Pencil test is a major fail

[kieagcarm]

Off topic but have you calibrated you meters lately?? They can be off. I do mine every 2 months just to be sure they're still accurate.... Hope everything works out for you and good luck!!

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The thing I guess is broken, it's stuck on those numbers and no matter what I do, even removed it from tank, it starts on those numbers. I took the battery out and put it back in and now it won't turn back on. So that's what I get for trying to do things cheap.

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[kieagcarm]

If you firmly believe your last statement, then I would view it as ok to dig and then do the necessary maintenance. I tend to view digging as the last resort and if you - the crabber - firmly believes it right. Just be prepared for ISO crabs, as they may be starting, going through or finishing up a moult.
*hugs*

Also this:

As crazy as it sounds, could you remove some substrate and take a photo of it... If it remains in clumps, just leave it. (And try to make a sandcastle out of it. Could be that it is on the dry side, but still usable.)

there is some sand. The coco fiber is so dry it's light brown and hard. And the sand falls out of my hand, no way to mold it. Here is the thing, I only have the sub that's in there, about 1/3 bag of sand and a little less than half a big bag of ee. If I dig them up now, I'll have to keep the sub I have and just make it moist again. Will it be ok to wait until I get more ee? I can order it tonight, just unsure on how much I would need for my tank.

Here is a pic of the tank with the new moss added(which is retaining water way better), and only half the tank draped with the robe. I don't know if it shows in the pic, but the left corner is covered in condensation, and there hasn't been any since the second day the tank was completely covered maybe this is a good sign for humidity? I just hope the heat stays up. I'm a confused mess, all I want is to give these little creatures a good life where they can strive. I thought two first time molters coming up back to back was a good sign, and they are active and crazy messy, but I still feel like I'm doing this all wrong.

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[kieagcarm]

If you firmly believe your last statement, then I would view it as ok to dig and then do the necessary maintenance. I tend to view digging as the last resort and if you - the crabber - firmly believes it right. Just be prepared for ISO crabs, as they may be starting, going through or finishing up a moult.
*hugs*

Also this:

As crazy as it sounds, could you remove some substrate and take a photo of it... If it remains in clumps, just leave it. (And try to make a sandcastle out of it. Could be that it is on the dry side, but still usable.)

there is some sand. The coco fiber is so dry it's light brown and hard. And the sand falls out of my hand, no way to mold it. Here is the thing, I only have the sub that's in there, about 1/3 bag of sand and a little less than half a big bag of ee. If I dig them up now, I'll have to keep the sub I have and just make it moist again. Will it be ok to wait until I get more ee? I can order it tonight, just unsure on how much I would need for my tank.

Here is a pic of the tank with the new moss added(which is retaining water way better), and only half the tank draped with the robe. I don't know if it shows in the pic, but the left corner is covered in condensation, and there hasn't been any since the second day the tank was completely covered maybe this is a good sign for humidity? I just hope the heat stays up. I'm a confused mess, all I want is to give these little creatures a good life where they can strive. I thought two first time molters coming up back to back was a good sign, and they are active and crazy messy, but I still feel like I'm doing this all wrong.

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[Just Jay]

Off topic but have you calibrated you meters lately?? They can be off. I do mine every 2 months just to be sure they're still accurate.... Hope everything works out for you and good luck!!

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Couldyou maybe exsplain how or if you happen to have a link? I know i would appreciate it.

Also if misting is not working rehydrating your moss it'll help. I recommend just soaking it in FW. You can even then put it directly on your sub. Curious and on tapatalk so i cant see previous comments but did you fill the emergency template out? I mainly am curious where and what your heat sources are.

Wishing you the best of luck!

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[daws409]

Off topic but have you calibrated you meters lately?? They can be off. I do mine every 2 months just to be sure they're still accurate.

Could you maybe exsplain how or if you happen to have a link? I know i would appreciate it.

I don't know how to post links. There is a sticky under crab care/crabitat conditions called calibrating a hygrometer.

Basically you get some table salt and put it in a small cup (I use medicine cup from medicine bottles). Add a couple drops of water. You want it moist, not soggy wet to where it dissolves. Put this and humidity gauge in a completely sealed environment such as a clear Tupperware bowl with a snap lid or a zip lock bag. Leaving it be for 4-6 hrs to stabilize. Gauge should read 75% when done.

If your gauge reads 80%, you would take 5% away. If it reads 65%, you add 10% to it.

Analogs can be adjusted by turning the dial. Many digitals can not. Right the numbers down so you know how much to add/subtract.

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[daws409]

*When starting to calibrate, make sure gauge is reading anywhere between 40 & 80% range.

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[kieagcarm]

Update!!!
Sub seems to be passing the test along the glass on the left side now, also about three inches into the middle on the left. Still failing on the right. I mixed the sub about a half inch with my finger in a few spots around the glass and it feels so tightly compacted. It looks really wet in the left front corner under the rock cave. Condensation completely covering most of the tank, took my finger and pushed it all down towards sub. Apparently uncovering half the tank really helped.

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[aussieJJDude]

Glad to hear its getting better, just you dug yet or are you waiting for the mail? If anything, the new EE can be added directly on top, providing a cap for the rest of the substrate. (And after a while, the crabs will mix it up anyway.)

[kieagcarm]

Glad to hear its getting better, just you dug yet or are you waiting for the mail? If anything, the new EE can be added directly on top, providing a cap for the rest of the substrate. (And after a while, the crabs will mix it up anyway.)

I don't understand

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[aussieJJDude]

Glad to hear its getting better, just you dug yet or are you waiting for the mail? If anything, the new EE can be added directly on top, providing a cap for the rest of the substrate. (And after a while, the crabs will mix it up anyway.)

I don't understand

About the mail part? You said that you were waiting for your EE to arrive.

Will it be ok to wait until I get more ee? I can order it tonight, just unsure on how much I would need for my tank.

Sorry, I assumed you were shipping it!

As for the cap, keep your old substrate - wettened of course - and once you get your new EE, then add it on top. Would provide a nice "moist layer" and can be easily saturated with water, and if you have humidity troubles boost your humidity.

[kieagcarm]

Glad to hear its getting better, just you dug yet or are you waiting for the mail? If anything, the new EE can be added directly on top, providing a cap for the rest of the substrate. (And after a while, the crabs will mix it up anyway.)

I don't understand

About the mail part? You said that you were waiting for your EE to arrive.

Will it be ok to wait until I get more ee? I can order it tonight, just unsure on how much I would need for my tank.

Sorry, I assumed you were shipping it!

As for the cap, keep your old substrate - wettened of course - and once you get your new EE, then add it on top. Would provide a nice "moist layer" and can be easily saturated with water, and if you have humidity troubles boost your humidity.

You said, just you dug yet out waiting? I don't understand that. I didn't order more I still half Ashie half a bag ee and never got a response on how much to buy. I didn't dig yet either. Only penny is left To come up. Since my sub is so compacted after settling, should I mix the sub around to loosen it once everyone is up?

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[aussieJJDude]

Oh, have you started to dig yet.... Or are you waiting for them to come up. (Sorry, something I can be a bit vague. My bad!)
It really depends on how much EE you want in the tank. IMO, saturating that bag of EE - pretty much until its dripping wet - and laying it out on top would be helpful in gaining some moisture into the tank, as the water will trickle down between the layers.
Once they all up, a good saturation is in order - most likely you will have to mix it regardless - to get it back to sand castle consistency, substrate will compact over time, so if its too shallow, adding more substrate - the half bag of EE - would be a good idea.

[kieagcarm]

Oh, have you started to dig yet.... Or are you waiting for them to come up. (Sorry, something I can be a bit vague. My bad!)
It really depends on how much EE you want in the tank. IMO, saturating that bag of EE - pretty much until its dripping wet - and laying it out on top would be helpful in gaining some moisture into the tank, as the water will trickle down between the layers.
Once they all up, a good saturation is in order - most likely you will have to mix it regardless - to get it back to sand castle consistency, substrate will compact over time, so if its too shallow, adding more substrate - the half bag of EE - would be a good idea.

Penny is the last molter down, Persephone still no where to be seen, but Dixon came up with Athena and Bella. I want to keep the sub that's in there and add the rest of my ee to it. Should I dig up penny and look for Persephone(penny went down with the others who are up) and remove everything to fix the sub? I can redecorate then too. Pitt should I just wait till penny comes up?

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[Kermie16]

My two cents would be to wait on Penny:)


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[kieagcarm]

I had two teeth pulled yesterday and can't get it to stop bleeding, so I'm slacking on crabitat upkeep. They're seems to be a lot of random piles of sub like one of them is trying to make their own sand castle and other than the right back corner(which is where the uth is) everything is moist now. Not sand castle consistency per say but close. I am having too many personal issues right note to do a pencil test.

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