Setting Up the 75G

MrTeacherDude · Post by **MrTeacherDude** » Thu Sep 08, 2016 2:57 pm

First layer of sub just went in! Will mix and add more sub tomorrow and finish the set up next week! I need to level my pools out better, I can see them sloping from front to back. Got the ruler in there so my students can see the progress to around 8"!!!

HermiesIsMine · Post by **HermiesIsMine** » Fri Sep 09, 2016 8:15 am

That looks really cool your students are lucky to have a teacher who cares to show and teach them how to take care ofthem properly. I never had a class pet growing up but always thought the classes who did were more fun. Not just all about text books.

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MrTeacherDude · Post by **MrTeacherDude** » Fri Sep 09, 2016 3:49 pm

Starting to come together! May have to figure something else out for heat. left it on today and the highest it got was 74 but my sand is extremely cold so hopefully that will warm up and bring the temp up some

Kermie16 · Post by **Kermie16** » Fri Sep 09, 2016 9:05 pm

Looking good already!! It's going to look amazing once it's all done and the hermies are in! Very awesome that some of the kids have taken an interest in helping out and learning about them

PinchersAndShells · Post by **PinchersAndShells** » Sat Sep 10, 2016 12:02 am

Maybe a larger Ultratherm? Not quite sure.

MrTeacherDude · Post by **MrTeacherDude** » Sat Sep 10, 2016 7:25 am

Kermie16 wrote:Looking good already!! It's going to look amazing once it's all done and the hermies are in! Very awesome that some of the kids have taken an interest in helping out and learning about them

I'll HAVE to teach a few of them how to feed and clean. I'll be out for 3 days in November to learn to drive a bus!

PinchersAndShells wrote:Maybe a larger Ultratherm? Not quite sure.

I wish I could but I've spent a strict limit set for this upgrade. I only had the lights on for about half an hour, so I'll try them on all day on Monday and see what happens.

I'm going to finish taping the screen to about 6" on both sides. I'll put reflective tape on the inside and that stylish digital camo on the outside. Should help with heat and humidity. You can see on my gauge in the picture that humidity was at 74% (I had just put the lid on, it jumped to 82% before I left) and the temp at 73° (I had just put the lights on and it went up to 74° last I checked after half and hour).

I made WAY too much sub. Had I put much more in the 'tat, there'd be no room to climb! I'm going to use the extra sub I made as their "home-away-from-home" when I have to take them back to my house over long breaks where the school is locked.

Kermie16 · Post by **Kermie16** » Sat Sep 10, 2016 2:42 pm

Hmmm. Maybe giving the sub a boost in heat? Like getting some glass mason jars with hot water and sinking them in the sub a bit (assuming hermies are still in other tank, that is!!). Not sure if it will maintain it though. I'm sure the reflective tape and such will also help!

soilentgringa · Post by **soilentgringa** » Sat Sep 10, 2016 9:46 pm

Kermie16 wrote:Hmmm. Maybe giving the sub a boost in heat? Like getting some glass mason jars with hot water and sinking them in the sub a bit (assuming hermies are still in other tank, that is!!). Not sure if it will maintain it though. I'm sure the reflective tape and such will also help!

You don't want to heat the substrate. It should always be cooler than the air temperature.

Insulate the Ultratherm and use the largest that covers the back of the tank without extending very far past the substrate level.

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MrTeacherDude · Post by **MrTeacherDude** » Wed Sep 14, 2016 2:12 pm

So I ended up putting Reflectix on the sides of the tank and right now I have a humidifier INSIDE the tank until I can get the right size hose (just to keep the sun moist). The temps stay between 81-87°, but my humidity is all over the place. On one side of the tank it stays around 85% and the other tank bounces from 50's to the 80's (I'm starting to think my Acurite is Acu-wrong...)

All four of my crabs are now under and I've pulled up most of their "stuff" and moved it over (except the moss pit, bc I always find moss scattered, so I know they're using it.

I'm really enjoying my pet sand, at the moment...or for maybe the next 8 weeks...

MrTeacherDude · Post by **MrTeacherDude** » Wed Sep 14, 2016 2:15 pm

soilentgringa wrote:
Kermie16 wrote:Hmmm. Maybe giving the sub a boost in heat? Like getting some glass mason jars with hot water and sinking them in the sub a bit (assuming hermies are still in other tank, that is!!). Not sure if it will maintain it though. I'm sure the reflective tape and such will also help!
You don't want to heat the substrate. It should always be cooler than the air temperature.

Insulate the Ultratherm and use the largest that covers the back of the tank without extending very far past the substrate level.

Sent from my LGLS665 using Tapatalk

Yeah, some of my substrate is dry at the back of the tank. I'm guessing from the heat of he Ultratherm. The sand is cool, but nowhere near the ice-cold temps it was last week.

Also, is there a normal drop in temps at night? I've been seeing readings on my Acu-wrongs as low as 71° at night (this is without my moon glow bulb bc it's on the old tank right now.)

PinchersAndShells · Post by **PinchersAndShells** » Wed Sep 14, 2016 5:43 pm

MrTeacherDude wrote:
soilentgringa wrote:
Kermie16 wrote:Hmmm. Maybe giving the sub a boost in heat? Like getting some glass mason jars with hot water and sinking them in the sub a bit (assuming hermies are still in other tank, that is!!). Not sure if it will maintain it though. I'm sure the reflective tape and such will also help!
You don't want to heat the substrate. It should always be cooler than the air temperature.

Insulate the Ultratherm and use the largest that covers the back of the tank without extending very far past the substrate level.

Sent from my LGLS665 using Tapatalk
Yeah, some of my substrate is dry at the back of the tank. I'm guessing from the heat of he Ultratherm. The sand is cool, but nowhere near the ice-cold temps it was last week.

Also, is there a normal drop in temps at night? I've been seeing readings on my Acu-wrongs as low as 71° at night (this is without my moon glow bulb bc it's on the old tank right now.)

The temperature dropping at night is a thing that happens in their natural environment, although I'm not sure how much you'd want it to be at.

PinchersAndShells · Post by **PinchersAndShells** » Wed Sep 14, 2016 5:44 pm

Do you think you might add more hermies?

MrTeacherDude · Post by **MrTeacherDude** » Wed Sep 14, 2016 5:50 pm

PinchersAndShells wrote:Do you think you might add more hermies?

Not at the time. My budget is tapped. I'd love to add 1-2 more mediums in the future, though.

PinchersAndShells · Post by **PinchersAndShells** » Wed Sep 14, 2016 5:52 pm

MrTeacherDude wrote:
PinchersAndShells wrote:Do you think you might add more hermies?
Not at the time. My budget is tapped. I'd love to add 1-2 more mediums in the future, though.

Nice! Seems like they're going be going to a good home.

MrTeacherDude · Post by **MrTeacherDude** » Wed Sep 14, 2016 6:40 pm

PinchersAndShells wrote:
MrTeacherDude wrote:
PinchersAndShells wrote:Do you think you might add more hermies?
Not at the time. My budget is tapped. I'd love to add 1-2 more mediums in the future, though.
Nice! Seems like they're going be going to a good home.

I've had a few students take interest and they've already come in early to help me feed / spot clean the old tank. I think they (the crabs) like being super spoiled on a daily basis!

HCA: Hermit Crab Association