Crabitat - issues with adding light

finleyfoo · Post by **finleyfoo** » Fri Sep 14, 2018 1:17 pm

Hi,
I am pretty new to hermit crabs (have had my 2 rescues for 2 months) so I am still learning.

I have a 20 gallon glass tank set up per recommendations. I have a screen top (it's a reptile terrarium). In order to maintain the humidity, I put a plexi over it and I have been able to maintain humidity about 75-80%.

I have had a heating pad (left over from an old dog bed) under the plexi next to the screen and the temperature has been between 70-75 degrees (F). But we are going into fall and then winter soon so I decided to buy a hood light. The one I got has a day bulb and a night bulb.

Here is the issue I am having - the hood light raises the temperature to about 75-80 degrees (F) and that is only leaving it on a few hours. Is that too high? I am not comfortable leaving it on at night when we are sleeping or when we are out of the house.

But to use the light, I have to remove the plexi and the humidity has dropped to 70%. I tried saran wrap on the exposed parts and that did not help (plus I am not crazy about that look or having to get under it constantly to change the food).

I tried the hood light on top of the plexi (not sure if that is safe) but the temp still went up the same and the humidity did not improve. Maybe I should keep it the way I originally had it? I am just afraid that in the cooler weather, the heating pad won't be enough.

Thanks

Motörcrab · Post by **Motörcrab** » Fri Sep 14, 2018 3:09 pm

I would suggest for tough to purchase a different undertank heater for your tank. I prefer the Ultratherm brand since they can be insulated to direct all of the heat back into the tank. Not all can be insulated though. I would purchase one that covers the entire back of the tank from the top of the glass to the top of your substrate. Some people prefer to cover the entire rear glass.

75-80 is alright for purples. When I had just the purples I would keep my tank at a minimum of 79-80. I consider upper 88-90 a little to warm for crabs. I currently keep my tank around 82-86 for my Strawberries and they are active and a bit more picky with temperature compared to other species.

What type of substrate are you using? I recently read that if you are using just Eco Earth it may not have enough water mixed in. You can also add a moss pit and also bubblers to your water dishes to raise the humidity.

As long as your bulb is not for heat it should be safe to let the plexiglass on top with the light on.

finleyfoo · Post by **finleyfoo** » Fri Sep 14, 2018 5:08 pm

Thank you so much for replying!

The bulb is for heat, yes. But right now I only keep it on when I am around to monitor it. It may not be a good long term solution though.

I might consider a heat pad that is made to go on the back of the tank. I have been looking online at some.

I am using Fluker's all natural premium sand substrate mixture. However, my depth is not enough - 4 inches right now - so I have ordered 2 more bags.

I do have a moss pit but I am considering getting some spaghnum moss to replace it with.

Tell me about bubblers - I don't quite understand how these work or where to get them.

fandt94 · Post by **fandt94** » Fri Sep 14, 2018 6:43 pm

finleyfoo wrote:Thank you so much for replying!

The bulb is for heat, yes. But right now I only keep it on when I am around to monitor it. It may not be a good long term solution though.

I might consider a heat pad that is made to go on the back of the tank. I have been looking online at some.

I am using Fluker's all natural premium sand substrate mixture. However, my depth is not enough - 4 inches right now - so I have ordered 2 more bags.

I do have a moss pit but I am considering getting some spaghnum moss to replace it with.

Tell me about bubblers - I don't quite understand how these work or where to get them.

Someone with more experience can explain the bubblers more in depth but it’s basically air stones in the pool attached by tubing to an aquarium filter motor (which is on the outside of the tank). It’s what people put in fish aquariums but for the crabitat is used in the pools to keep the water moving. I’m going to do this eventually when I can get my new pools in but right now I have 2 crabs down & don’t know where they are so I have to wait lol. It’s killing me to have to wait!!!

Motörcrab · Post by **Motörcrab** » Sat Sep 15, 2018 9:49 am

Bubblers are just air stones, tubing and an aquarium pump. You add them to the water dishes to add humidity to the tank.

You can build one for around $25 or less. They are easy to do too!

This is the one I just made for my tank on Thursday night. The air pump I got is a little more elaborate but has 2 out lines and a control valve for adjusting the air pressure. You can get just a small single line pump, add a "Y" adapter to the line and in line control valve for pressure.

Instead of purchasing the premixed substrate you can also go to just about any building supply stores and purchase playsand. The type used for sand boxes. A 50lb bag will be around $5. For what you already have in your 20 gallon tank 2 bags of sand should be more than enough. You can also add Eco Earth to the sand as well. For 100 lbs of substrate you would have less that $30 invested.

There are a lot of cheaper ways around items that are marketed specifically toward hermit crabs. Hermit Crab salt water mix at PetDumb comes to mind. $5 for a 16 ounce bottle. A small 3 lb box of Instant Ocean mix for $10, will make 10 gallons! Plus many of the "experts" on here say the small bottles do not have all of the minerals required compared to Instant Ocean.

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finleyfoo · Post by **finleyfoo** » Sat Sep 15, 2018 7:50 pm

Thank you! Your picture helps a lot. I am going to try to put together some bubblers - I am having trouble maintaining humidity. Also, how do you get the plastic stuff to bend coming in and out of pools? I have the same stuff but it is so rigid, that it will not stay bent down into the pool.

I do have Instant Ocean so I am headed in the right direction I think...

fandt94 · Post by **fandt94** » Sat Sep 15, 2018 8:02 pm

finleyfoo wrote:Thank you! Your picture helps a lot. I am going to try to put together some bubblers - I am having trouble maintaining humidity. Also, how do you get the plastic stuff to bend coming in and out of pools? I have the same stuff but it is so rigid, that it will not stay bent down into the pool.

I do have Instant Ocean so I am headed in the right direction I think...

I used zip ties just like in the picture to keep the mesh down. I also doubled up each pool...meaning one container in another so I can bury in the substrate up to the lip of the top pool. I can share pics later as I haven’t put them in the tank yet because I have crabs buried .

Oh and to get the mesh to stay down inside of the pools, when I was zip tying I put a heavy object to hold the mesh on the inside if that makes sense? It held the mesh in position while I got it zip tied on each end.

YouTube · Post by **GotButterflies** » Sat Sep 15, 2018 10:21 pm

Here is a link that one of our Moderators made about bubblers

viewtopic.php?f=26&t=113691&p=1030806&h ... r#p1030806

fandt94 · Post by **fandt94** » Sat Sep 15, 2018 10:39 pm

The pictures I promised... Dying to get them in the darn tank!!!

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finleyfoo · Post by **finleyfoo** » Mon Sep 17, 2018 11:54 am

The pictures really help. Where you have the zip ties - did you poke a hole in the container to get it through to the other side?

Also, can you explain why you double up on the containers? Have a single container for each - freshwater and saltwater. I have small pebbles/rocks under each at one end of the tank. The substrate slants down toward the waters - if that makes sense.

Hermiesguardian · Post by **Hermiesguardian** » Mon Sep 17, 2018 1:23 pm

finleyfoo wrote:The pictures really help. Where you have the zip ties - did you poke a hole in the container to get it through to the other side?

Also, can you explain why you double up on the containers? Have a single container for each - freshwater and saltwater. I have small pebbles/rocks under each at one end of the tank. The substrate slants down toward the waters - if that makes sense.

Yes, you poke holes into the container. As high as possible so the water doesn't reach it. My husband drills the holes for me. And you double it so if a crab is buried or tunneled under it, you don't collapse their tunnel/cave by taking out just the top. And it keeps the shape in the sand.

finleyfoo · Post by **finleyfoo** » Tue Sep 18, 2018 9:45 am

Ok great, this all makes sense.

I got the water bubbler last night and set it up. At first it did not make bubbles so I fiddled a bit with the lines and got it working. But I have a question: the lines snake up the top to the outside of the tank. How do you prevent them from getting squashed by the lid? Right now I have a mesh lid with a plexi on top. Thanks!

Motörcrab · Post by **Motörcrab** » Tue Sep 18, 2018 11:29 am

If you have a glass top you can cut a notch in the small plastic flap and run them out that way. I don't think a top will be heavy enough to crush the tubing. Possibly over time they would deform.

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RiNiKy506 · Post by **RiNiKy506** » Tue Sep 18, 2018 12:46 pm

Hermiesguardian wrote:
Yes, you poke holes into the container. As high as possible so the water doesn't reach it. My husband drills the holes for me. And you double it so if a crab is buried or tunneled under it, you don't collapse their tunnel/cave by taking out just the top. And it keeps the shape in the sand.

I am so glad I read this! That is a great idea to double up the containers so it doesn’t ruin any tunnels underneath. I worry about smooshing someone that may be just under my small water dish shell when I take it out and try to shove it back in the substrate. I mean I’m not pushing too hard but I still think about if anyone was underneath. Also, what is this mesh stuff you all are using for the water pools? You can get it at craft stores? Is that correct?

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finleyfoo · Post by **finleyfoo** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 11:41 am

Yes, you get it at craft stores. They all have it. I started out with that but then decided to switch. I made two ladders using wooden dowels and rope. The ladders lay in the water dishes and snake out and lay on top of the substrate - if that makes sense. I don't know if it is a wood long term solution (the wood and rope stay wet) but it works for now.

HCA: Hermit Crab Association