DIY coconut cave

[cocoa_pleco]

today i found a huge nice plump coconut to make some more DIY coconut caves for the 55g. would anyone be interested in a DIY step by step version with pics since im making them tonight?

[country_boy454]

We are interested in seeing what the finished product looks like. Do a step by step cause if we like it we will want to make some for our 29 gal.

[cocoa_pleco]

sure, i should be done in around 1-1.5 hours.

[MeganL3985]

Here's pics of mine, though its not step by step--

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h308/Megan2106/PuffinTank013.jpg

[country_boy454]

I like that. I bet the fish love it to hide in too!

[Arkie]

thats heaps cool megan, now i want one...lol

[cocoa_pleco]

nice! i got most of the steps done, i couldnt finish it though since its best to clean the inside after you let it sit overnight so it gets harder and easier. heres the start.

pic 1-

find a nice large coconut, and make sure theres a nice round line around it, (in pic.1 it points to the blue BMX)then
take a small screwdriver and puncture the 3 top holes of the coconut to drain the milk

pic 2-

take a axe and chop hard around that line around the coconut i was talking about (its in pic 1). it should split fairly even.

pic 3-

you should have 2 halves now, and you see the white stuff. the white stuff would rot in water so we need to gut it.

for the next step, let the 2 halves sit overnight to harden, if you do it right away it worn work

pic 4- take a kitchen knife, and wedge it between the thin layer of tan hard between the white stuff and the actual dark brown shell, and the stuff you gut should look like the 4th pic. it takes a while and can be hard and frustrating but its worth it.

after youre done gutting it, boil it and then put new water in time a after time until the boiled water rinses clean.

leave the hair on the coconut, shrimp and plecos in particular like to eat it. any questions just post them. i'll post my finished pic tomorrow morning.

[MeganL3985]

I found mine VERY easy to clean right after it was cut open.

[cocoa_pleco]

I found mine VERY easy to clean right after it was cut open.

lol, youre lucky! i just tried mine right now fresh, and it wont slice

[MeganL3985]

Gotta get you a sharper knife!! hehe ;)

[cocoa_pleco]

i actually do have sharper ones, i'll try it right now!

[cocoa_pleco]

got more off! but some's stubborn so i'll wait.

[Arkie]

i spose bristlenoses would also like to eat the hairy stuff too?

[cocoa_pleco]

i think so! pretty much all plecos will

[Arkie]

cool, im gunna have to make me a couple of these!!!!!:19: :19: :19:

[YaYgoldFish]

try a flathead screwdriver..it took me 5 minutes to get it all out.

[cocoa_pleco]

well, its morning, so it should be ready. i should have the finished product in 3 hours

[Rue]

...and if you hang them upside down from a finch cage...they make the cutest little open finch nests...:luxlove:

[cocoa_pleco]

lol, multi purpose! my coconuts being mean and being hard to scrape, and im almost done. i have to leave for work in 10 minutes but im done in 3 hours

[Futureboy]

Those look pretty good

One question. Do they sink straight away or need to be soaked like wood, or maybe held down some how?

[tr3wth]

I recently tried this in my tank and it sank to the bottom without help.:19:

[MeganL3985]

Lol I thought I had to anchor mine down with rocks the first time I put it in the tank....but when I took it out to clean the tank, I put it back in and tilted it to the side, so the air came out from underneath. I was putting it in, straight down and it was acting like a cup, it was pushing a big airbubble underneath. lol I just thought i'd mention that incase anyone else tries to do the same thing by pushing it straight down. lol

[cocoa_pleco]

they sink right away. there is no porous material in the coconut to make it bubble up

[MeganL3985]

No porous material, thats why it can get an airbubble trapped underneath. lol Thats what I mean by the "cup" effect. Stick a cup straight down in to the water, without tilting it, it'll get a airbubble trapped underneath. So it'll try to push the coconut up....I just assumed it had to be anchored down b/c it was "floating", little did I know all I had to do was tilt it and release the air pocket.

[Futureboy]

ah ok thanks ill have to try this out when i find a decent coconut

[Oto]

I think, I am going to make a few of these for my 30 Gallon, thanks for the step by step:)

[Oto]

I went, and bought a coconut tonight, I will work on it tommorow.
Thanks for the idea!

[cocoa_pleco]

no problem!

[MeganL3985]

Good luck! They really are cool little caves! :)

[Oto]

It was easy to cut/empty out. How long should I boil it?

[MeganL3985]

I boiled it 3 or 4 times, 20 minutes each, changing out the water each time.
Or until the water goes somewhat on the clearer side. It wont be perfectly clear though.

[Oto]

I am on my second pot of water, and it is looking clear:S
lol

[MeganL3985]

Well thats good! :)

[Oto]

THANK YOU EVERYONE
I finished the my first coconut cave, and it looks incredible. My shrimp were all over it 30 seconds after it hit the water.
I went and bought another coconut, I am going to make a pair of them for my 30 Gallon.
I will post pictures soon!

[Hailey]

those are awesome! I'm for sure going to make at least one!:11:

[Tolley]

Me and my dad just made 2!! thumbs2: Gonna boil em tomorrow Cant wait! :19:

[shalafi04]

I made one and its small but adorable. The tetra love it, as do the rasboras.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/mistyart/101_4222.jpg

it has been named

The Coconut Hut Goldfish Resort and Spa.

hahaha

Maybe I'll make a fish safe painted sign to stake outside the hut :P

[krisco]

these would look incredible in my newly planted aquarium. I read in the other DIY forum that if you wanted java moss on them, to set it in a window seal for a couple of weeks before putting it in the water. Could i just tie the moss down with fishing line and put it in the water right away?

[ncbuckeye]

Dang it!! Now I'm going to have to make some of those, I like em!! THanks All.:19:

[cocoa_pleco]

these would look incredible in my newly planted aquarium. I read in the other DIY forum that if you wanted java moss on them, to set it in a window seal for a couple of weeks before putting it in the water. Could i just tie the moss down with fishing line and put it in the water right away?

as long as the white stuff is out of the coconut and only the shell is left you can

[krisco]

cool, thanks cocoa_plecothumbs2:

[MandyL]

Do you have to use an axe or could you use a sharp knife to cut it in half?

[cocoa_pleco]

axe is probably the easiest, you need force

[krisco]

I got me a coconut today. It was really easy to cut open and gut. I just used a small flathead screwdriver and a hammer. I hammered the screwdriver on the line in several places, and it just picked apart rather easily. Gonna boil it tomorrow, and stick some moss on it and pit it in my aquarium. Might even stick both halves in, one with a bigger opening for my crayfish and then one smaller for fish to mess around in.

Might just have to take some pictures...

[jonruthy]

Hi,
We tryed the coconut caves and our fish love them lol the Kuhli loach just claimed them as there own, no other fish can get in now lol.
Many thanks for the step by step.
jonruthy xx:19:

[angelcakes]

i too like the coconut caves ive several in my tank:19:

[luvfins]

Wow now I want to make one for my shrimp! They look really cool

[angelcakes]

Wow now I want to make one for my shrimp! They look really cool
shrimp love them ive got a coconut in with my amano shrimp and betta

[cocoa_pleco]

a bit over a year ago i had a 10g with a bunch of zebra danios and ghost shrimp, and the ghost shrimp always dragged food into the cave. they loved it

[Cobaltxfe09]

This is just a bump to get it off of page 18...lol

[Arowanabee2]

Hello , I hope this is the correct place for this ? so here goes. I have a section of aged Hickory Tree Bark , @ 12ins. long @ as big around as a softball . Can I soak this in tapwater for awhile and put it in my tank to be a cave or a home for my Pleco.

[Northernguy]

Bark? No!
Bark is not good.
You want dead dry wood.Very dead is best but not rotten.
Take a walk on a beach.If its an ocean beach then soak in water for about 4 days after scrubbing it down and removing any other debris,soaking helps eliminate the salt content.Changing the water also helps.

[taralm13]

I have some coconut shell halves that I saved (I don't know why - just thought they were cool I guess) that came with ice cream in them from the grocery store. Could these be used to make the hut or do I need to get a fresh coconut? (also, there is no hair left on them they are smooth on the outside).

Thanks,
Tara

[Northernguy]

They would be perfect!
I do suggest boiling them to get the tannins out.You may have to change the water every time it gets too dark.I changed the water every half hour.lol I also boiled it most of the day.Once the water remained a light tea color I let the coconut cool and added it to the tank.Weekly water changes took care of any tannins.There were not noticeable.
They seem to have a lot of tannins in them.

[taralm13]

Cool! I think I will do that! I am so excited to make that cute little hut you had in your tank! Thank you :)

[little hawaii]

Hello , I hope this is the correct place for this ? so here goes. I have a section of aged Hickory Tree Bark , @ 12ins. long @ as big around as a softball . Can I soak this in tapwater for awhile and put it in my tank to be a cave or a home for my Pleco.

This is an interesting question. You could with hickory. Beware of blackwalnut though, it is very poisonous. The bark of any tree is quite soft compared to the wood and will deteriorate rather quickly, but you could.:fish2: