HCA: Hermit Crab Association

So, what is the current consensus (or is there any, maybe is a better question?) on whether and how often one should do a real deep clean on a large tank? We have our three big PP's in a 90G; I did a pseudo-deep clean a couple of years ago (did not take all substrate out, but stirred it all and put new in). We are getting ready to move ( that's a whole 'nother set of problems), so with all that is involved there (having to take out the crabs, take out all decor, probably most of the substrate, just to be able to move the 90G), I guess it would technically be a good time to do a real, complete deep clean, if that seems like a good idea.

What do the long-time crabbers with the bigger tanks think? Deep clean or no? If so, how?

(If there's already a good thread on this, or how-to's posted, feel free to refer me there; I've not been on the forum for years so I'm sure I've missed all kinds of great stuff.)

Some people never deep clean. I do it once every six months to a year

I only remix the substrate once every few years. With multiple crabs having different molting cycles a regular deep clean isn’t always practical.

A real deep clean isn’t entirely necessary and is more personal preference than requirement.


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None of my tanks have gone more than a few years without a complete swap out.

I think that adding new substrate in as the old settles and trying to churn it to aerate it when your crabs are topside is good.

I think JMT takes out part of the old and mixes new in once a year.

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soilentgringa wrote:I think that adding new substrate in as the old settles and trying to churn it to aerate it when your crabs are topside is good.

I think JMT takes out part of the old and mixes new in once a year.

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Yes, I churn it around a few times a year when all of my crabs are up.

Thanks everybody who replied. Any more long-term crabbers with big tanks want to chime in???