Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Creating habitat PVC Questions

My nephew works for a HVAC company and I asked him to save me some PVC scraps. My plan is to add some short lengths to the pond for crawfish and small fish cover. Should I rough up the outside/inside of the PVC to get algae growing on it quicker? The scraps are 2 to 6 inch ID. How long should I cut the pieces? Should the "little caves" be placed parallel or perpendicular to the shore? Anybody got answers and any other thoughts?

As I will have lots of cuts to make, I was thinking of using my chop box. Anybody ever done this? What kind of blade to use?

Bill, I can't answer all your questions but I'll take a stab at two.

I have 3 PVC trees in my pond, I did not rough them up and it didn't take long at all for the algae to start growing (maybe even just days).

And I've always used my compound miter saw (on stand) for cutting all sizes and lengths of PVC. 3/4" PVC I've cut up to 5 at a time. And I've used the blade that was in it at the time; finish, cross-cut and rip. The finish blade is less likely to chip the PVC opposed to the rip and you do need to be careful! BTW, the rip is not recommended! I won't say this is the smartest or safest way to cut PVC but I've been doing it for years with no stitches or missing fingers..... yet

Hold the PVC firmly so it won't spin
Go slow with the cut
Use all other safety precautions, common sense being the most important one!

Disclaimer: I'm not recommending this method, just sharing my experience

Thanks Keith!

Anybody got thoughts on how long I should cut the pieces and what orientation I should place them to the shore when I put them in the pond?

Bill D, I cut mine with a 6" chop saw with a fiber steel cutting blade.

A jig that can be blocked for PVC length will really speed things up also. Let me take a pic. It's easier to see than explain.

Mine is set up to have a 4" pvc pipe as the default pipe. The board added to the lower side of the base is measured in 6" increments, and marks dead center on 4" pipe. For smaller pvc that requires multiple pieces, I just measure the board, and screw a scrap piece 2X4 to the base as a backstop. Measure once, cut multiple pieces.

I used a chop saw, cut about 18"(fish won't care if they aren't exact . I drilled holes thru them and put a rope thru so I can remove them. Pics of how I placed mine. I built mine more for FHM spawning than cover. They work good.

If it is foam core it will float. Ask me how I know.....

esshup, tell us more. I was not aware of the difference between PVC, foam core or otherwise. If I blindly walk into my hardware store (national chain) or big box store in the blue or orange variety I only see PVC and CPVC. Are both foam core? Will even small pieces float? What is the solution?

Thanks for all the inputs guys!

....and Esshup, I would also like to hear the rest of the story....

As far as I know, schedule 40 PVC that you find most places has a specific gravity greater than 1.0 (Don't quote me, I would have to look it up to be sure, but I think schedule 40 PVC has a SG of like 1.3) so it will sink. Mine does.

The bigger dia. stuff is both PVC and foam core. Foam core is lighter in weight. I believe it starts at 3".

I made the same type of crayfish habitat a number of years ago. Imagine my dismay when I threw it into the pond and it all floated......

I had to take it all apart, get real PVC and every 2-3 pieces of foam core, put the solid wall PVC to get it to sink.