New to HCA: Maintaining temp/humidity with lamps??
Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2024 8:30 pm
I try to do as much research as possible and find answers for myself before asking questions but I can't find anything that works for me right now and I'm in a panic.
For context, I have a 20 gallon tank (30" x 12") topped with a metal-mesh lid with plastic wrap taped over the entire lid. The substrate is at least 5:1 play sand and soil if not 5:2, 6 inches sloping to 5 inches along the length. I have the two tiny plastic rock dishes that came with a kit for salt and freshwater but I did just receive two deeper pools with stairs from etsy today. For heating I have an Ultratherm heating pad from reptilebasics taped to the outside of the back wall. (I read these were the highest recommended UTHs and mine is the 6" x 23", which is the biggest size I could get before going over) Other things in my tank that retain some moisture are: moss pit in a 4 inch terracotta dish in front of the pad, the coconut climbing wall covering about a third of the back wall (cut to leave more of the heat pad visible), cholla log, driftwood (sanitized).
I had my tank in our sunroom for the summer, where it stays warm constantly. The temperature stayed between 72-75 and the humidity was consistently 80%, misting every other day. Because of the dropping temperatures, I moved the tank into a bedroom, away from windows and air vents. Unfortunately my temperatures haven't risen past 70 even after this move. I crafted insulation out of foam board and foil and taped it to the back of my heater and along the sides. Then I draped a towel over the tank at night. Neither remedy raised the temperature at all. I can feel the UTH hot against the glass but other than that it doesn't seem to be helping. I bought a 40w heat lamp as a last resort. I cut a hole in the plastic wrap so I could sit the lamp on the metal lid itself (Id have to order the lamp stand online). My temperature has risen but my humidity tanked to 60%.
I feel like I'm at a loss. I've read I can add bubblers, more moss, more substrate, angle the lamp at the side of the tank.. I don't know how I would install the tubing for bubblers with my current lid and I can't afford a new lid right now unless a chain retailer can cut one for cheap. I don't know if more moss or substrate will in fact be enough to raise the humidity to an appropriate level. My crab is also underground, hopefully not in hibernation, and I've heard mixed things about adding substrate while they're buried. I also don't know how effective the angled lamp would be without chancing the glass breaking.
If there are ANY more ideas or more information on these ways of stabilizing the temperature without sacrificing humidity, I'd be greatly appreciative to hear them. Do I need to use cardboard instead of foam board in the insulation? Are bubblers absolutely necessary? Is it really just a matter of having enough moss and substrate? Is the climbing wall that much of an inhibitor? At this moment in time I really can't afford any big purchases (I've already put in a LOT of money and effort into giving Romulus the best care I can. He was a gift not really by choice so I want to do him justice.) I know they're supposed to live in pairs/groups as well, and I just can't introduce another crab with these conditions.
Thank you for your time.
For context, I have a 20 gallon tank (30" x 12") topped with a metal-mesh lid with plastic wrap taped over the entire lid. The substrate is at least 5:1 play sand and soil if not 5:2, 6 inches sloping to 5 inches along the length. I have the two tiny plastic rock dishes that came with a kit for salt and freshwater but I did just receive two deeper pools with stairs from etsy today. For heating I have an Ultratherm heating pad from reptilebasics taped to the outside of the back wall. (I read these were the highest recommended UTHs and mine is the 6" x 23", which is the biggest size I could get before going over) Other things in my tank that retain some moisture are: moss pit in a 4 inch terracotta dish in front of the pad, the coconut climbing wall covering about a third of the back wall (cut to leave more of the heat pad visible), cholla log, driftwood (sanitized).
I had my tank in our sunroom for the summer, where it stays warm constantly. The temperature stayed between 72-75 and the humidity was consistently 80%, misting every other day. Because of the dropping temperatures, I moved the tank into a bedroom, away from windows and air vents. Unfortunately my temperatures haven't risen past 70 even after this move. I crafted insulation out of foam board and foil and taped it to the back of my heater and along the sides. Then I draped a towel over the tank at night. Neither remedy raised the temperature at all. I can feel the UTH hot against the glass but other than that it doesn't seem to be helping. I bought a 40w heat lamp as a last resort. I cut a hole in the plastic wrap so I could sit the lamp on the metal lid itself (Id have to order the lamp stand online). My temperature has risen but my humidity tanked to 60%.
I feel like I'm at a loss. I've read I can add bubblers, more moss, more substrate, angle the lamp at the side of the tank.. I don't know how I would install the tubing for bubblers with my current lid and I can't afford a new lid right now unless a chain retailer can cut one for cheap. I don't know if more moss or substrate will in fact be enough to raise the humidity to an appropriate level. My crab is also underground, hopefully not in hibernation, and I've heard mixed things about adding substrate while they're buried. I also don't know how effective the angled lamp would be without chancing the glass breaking.
If there are ANY more ideas or more information on these ways of stabilizing the temperature without sacrificing humidity, I'd be greatly appreciative to hear them. Do I need to use cardboard instead of foam board in the insulation? Are bubblers absolutely necessary? Is it really just a matter of having enough moss and substrate? Is the climbing wall that much of an inhibitor? At this moment in time I really can't afford any big purchases (I've already put in a LOT of money and effort into giving Romulus the best care I can. He was a gift not really by choice so I want to do him justice.) I know they're supposed to live in pairs/groups as well, and I just can't introduce another crab with these conditions.
Thank you for your time.
I mist the top of the substrate/wood/coconut fibers with dechlorinated fresh water to keep them damp but I'm terrified of wetting the sand directly and accidentally waterlogging. The very top of my substrate can run a little dry depending on the day but when I go in with the scoop for cleaning, refreshing that top centimeter yields that moistened sub. I suppose I can try digging every day to see if that helps with the humidity, I didn't think of that. I'll also move my freshwater pool to a spot under the lamp to take advantage of the evaporation. I got paid $100 this week and 50 already went into the lamps, the stand, and sphagnum moss 
Every time I think I've done something right, something else comes up lol