Need help with keeping temperature and humidity!!

[Justneedhelp]

So I am struggling trying to keep the temperature and the humidity in my tank at what it is supposed to be. As of right now I just have a regular 10 gallon fish tank and I always mist the inside but I have no top so I'm just using plastic wrap as a temporary top, just until I can find one that fits. I've read that you can make your own top from cardboard and plastic bags and that would keep the humidity but I don't know if I should do that or just keep the plastic wrap. If anyone has any tips that would be amazing!

[Jaydick484]

Check Facebook marketplace for inexpensive and sometimes free tank lids. I wouldn't have just plastic wrap for permanent solution, as they could escape if they are crafty. Do you have moss in there? You could take the moss out, spray it, and put it back in. That usually spikes the humidity. I peel back the plastic wrap on the corner if it gets too humid.

[Justneedhelp]

Okay, I'll try to go looking. No I don't have any moss currently, I was thinking of going to get some. Would you have any tips on where to buy some and how to take care of it?

[CrabbyLover77]

What is your substrate, and is it moistened to sand castle consistency? Sub needs to be moist enough for crabs to dig/make tunnels, but it also helps with humidity. I use glass tops on my tanks because they really hold in the moisture.

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[Jaydick484]

I ordered mine from Amazon, but that's before I found the great hermit crab shops on Etsy. At first I just stuck it in the tank dry as a huge chunk, but then realized I could rip it up into small pieces and spread it out. I also soaked it in conditioned fresh water (just like the substrate), and wrung it out to place in moist but not dripping. I will periodically take handfuls out at a time and spray them wet again with the conditioned fresh water that I keep in a spray bottle.

[curlysister]

I only used plastic wrap over top of the first two tanks I had - so probably for 5 or 6 years! It worked just fine for me.

What are your current temp and humidity readings?

[Justneedhelp]

Current temp is around 76 F, I know it needs to be higher so I do have a heat lamp that I turn on sometimes to get it where it needs to be. As for humidity it's around 69-70%. I currently have a mix of sand and coconut fibers for my substrate that I try my best to keep moist.

[Justneedhelp]

I ordered mine from Amazon, but that's before I found the great hermit crab shops on Etsy. At first I just stuck it in the tank dry as a huge chunk, but then realized I could rip it up into small pieces and spread it out. I also soaked it in conditioned fresh water (just like the substrate), and wrung it out to place in moist but not dripping. I will periodically take handfuls out at a time and spray them wet again with the conditioned fresh water that I keep in a spray bottle.

Okay thank you!! I will definitely have to look into moss then!!

[curlysister]

Your temp is safe at 76. If you turn on your heat lamp, you will need to move the plastic wrap, and in combo with the heat light zapping humidity, it will be even lower. I would focus on the humidity, since it is lower.
Do you have the whole top covered with plastic wrap?
How deep is your substrate?

[Justneedhelp]

I managed to find a glass cover which covers the whole tank so I have that now. My substrate is about 2 inches thick I think because my crab is not that big.

[curlysister]

HCA recommends the sub be at least 2-3 times as deep as your largest crab. With deeper sub, there is more moisture just because of volume. And there is less air space to heat.