

I tried to do a search for large aquarium cave, etc. Couldn't find anything. I did find some pics of real life caves, you could maybe fashion something to resemble a real cave in a pic?

[YaYgoldFish]

I searched google and found a bunch of DIY projects for caves.. Most of em were from PVC pipes but if you can find a pipe big enough, it could work.
heres one of the links:
http://www.aquariumlife.net/projects/diy-decoration/99.asp

[gm72]

You are better at searching than am I. Pretty cool idea there. You could also use a large plant/flower pot and cut it down the middle to the same effect.

[crackatinny]

I searched google and found a bunch of DIY projects for caves.. Most of em were from PVC pipes but if you can find a pipe big enough, it could work.
heres one of the links:
http://www.aquariumlife.net/projects/diy-decoration/99.asp

I had done a google search, but as you say, most results are polypipe or rocks. I like the one you linked to and might try that in another tank.

Thanks for taking a look for me:thumb:

[Lady Hobbs]

Guess this means my train tunnel is out! ppttfff!!!

[YaYgoldFish]

Guess this means my train tunnel is out! ppttfff!!!


lol im sure it was a tough decision :ezpi_wink1:

[Nick_Pavlovski]

Petshop near me has these artificial hollow logs that they sell for aquariums.
They are moulded from plastic, then painted etc. so they look as natural as possible.

I guess with PVC pipe and silicone sealant, you could make something similar.

When I kept a tortoise, a local tortoise enthusiasts' magazine advocated getting smooth river pebbles and gluing them together with silicone sealant to form a good mound of pebbles that could poke out of the water.

Why not do the same but shape the mound so there is a big cave in it?

[Dave-id]

I liked that train idea! lol, but no, it's not really the most natural looking.
You know where you could be looking for inspiration though is the model train builders. A Lot of them make all sorts of interesting landscapes, and yes, often full of tunnels :c3:

Also, it doesn't have caves (yet), but this background is amazing:
http://www.aquariumlife.net/projects/diy-decoration/17.asp

[Dave-id]

If you're hesitant to glaze, is there some kind of pigment that could be worked into the clay, just so it won't be such a uniform color? Natural sands and stuff may work? I'm just throwing stuff out there, make sure you do tests first!

[crackatinny]

I have the basic form done now, just got to keep it a little moist untill it can be fired when school go's back after next week.
I formed it over crumpled newspaper, and with the clay being white it just looks like a huge river rock, hope it fires ok.

[Mdsuave13]

i like the idea of some java moss on the cave... would make it look really interesting! just beware, it will take over you tank in a matter of months.. you will have enough to sell to people. HA.

[RobbieG]

I have the basic form done now, just got to keep it a little moist untill it can be fired when school go's back after next week.
I formed it over crumpled newspaper, and with the clay being white it just looks like a huge river rock, hope it fires ok.

Even if it has a little trouble the pieces that explode off will give it character!

[melanie]

I'm new to aquariums but I have a degree in ceramics. I don't recommend glazing it unless you know exactly what metals are in the glaze. Many decorative glazes have lead, copper (used to make some reds, greens and blues) and other metals that will leach. Don't try to color the clay either, natural red clay is contains iron but the added colors can be a wide range of scary things. As for the formation I have a couple of ideas even though you have already made yours, but maybe in the future...
Try throwing on the wheel, fun and you can get interesting mistakes. With a slab of clay you can rip it to get rough, shale like edges and then take a barely damp sponge and lightly wipe to smooth the sharp edges. You can also take smaller pieces of clay and throw them on to the table at an angle and pull off and do it again and again, this will make them thinner, wider and ovoid in shape. You can stamp the clay with rocks to have the rock texture or mix organic things into the clay that will burn out in the kiln and leave pockmarks and such.

[MeganL3985]

I like the idea of stamping the clay with rock & adding organic matter. That sounds like it would be nice :)

[crackatinny]

Thanks for the advice, I have only used natural clay, the cave is at the school now awaiting to be fired, teacher said drying out and firing will take about 3 weeks, I will post a pic when I get it back.

[MeganL3985]

Can't wait to see it! :D

[ashm5]

there was one way of doing it (I know you've already done it but for anyone else reading this) with concrete it takes a while to cure I think but is eventually safe once the chemical reactions have finished, for some reason I cant find any info on it anymore but I was researching this method on google not long ago and found loads anyway the general jist of it was that you got two trays of sand and carved out the negative of the rock you wanted to make and then fill it with cement, like a mould when its dry you can take it out and you have your rock, seems a bit complicated now I've heard the clay idea, might try it :D