HCA: Hermit Crab Association

What is a deep cleaning? Could someone tell how to do it step/step or something? Thanks a bunch!!

Pretty much a deep clean means: You remove everything from the tank, wash the tank out and dry it, wash and dry all the tank decor, add fresh new substrate, then replace everything. Deep cleaning shouldn't be necessary very often, maybe once every 3 months with a 10 gallon, less often with larger tanks. You should "spot clean" more often, though. Like scooping out old food or poop, and always keep an eye out for mold.

What if you can't afford totally new sand? Can I just like bake it or something?

Baking is fine, you might want to go through it to remove any burried food or other things you might not want in there. Before you Bake it though.

how long and what temp. do you bake it in?

Ummm.... Lemmy see, it has been a while scince I last used sand... Maybe 500 for 15? just a guess that should sterilize

What kind of sand are you using? You can get 50lbs. of playsand for around $3 at a hardware store or Wal-Mart.

I consider baking sand NOT WORTH IT!! It costs less than $5 to replace it, and baking is such a hassle....you have to get a big pan, not glass (hot sand will etch glass), and then sand will get **everywhere**. If you have the more expensive sand, it might be Calci-Sand. I wouldn't try to bake Calci-Sand......it's not really sand but Calcium Carbonate, and I don't know what would happen if you baked it.

MomToDixie wrote: You can get 50lbs. of playsand for around $3 at a hardware store or Wal-Mart.

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I recomend this. I do this, and it's so much nicer and easier to do (well, it's nto all hasel free..the horror of carrying it all the way up 14 steps (on my stairs) and into my room, into the bucket...WOO! But it's worth it since it last you a while)

I agree with Willow and MomToDixie about baking playsand. It can be done, but it is cheap and cleaning it I found to be a massive pain in the neck!