Planning the 55 G build and need your expertise

[Sassypants]

Hey all,

Since all my crabs are down molting except poor lonely Chowder, this is the perfect time to haul the empty 55 out of the garage and turn it into Crabtopia. I've scoured this forum and have found oodles of great ideas. I could really use some information, clarification, and a kick in the pants to get this thing going.

For those of you who have installed corner guards in your tanks, how wide of a guard did you use? I love the idea of the guards ( 'cuz using suction cups just sets off my OCD in a bad way. Definitely functional, but I hate the way they look), but I'm wondering if an inch is wide enough or strong enough. Are yours plastic, acrylic, Lucite? Does it matter?

And for those of you with PPs and lovely large, deep, bubbly pools - do your PPs use those lovely large, deep, bubbly pools? I'm thinking of using large Tupperware-ish containers for their pools (utilizing the container within a container idea, so I can easily pull them out and clean them. It's that OCD thing.....), but I read somewhere that PPs don't really utilize the deep pools, that they prefer just to dabble and drink rather than dive in. If that's really the case, I'll go with smaller sized pools that will still allow everyone to submerge, but not take up as much real estate.

Okay, that's the extent of my quandaries for now. I just need to make a list, check it twice, get the supplies on order, wave my magic wand and create a crabitat.

[hermieluv1]

I have corner guards in both my tanks and love them! I used the ones from Home depot. They are about an inch wide. I punched holes about every inch then silicone them in.

All my crabs go swimming in my deep kritter keeper pools! Some people don't like to use them because of how much room they take up but it is so worth it to me to see them sitting and soaking in the bubbles, like their own Jacuzzi!

Good luck and post pics!

Do a false bottom too. Definitely a life saver!

[CrabbySquirrel]

I second the false bottom -- yes, it's a pain to setup, but it's worth the piece of mind!

I have PP's and so far they have only dabbled and dipped in the pools, I've never seen them submerge completely. (My new 55 has been up and running since around November, and still no swimmers!) I also have small Tupperware-type containers (I believe the package said "3 cups"), with bubblers. I did the "container inside the container" idea, and it does make them easier to clean! I was going to start out with a smaller size, ready and willing to upgrade if I saw the crabs using them a lot -- and alas, they just come to have a drink and go on their way, so I'm keeping them as they are.....

Good luck! Can't wait to see pics!

[YYWW]

Another thing about false bottoms: while your tank might not actually flood, having bubblers or humidifiers kick out a lot of excess moisture. This moisture pools, without your knowledge, at the bottom of your tank and leads to bacterial blooms. With false bottoms this excess moisture drains out of your sub. Even though the water accumulation is very low, far away from flooding, you keep your sub moisture properly regulated with a false bottom.


Crabbers unite!!!

[megmaholm]

Yep, definitely recommend a false bottom! I run a humidifier constantly into my tank, and while I recently had a small flood it would have been infinitely worse if I hadn't had a false bottom in my 55.

I wish I'd thought to do corner guards when I set up my tank because suction cups are devil spawn.

A lot of PPs like to go swimming...mine don't. Tupperware containers seem to be the cheapest, easiest kind of pool to set up.

Make sure you post pics as you get things going!

[Sassypants]

A belated thank you for your replies. You guys rock. Seems like I can't get back here as often as I would like.

I know, I know, I know.....a false bottom is an awesome idea and would be a great insurance policy, but I'm having a heated mental debate about it. Five of my crablets are small to teeny. No problem there. But Crabcakes is like Andre the Giant compared to the rest, definitely bordering on large, so he needs lots and lots of sub. I hate the idea of giving up several inches of vertical space above the sand to put the false bottom below the sand. It mucks up my second story ideas. If PPs aren't completely gaga about bubbly pools, I'd rather skip the bubbles and the false bottom. Hopefully that decision won't come back to bite me. I don't run a humidifier, and only mist the sand if it needs it. The moss pits do a superb job of keeping the humidity where it needs to be.

Maybe all I need is another tank, just much taller. Hmmmmmm......*rubbing hands together and giggling maniacally*

[soilentgringa]

There are people who don't have false bottoms and do just fine. Several people recommend it, but there are other experienced mods here at HCA that don't utilize a false bottom in their tats. I have 13" of sub in my 55g and wasn't aware of false bottoms when I set it up. I've always been careful with the pools and misting and have never had any flood issues. It's really up to you if you want to do a false bottom or not.

[uphoto]

I used what I call a modified false bottom. I used PVC pipe - 4 columns that sit below the water area, that have no - very little substrate in them. On top of that sits my plexi water area platform. If there is ever a flood, I could pull up the plexi and vacuum out that half of the tank from those 4 columns. This is an image from when I was setting up the tank. The balls are substrate. But the tubes are in those same places, and the water bowls sit right on top.

[YYWW]

How did you make those CUTE balls of substrate? Wishes there was a vid of crabs climbing on those sub-balls!


Crabbers unite!!!

[uphoto]

That's how I know they are sandcastle consistency


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[YYWW]

Awwwww! That's some thoroughness!


Crabbers unite!!!