# PVC/ABS Pleco Caves



## Sliver

this is my first DIY project here so please bear with me....lol

ok, pleco caves. i wanted to get a couple of the nice clay ones from the plecocaves website but after adding S/H it was going to cost me about $50 for two $5 caves. i'm a cheap bugger so that wasn't gonna happen. i did a bit of research and went with this idea.

got a 3' length of 1 3/4" ABS pipe and cut it into 6 aprox. 6" pieces.









sanded down the edges to remove any excess material and sanded the rest of the pipe and the end caps to rough it up a bit so the silicone would adhere to the surface more readily.









now for the messy part, i got a tube of GE Silicone 1, a small putty knife and a shallow tray of gravel, the same stuff i use in my tanks so the caves will blend.









using the putty knife i smeared a liberal coating of silicone over the entire surface of the pipes. i slipped the pipe over a large knife so i could work the entire surface without having to touch the wet silicone.









still using the knife as a handle, i rolled the pipe in my gravel until it was completely covered then used my hands to gently press the gravel deeper into the silicone.









i did 2 closed ended breeding caves and 1 open ended cave, saving my other 3 pieces to make more of whichever cave gets used most.

now i will let the silicone set for 24 hours, then i will soak the caves for another 24 hours and into the tank they go.


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## target

Nice idea. I had thought of using PVC as well, but didn't want to be able to see it. That is a good solution. I may have to steal your idea.


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## effox

That looks good, let us have some in tank shots after its sealed up.


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## thefishwife

Great idea, did you just use reg or fine gravel?


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## Sliver

i used fine gravel on these ones, i think i may use regular gravel or maybe even small river rock on the next ones.


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## `GhostDogg´

Looks good, can't wait to see them in your tank(s).
I was going to try this a few years back, but I got the PVC with the foam in side so it floated on me.
Then I just got lazy & used ABS & just dumped it in behind some rocks & slate. LOL
Totally took the wind out of the sails...


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## LikeItLow

very nice! i made my BGK home the same way. if you used your aquarium gravel they should blend in well.


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## Sliver

finally got some pics of the caves in use. my long finned albino bnp's seem to like them...lol


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## Tazzy_toon

Great idea, looks good! I may have to try it.


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