PVC Tonga branch???

[nanoreefer22]

I just got bored and started playing around a little with bending some PVC. I got a decent bend in here and there and got it to create an overhang that I could place coral on. Just dont know how to make it look better than bare old PVC, any ideas? fits perfectly in place and I could place a few coral on it to grow out.
Heres some pics so you guys can get the idea of how it looks. Just put it in the tank for the pics. LMK how you think I could make it better.

 

[jhale]

use a tube of epoxy and glue a bunch of rubble to it.
it will look like a real rock

 

[jhale]

if you do it sand the pvc with 100 grit sand paper to give the epoxy a better grip.

 

[gforce6]

Great idea!!!
Only thing bothers me is that burnt mark, couldn't you do that with boiling water?

 

[nanoreefer22]

No clue about the boiling water, only problem would be bending the whole thing with your hand when its hot =\. But I'm gonna do what John said and post some pics of it finished. Should be by this weekend. John thanks for the tips .
-Kris

 

[jhale]

you can use boiling water to soften the pvc and then bend it, use protection it's hot!
when you get the shape you want put it in cold water. it will lock in the shape. but be careful it will stay hot for sometime.

nice idea Kris, it's going to look cool. make a few while your doing it, let them sit in the tank and become live rock.

but one thing to remember, once all the rock is on there it's going to be heavy, so anchoring it won't be the same as it is now, make sure you get that part figured out.

 

[marrone]

Give it some time and it will be covered in coraline algae.

 

[nanoreefer22]

you can use boiling water to soften the pvc and then bend it, use protection it's hot!
when you get the shape you want put it in cold water. it will lock in the shape. but be careful it will stay hot for sometime.

nice idea Kris, it's going to look cool. make a few while your doing it, let them sit in the tank and become live rock.

but one thing to remember, once all the rock is on there it's going to be heavy, so anchoring it won't be the same as it is now, make sure you get that part figured out.

Didn't think about the extra weight. Thats probably going to be the biggest problem. Any ideas on how to anchor it? This is gonna be my project for my weekend. Hmmm the space I put the end of it into was really tight, maybe it'll hold???

 

[delv]

There's more than one way to do rockwork...I'd think cement is the cheapest/easiest way to disguise the PVC for you, though there are many others.

FYI, bending PVC with the stove or a heat gun releases really noxious stuff...wear a respirator and stand in very good circulation (or a spray booth like I have).

I'm actually in the middle of making two pretty cool sunken buttress trees for a new Discus tank I'm setting up...much more complicated than Tonga rock with with different materials save the PVC...

Enjoy!
d.

 

[nanoreefer22]

There's more than one way to do rockwork...I'd think cement is the cheapest/easiest way to disguise the PVC for you, though there are many others.

FYI, bending PVC with the stove or a heat gun releases really noxious stuff...wear a respirator and stand in very good circulation (or a spray booth like I have).

I'm actually in the middle of making two pretty cool sunken buttress trees for a new Discus tank I'm setting up...much more complicated than Tonga rock with with different materials save the PVC...

Enjoy!
d.

Thanks for the tips. Had no clue on the noxious thing. Only made a few bends today, thankfully. Next time I'll do them more spread apart and get some windows open. Hmmmm I'd like to see some pics of the stuff your making, sounds cool.
-Kris

 

[zahner]

check out what Paul B did with his, he actually covered the PVC with concrete

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=693552

it looks really nice IMO, and a lot cheaper than real branch

 

[delv]

If you want to see my work go to NY Aquarium and check out Glovers reef or the mudbank installation.

Paul's is OK...use a thicker cement mix and you can build up the body of the rock to look a bit more real...Paul's 'rock' looks more like a frozen snake to me.

d.