New crab mom needs advise!

[LolaBellum]

Hi! Im a new crab mom—it was kind of a rescue situation and I’m learning on the fly. I’ve read the basic care info included in the tank kit and some online articles, but I have questions!
The kit came with sand and coconut coir—it showed the tank setup with one in one side and one on the other, but I’ve read that they should be mixed instead?
I have a heating pad stuck to one side, as well as a lamp which sits on the top screen. The temp is consistently around 75°. The other side is the cool side, both sides have a hiding cave. I have the salt water bowl and also the fresh bowl with a sponge, a food dish (a shell), and a climbing branch.
I have two crabs, both Equadorian (?), the tank is a 10 gallon.
I’ve got about 3” of substrate.
My main question is: how do you keep the humidity up in an arid climate? I’m misting every hour and the highest I’ve been able to get the humidity is around 70% and that’s very short lived. I’m concerned about their gills. Also, the constant misting isn’t sustainable long term.
Also, they seem super messy! I’m cleaning their water bowls every morning and tidying up the tank. They just plow over everything and I’m not sure how much open space they need vs. “toys” to keep them stimulated. The maintenance seems pretty high.
So I guess vacations are out of the question for the rest of my crab mom life? Help!
Thanks in advance for any advise.

[JoeHermits]

Sand and coconut fiber each have their pros and cons, but combining them gives you a substrate that holds moisture and tunnels well. Some people do offer one or the other but they are a little more fickle to maintain alone. Also note that playsand is recommended, many kits contain calcium sand which can clump and harden when it gets wet. Not useful for digging down for molts

Side note, substrate should be at least three times the crabs’ height so they have room to burrow and molt without being dug up and cannibalized by each other. Es are well known for this

For humidity, you may need to seal it better. Plastic wrap over a mesh lid (if you have one) is a good low-budget solution. Adding a moss pit (bowl or container filled with moss) can also help

Ecuadorian hermit crabs are some of the more active species, so regular tank trashing is expected. For enrichment, offer places to hide (caves, plastic plants, etc.) and climb (branches). Deep substrate so they can dig freely will also be appreciated

Additional reading:

Substrate: viewtopic.php?t=92542

Humidity (including options and methods for maintenance): viewtopic.php?t=92544


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[LolaBellum]

Thank you for the suggestions! I’ve discovered that these two are Purple Pinchers, not Equadorian. But I will reevaluate the substrate and get some play sand instead.
I will also try the plastic wrap idea.
Any other important tips are welcome!
Thanks