How to make Coconuts into "Caves".

Thanks for the post Gareth! Will try it out as soon as i can a coconut.

 

Hi

Hoe gaan dit? Ek gaan maar my Cichlids inruil, want die "wetters" ruk selfs my Moss van alles af. So ek wil dan van voor af begin. Ek wil as dit reg is met jou kom kyk hoe lyk jou C02 setup, ek gaan dan Tertas en Angels etc doen, wil ook dan bietjie kyk na die regte beligting vir plante. Nog n ding by Wonderboom Aquarium koop n ou "floating pLants" weet jy wat daai plante se regte naam is?

Groete, Jy moet se as jy van daai floating plants soek ek kan vir jouvan myne bring.

 

Hi guys. I did the same to three coconnts about 6 months ago. Luckily I have a full woodworking workshop at home so I cut off the bases of the coconuts with my bandsaw, then cut two entry and exit holes in the sides using my hole saw. I used the wire brush on my bench grinder to remove most of the hair, (the ansistrus went balistic on the left over hair for quite a while) Boiled them for 20 min, let them cool and dumped them into the tank and barrel pond. This really works and the fish love them. Oh, they will still leach tannins etc into the water for a while, but then, neither the fish or I mind tea coloured water! Here's a photo of the one in the outside tank:

 

i actually made 6 of them (3) coconuts. the fish loves these caves. i boiled mine for 2 hours so it didnt really leech any tannins. plecos and kribs love them

 

Thanks for this guide. Just busy with my first set of caves now

 

What is the purpose of baking them?

 

I think it just to dry them out completely. I 'overcooked' mine a little But it's all good...they're in the tank & the fish have taken to them like a duck to water.

 

i saw these at my LFS for 60 rand each, and that was for one half , rip offs lol

 

@DesertConvert. Thanks.
@Enver. Fruit and Veg has them for R20 for 3. Maybe you should start supplying your LFS and rip them off. LOL

 

Now I know how to make a quick buck! That's probably like 300-400% markup on a coconut! No wait, double that...600-800%!

 

lol thats why i love this forum , ever since i have joined i have saved loads of money and time with the advise and help

 

mmm ok slighty OT here.. but i think that fish actually take to water better than ducks take to water

 

Can't argue with you there

 

U guys really have trick for everything and it seems i'm going to learn allot so go ahead and post all u know.
i'm reading every single post, but this one is perfect.
I'm gonna do it tomorrow.
Thanks guys and gals

 

in beg 2011 I used to get coconuts for R5 from a friend who got it somewhere in jhb CBD. Nice full of water & coconut "meat" . Not like the junk sold in the supermarkets.
City Deep Veg market also has large bags of maybe 50(nobody can tell me) coconuts for +/-R240 in case anyone is starting a factory.

 

thanks this is great. works really well. i used rubber bands to attached the moss, but it does not want to take on the sides any suggestions ?

 

Nice thread. @Gareth - still making coconuts to order?

 

I've employed my puppy as the official coconut stripper... Cleaned up inside and out, left me with a cave....

 

Lol cute

 

@nuvijunkie Haven't made then for a while now