Bubbler pond

[HermieBingo]

Hello everyone!

I have been thinking about my tank and hermits a whole lot recently, and got the idea of making a “pond” area in my tank. My tank is only a 20g so I will prob make the pond 8” by 8” ish. A decent size to wade in, but not overdoing it. I am thinking of getting a super mini bubbler to circulate the water. I will put rocks and pebbles in it to make it more “pond”ish. I think my crabs will really enjoy it.

I also have a few questions for those that are experienced in hermit crab ponds...

1. Should I make it a freshwater or saltwater pond? I obviously will make the other option available though...

2. Do any of you recommend a mini bubbler? What do you use?

3. Things NOT to do...

4. Do your crabs seem to really enjoy it?

Thanks everyone for reading!...

Ps. I will start “construction” after Bingo comes up from molt...

[DragonsFly]

Both my water sources are bubble pools right now. Keeping the water moving and aerated helps to keep it fresher. But they are not "built in" if that is what you are talking about doing. They are both containers that I can take out and clean thoroughly once a week (or more, if poop or food gets in them). I just have cheap little "air stones" with the smallest possible air pump from the fish store, and a splitter so the same pump can run both bubblers (I like to have the fresh water pool on one side of the tank, the "jungle side," and the salt water one on the other, the "beach side").

I don't think the crabs "enjoy" it, really. I have the pump on a timer so it doesn't run all the time, and it appears to me that they are more likely to visit the water sources when the bubblers are not running (but I have not really tried to document that carefully, I might just happen to be noticing at those times). But the main reasons I have bubblers is to keep the water fresher so I only have to change and clean them once a week, and to increase the humidity in the tank.

[HermieBingo]

Thanks for the input, DragonsFly! I think I may(?) make 2 ponds (fresh & salt) instead. I like the idea of a splitter too. I will prob make mine built in.

Thank you!