Pools/Glues/Roly polies

[BettaCrew]

I want to relocate some small decor that's on the substrate and add deeper pools (3in deep TBD length and width) with fresh on the left side of the tank and salt on the right side of the tank. Both pools would have ways out.

I am afraid that I may disturb my buddies that I currently can't see. I possibly have two hermies that are buried. I know where the largest buddy is but not the smaller one (hermie #3). I saw the smaller one 12.28.18.

I will be adding substrate today. I know it is too low in most of the tank.

My questions are:

How far should decor be from the top of the tank?

How do I best guesstimate where smaller hermie #3 is?

How do I ensure the hermies won't overturn the water bowls (pyrex glass)?
What is the recommended length/width of the water bowls? (I know the depth is determined by the ability of my biggest to fully submerge.)

How do I attach fake greenery to climbing sticks (wacky stick from petsmart bird section)? Other than aquarium safe silicon, what glues can be used to attach popsicle sticks/various non-resinous wood together?

Can I place my humidifier hose over the moss pit and let the "fog" spill over it? (I would move the hose from time to time.)

Are roly polies (I'm sure I've misspelled that) from my garden safe to use? I don't use bug sprays but do use soil similar to miracle gro. Is it recommended to use them to eat the poo in the tank? Will they introduce bug problems to my tank?

[curlysister]

I have no experience with rollie pollies or humidifiers, sorry.
As for the glue, aquarium safe is pretty much the only thing that is safe and will stand up to the temp/ humidity as far as I am aware. Many people use zip ties to attach things together in the tank.
If someone is down, don't start digging around in the substrate to add things or remove things, wait til they are up. You can add up to an inch per day of substrate, just don't pack it down. Be sure that it's sand castle consistency, not too wet or dry. You need at least six inches, or three times as deep as your largest crab, whichever is deeper. What are you using for substrate?
What kind of lid do you have? That might determine how close you want your crabs to the top, LOL!
No way to guarantee they won't tip bowls over, sigh. My Sonny is terrible for trashing the tank, turning over bowls, digging right next to them and filling them with sand, knocking everything over. I'm not sure what the recommendations are for length and width, but many of us use plastic food storage containers, one inside the other, pushed into the substrate. Then when you take the top one out to clean and replace water, the bottom one holds the shape and no worry about disturbing anyone under it. Also remember that they need a way to get out of the bowls, pyrex would be slippery so you would need to have some rocks or something in there that they could use to climb out. With the plastic food storage containers, you can attach craft mesh with zip ties. I am not currently using the plastic containers, but have some ready to go as soon as Cher come up!

[BettaCrew]

Thank you for the reply! I currently have a 250g tank (can't fill it due to chips on outer edges - sigh.... saltwater tank delayed again). It is not air tight (opening for fish tank filters x2 on the top and 4 glass covered areas for 4 light ballasts). I use 2 UVB lights. I use a humidifier (roughly 80-85% at all times). I use coco fiber/sand 50/50.

I'm working on finding glass cookware to double up like you suggested with plastic stuff. I read it somewhere on HCA boards and figured it was a pretty efficient idea.

I'm still new to the HCA... is there a way to put my tank parameters somewhere so I don't have to type it every time? Im sure there is...I just don't think I've discovered it yet.

[aussieJJDude]

Thank you for the reply! I currently have a 250g tank (can't fill it due to chips on outer edges - sigh.... saltwater tank delayed again). It is not air tight (opening for fish tank filters x2 on the top and 4 glass covered areas for 4 light ballasts). I use 2 UVB lights. I use a humidifier (roughly 80-85% at all times). I use coco fiber/sand 50/50.

I'm working on finding glass cookware to double up like you suggested with plastic stuff. I read it somewhere on HCA boards and figured it was a pretty efficient idea.

I'm still new to the HCA... is there a way to put my tank parameters somewhere so I don't have to type it every time? Im sure there is...I just don't think I've discovered it yet.

For lenght and width, you want to to be long enough that a crab can comfortably submerge. Anything more is both a bonus (or minus, since it subtracts available floorspace).

You could use something like a plastic bin and double it up that way, and just have a 'gravel-ly' beach surrounding the pools? Cause I dont imagine those glass contains to fill well inside one another.

As for parameters... not sure exactly what you mean. But I don't think so.

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[Motörcrab]

A lot of use 4 plastic containers. What we do is put the first two tubs into the substrate then line the other two containers with craft mesh and fasten it with zip ties. Then put those containers into the first containers. That way when you remove the pools to clean and change the water you won't disturb any crabs.

In my 75 gallon tank I use containers that hold close to 1/2 gallon of water. In my 10 gallon I just set up I use round tubs like margarine or soups would come in. Size really depends on how much area you have in your tank and how big your crabs are. Bubblers are good to add to the pools as well. Air pump, air lines and little air stone in your pool. My strawberries did not go into the pools until the bubblers were added. Some crabs are attracted to the movement.

For height restriction from the top of the tank... I have seen my crabs climb to the lid using airlines for bubblers in the water dishes and even up wires from the probes on gauges. From there they will climb to the lid then around the inside. I usually try to keep a gallon of water on the top to keep them from getting out of the tank. I usually try to stop my decorations at least 3" from the top of the tank, more for bigger crabs. My guys will usually crawl at the sides of the tank along the substrate leaving sand stuck to the wall. That's about their reach so measure that then add another inch or so and that would be a pretty good estimate.

For greenery in the tank. I use command hooks and suction cups with hooks. Fish netting is great to attach to the walls and zip tie plastic plans to that to give it some texture and color. Plus the crabs like climbing on it. Glues and silicones can only be used before adding crabs to the tank. The vapors while it cures can kill the crabs.

The Rollie Pollies, Isopods can be used from you garden, BUT you should quarantine them and feed them safe items for several months to reduce anything harmful being introduced to your crabs. There is a care sheet for that here.
http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... 26&t=92538

I've had them in my tank for about 6 months now. They can get out of hand rather quickly the way the reproduce. 100 can easily turn into thousands! They are supposed to eat poop and scattered food. Mine just eat directly out of the food dishes. I'd really consider long and hard before adding them because they do take more work than crabs to keep in control.

[BettaCrew]

Thank you for the replies! I definitely think the rolie polies will have to stay in my garden most likely. Haha.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-5- ... /604264818

The bowls I want to use stack pretty well. They are square, glass bowls with slanted sides. The top one sits above the other by a half inch. I think I can put larger rocks along the edge to give the hermies a boost. I'm planning on getting pieces of tumbled/polished/no sharp edges recycled glass to silicone to portions of the sides that the hermies can "rock climb" in/out of the bowls. I would be using the 4 smaller bowls in the picture.

The bowls will cure outside of the tank. Would this scenario work pretty well?

[Motörcrab]

I think they would work. Just be sure to use aquarium silicone for the pools. Other types may not be safe.

[BlookittiePC]

To answer your question about how far the decor should be from the top- If you have a good glass lid, I think that the decor will be fine as long as it doesn't actually touch the lid. In my tank the fake plant and climbing vine get pretty close to the top, and the closest escape attempt we've had is the crabbies climbing around the lid.