HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Just wondering if you guys have any idea cause the sand drink all my pool

the pool was made with a paint roller pan

but the stone and sand drink the water out

thank

I usually install the pool so that at least the outer rim of the pool is about half an inch to an inch higher than the surrounding substrate. The crabs can still climb over to reach the pool or just get out.

Here's an image of one of my old tank configurations where you can see the rim of the pool (an old tupperware container) still above the sand line to the right of the tank in this photo:



Ideally, what you have right now is what you may find in nature, but in a tank in the long run, it's a real pain to maintain, with the crab's habits plus the capillary action of sand will draw water from the pool and into the surrounding substrate, causing bigger problems.

You may need to reinstall to raise your current pool a bit higher than the sand, and perhaps consider buying and installing one of those terrarium water containers sold in the petshops - or rig one from existing containers you can find in your home.

And for maintenance, I just make sure that when the crabs start digging, no clumps of sand form around the pool rims so that none of the sand touches the water - I just clear it out with a spoon or something when the crabs start making sand mounds around the pool.

yep I had the same issue..I had to change all my substate and I have to keep my water a little lower than I would like but I lost about 2-3 gallons over a few months...till I figured out what was going... :roll:





not sure if you tell the difference but it is 2 inches less water...b/c I have the capillary action to..if I am not careful