Crabitat Scaping

[Links]

So I’ve been holding back on posting the progress of my crabitat. I wanted to complete it first but It’s killing me!

Quick story on how this all got started. I was on vacation w my family and we came home with a crab. Sound familiar? Thought so.

I did quick research and realized the KK the store sold us wasn’t near good enough.

Luckily I had an empty 55 in my garage. I’ve been itching to get it set up again but wanted a planted freshwater with competition style Aquascaping. Something like this:
But it requires a small fortune in plants. So I’ve been holding off. Then my next thought was a reef tank. Well, that probably cost more than the freshwater planted.

So I quickly set up the crabitat with much better conditions. It’s location was temporary so I had to move it and here’s what I’ve done so far.

Here’s the quick setup before I moved it and after...



Now it’s still a WIP and would be much easier if I didn’t have crabs yet. Now it’s very difficult for me to complete my vision with the crabs in there. And I don’t want to keep pulling them out to do the work. But to move the tat I took them out, and they were in a small container for half a day.




Finally back home!













Now I’m wanting to add plants and first I collected some duck weed currently being quarantined. Check out all the hitchhikers.











Also collected moss hopefully I can get it to stay on the wood and I’ll put some around the freshwater pool as well as rocks to hide the filter. The moss and duckweed have been cleaned and sterilized. Just need to complete the quarantine process. I am confident the area I collected plants are free of pesticides.





Now I’m working on a waterfall and more natural looking pools. Inspired by terrariums, vivariums, plaudariums (whatever they are called) like these. I’m not sure I can compete but they are inspiring.



For now I’m going to hide the filters with lava rock and I’m having to silicone them outside the tank. It would be much easier if I could do it in the tank.



I’ll try growing some moss on part of the rocks as well.

If I knew I was going to be doing this I would bought a small pump instead of filters to create the falls because I want the falls to start high in the tank. I’d also like to make a more natural background but not sure if it would block heat from the UTH on the back glass.

If I ever finish I’ll post more pics here.

Thanks for looking!


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[Crabby7Crabber]

Wow! Amazing progress! I could never do something like that!

[Links]

Thank you!
But Have a feeling the moss won’t survive.


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[Hermiehomes4Gretchen]

So I’ve been holding back on posting the progress of my crabitat. I wanted to complete it first but It’s killing me!

Quick story on how this all got started. I was on vacation w my family and we came home with a crab. Sound familiar? Thought so.

I did quick research and realized the KK the store sold us wasn’t near good enough.

Luckily I had an empty 55 in my garage. I’ve been itching to get it set up again but wanted a planted freshwater with competition style Aquascaping. Something like this:
But it requires a small fortune in plants. So I’ve been holding off. Then my next thought was a reef tank. Well, that probably cost more than the freshwater planted.

So I quickly set up the crabitat with much better conditions. It’s location was temporary so I had to move it and here’s what I’ve done so far.

Here’s the quick setup before I moved it and after...



Now it’s still a WIP and would be much easier if I didn’t have crabs yet. Now it’s very difficult for me to complete my vision with the crabs in there. And I don’t want to keep pulling them out to do the work. But to move the tat I took them out, and they were in a small container for half a day.




Finally back home!













Now I’m wanting to add plants and first I collected some duck weed currently being quarantined. Check out all the hitchhikers.











Also collected moss hopefully I can get it to stay on the wood and I’ll put some around the freshwater pool as well as rocks to hide the filter. The moss and duckweed have been cleaned and sterilized. Just need to complete the quarantine process. I am confident the area I collected plants are free of pesticides.





Now I’m working on a waterfall and more natural looking pools. Inspired by terrariums, vivariums, plaudariums (whatever they are called) like these. I’m not sure I can compete but they are inspiring.



For now I’m going to hide the filters with lava rock and I’m having to silicone them outside the tank. It would be much easier if I could do it in the tank.



I’ll try growing some moss on part of the rocks as well.

If I knew I was going to be doing this I would bought a small pump instead of filters to create the falls because I want the falls to start high in the tank. I’d also like to make a more natural background but not sure if it would block heat from the UTH on the back glass.

If I ever finish I’ll post more pics here.

Thanks for looking!


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Wow this is spectacular


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[curlysister]

Holy cow! What kind of wood is that and where did you get it from?

[DevilNDisguise]

I definitely don't have the patience or the skills to do something like this, but I wish I could do it. As I was setting up my 75g, I planted chia seeds. They grew so tall! I was so proud and happy that there was some greenery in there.

... Then I introduced the crabs and the chia was gone within that week.

I love the look of moss, but I don't know if it would last in my tank. But it's so dull right now!

[Links]

Holy cow! What kind of wood is that and where did you get it from?

I don’t know Lol but I’ve had it a long time There’s at least two different types. I was afraid it was pine but it doesn’t smell so I guess it’s fine. I think It all might’ve been collected by a lake years ago.


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[curlysister]

Ah, it does look like it could be driftwood of some sort. I bet the crabs love it!

[Links]

Mr Crabs and Crabby are in the wood most the time. But one Crabetha likes to dig and stay in the sub more. Kids named them lol. Crabetha is the only one I know the sex and she stayed under for 2 months after I got her for a molt.


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[Xenocrab]

Wow! That's amazing!

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[Links]

Thank you all!
Only thing I want to do is make the pools more natural, hiding the Tupperware containers and start the waterfalls closer to the top and some greenery. Oh and a background that wraps around the sides similar to builds I’ve seen from @aussieJJDude and @Motörcrab have done. I’m sure there’s other build I haven’t seen. If anyone knows please let me know.

Btw Silicone and rocks took me forever and I’m not really that happy with the results
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[aussieJJDude]

Looks good to me! ^_^


One that really kick started my tank was curious_kitty:

https://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/p ... &start=195


That tank (if you can call it that) is an absolute masterpiece, and if I could, would have something just like that in a heartbeat!


And this setup:
https://web.archive.org/web/20160708065 ... age_id=328

(Unfortunately the page has been discontinued, and its in german. But man, this is one awesome setup! (Owner of this tank - Naalide - did frequent this board on occassion))


And then, this setup by Curlz.
http://curlz-crabs.blogspot.com/?m=1

Oh.
My.
Goodness.

If I could trade tanks with anyone, this would be it. Custom eurostyled vivariums thats built for the crabs in mind. Plz. Sign me up!


All 3 of these crabbers (and many more, some that I've simply forgotten the links!) were great inspirations for my build. The best thing I've found is to look through the archived sections and see what you can find - there's a couple of fabulous gems in there!



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[Crabby7Crabber]

Looks good to me! ^_^


One that really kick started my tank was curious_kitty:

https://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/p ... &start=195


That tank (if you can call it that) is an absolute masterpiece, and if I could, would have something just like that in a heartbeat!


And this setup:
https://web.archive.org/web/20160708065 ... age_id=328

(Unfortunately the page has been discontinued, and its in german. But man, this is one awesome setup! (Owner of this tank - Naalide - did frequent this board on occassion))


And then, this setup by Curlz.
http://curlz-crabs.blogspot.com/?m=1

Oh.
My.
Goodness.

If I could trade tanks with anyone, this would be it. Custom eurostyled vivariums thats built for the crabs in mind. Plz. Sign me up!


All 3 of these crabbers (and many more, some that I've simply forgotten the links!) were great inspirations for my build. The best thing I've found is to look through the archived sections and see what you can find - there's a couple of fabulous gems in there!



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Thanks for the laugh, @aussieJJDude!

[Links]

OMG I’ve got a long way to go!


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[Crabby7Crabber]

OMG I’ve got a long way to go!


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Not as much as me! I still got to upgrade my ten gallon!