Humidity Issues, broken gauge?

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Angela.Shylah
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Humidity Issues, broken gauge?

Post by Angela.Shylah » Fri Feb 06, 2015 12:46 am

Please help, I am very new to this and extremely stressed.
I just spent quite a bit of money setting up a home for hermit crabs, I bought a 10 gallon tank with a mesh top, coco fiber, dishes, ect. I set it up yesterday with dry coco fiber and the mesh top, and the humidity gauge read 70. today i bought the aquarium salt and got the coco fiber wet to the touch, and filled one dish with salt and one with fresh water. I don't have the hermit crabs yet, and dont want to buy them until everything is stable. I also set up my heater, its a UTH on the back side, and keeps the tank at about 74 degrees. Today, with MOIST substrate, two dishes full of water, and plastic wrap covering most of the top, my humidity gauge reads 45-55. why would it get so much lower than it was when everything was dry? Could i have a broken humidity gauge or am I doing something wrong? I want to get hermit crabs in the next 2 days but I don't want to bring them into bad living conditions
Proud crab mommy of three babies: George, Scrumples, and Sebastian.
RIP Marbles.

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YYWW
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Humidity Issues, broken gauge?

Post by YYWW » Fri Feb 06, 2015 1:31 am

Hi there! Great that you are doing your research before being suckered into the wrong products! You are a great pre-crab crabber! Image
What kind of gauge is it? I find the analog ones are VERY hit and miss, and then SURE MISS. Unless it's very high quality, i prefer a cheapy digital one better. To be sure, you can calibrate your existing one to see if it is off, and by how much. Chances are that its broken.


Crabbers unite!!!
Calibration instructions: viewtopic.php?t=92540


Topic author
Angela.Shylah
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Re: Humidity Issues, broken gauge?

Post by Angela.Shylah » Fri Feb 06, 2015 1:44 am

Where can I get a digital one?
I have just a petco brand analog. This was the only one I could find, it was 3.99. (ive been to 4 different petcos and 2 petsmarts this week getting all prepared. I obsess over something when I get into it)
Proud crab mommy of three babies: George, Scrumples, and Sebastian.
RIP Marbles.

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YYWW
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Re: Humidity Issues, broken gauge?

Post by YYWW » Fri Feb 06, 2015 2:31 am

I don't even know how you found that many petcos and petsmarts to go to! You're going crabby!!!!!
Walmart: http://mobile.walmart.com/ip/AcuRite-Di ... r/16888914
Amazon: AODEImage Digital LCD Indoor Weather Humidity Hygrometer Thermometer Meter Gauge Timer Clock 130016 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IZ47M5E/re ... 1ub0X25K1K
I have used both, but i like the AODE more. Personal preference.
You will find that Walmart, DollarTree, HomeDepot, and the grocery store have more of the stuff you need than petshops.


Crabbers unite!!!


hermieluv1
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Re: Humidity Issues, broken gauge?

Post by hermieluv1 » Fri Feb 06, 2015 4:46 am

What do you have over the mesh top? It needs to be wrapped in plastic wrap or covered with damp towel, with just a corner open for air.


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Angela.Shylah
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Re: Humidity Issues, broken gauge?

Post by Angela.Shylah » Fri Feb 06, 2015 12:12 pm

It is wrapped in plastic wrap :) the walls have a lot of condensation right now, is this normal?
I found with the salt test my humidity gauge was reading 50, not 75. so thats a total bust.
Proud crab mommy of three babies: George, Scrumples, and Sebastian.
RIP Marbles.

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YYWW
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Re: Humidity Issues, broken gauge?

Post by YYWW » Fri Feb 06, 2015 1:17 pm

Maybe you can just add 25 to whatever you get and go from there. And order/buy a digi ASAP... Condensation is an unsightly good sign.


Crabbers unite!!!

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soilentgringa
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Re: Humidity Issues, broken gauge?

Post by soilentgringa » Fri Feb 06, 2015 5:11 pm

If you have a tiny screwdriver you can usually find the place on the back of the analog where you adjust the dial. Just leave it in the ziploc bag with moistened table salt in a bottle cap or small dish/bowl overnight and adjust it until it shows 75 after being in the bag for a while.


Topic author
Angela.Shylah
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Re: Humidity Issues, broken gauge?

Post by Angela.Shylah » Fri Feb 06, 2015 5:36 pm

There isnt anyway to open it. Ive tried. Its a cheap petco humidity gauge that has no place for a screwdriver and would break if i tried. thanks though

Update: after going to bimart, fred meyer, orchards, and ace hardware with no avail, i went to petsmart and bought a 15 dollar digital thermometer/hydrometer by national geographic. My tank is at 78 degrees and 71-75% humidity :)
Proud crab mommy of three babies: George, Scrumples, and Sebastian.
RIP Marbles.

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YYWW
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Re: Humidity Issues, broken gauge?

Post by YYWW » Fri Feb 06, 2015 8:46 pm

Yay! That works!


Crabbers unite!!!

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