Building My Crabitat

[GotButterflies]

Nice!!


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[emberfusion]

Finally getting the time to finish painting the windows today.



I've been painting some more since I took that photo and they still need one more coat.

I also picked up some plywood the other day that I'm going to use for the top and back of the tat. So once these windows are finished being painted they'll get to sit off to the side and wait while I get the back and top ready.

Been picking up some little odds and ends around town for the tat as well.



Got 4 of these little dishes for a quarter a piece. Planning on using them as feeding dishes.



Got this nifty little box type thing for a dollar. It measures 14" wide, the back is 9" tall, and the front is 6" tall -- I'm thinking maybe a moss pit mounted to the back of the tank? Any other ideas on what I could use it for?

[aussieJJDude]

If water tight, a pool? Shell shop? Just a normal level?

[emberfusion]

If water tight, a pool? Shell shop? Just a normal level?

Definitely not water tight. You can't tell from the picture but there's like a half inch opening at the bottom of both sides

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[GotButterflies]

Nice finds! I love how pretty you are taping your windows to spray them!


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[Hermiearth]

I would use it as a shell shop.


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[emberfusion]

Hmmmm.... you guys don't have a problem with deep shell shops?
I always found all the shells getting so dirty over time that I would have to completely empty the shop and clean it out pretty often or they wouldn't check out any shells.

If I don't use this as a shell shop I definitely need to find one, though. Running through my memory of what I have packed away I don't think I have anything downstairs I can use for one.

[aussieJJDude]

Could you turn it on the side, so it has 2 levels of shell shopping fun?

[emberfusion]

Could you turn it on the side, so it has 2 levels of shell shopping fun?

Oh I didn't even think about that. Good idea!

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[EPAS]

What a creative person you are and now I'm thinking about homemade crabitat. I can't wait to see the finished tat.
Keep up the good work.

[emberfusion]

I've been thinking about doing something like this for years. I'm just finally in a place where I'm ready to get back into crabbing.

It's not quite as large as I was originally planning but I'm excited about it.

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[GotButterflies]

That's awesome I'm happy for you!


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[emberfusion]

Okay, I got a lot done today.

First things first: gotta move her out to where she's gonna be set up permanently.



Next on the list: reinforce the bottom and attach some wheels. My dad gave me some heavy duty wheels he wasn't using anymore to put on this bad boy in case I ever need to move it (because lets be real, if I just put her on the floor, she'd be unmovable unless emptied).



At this point I thought I better be sure she can hold the weight. Can she? Yes she can.



What to do next but to start adding the sides, back, and top?







Now that she's all put together, I think I'll uncover the window panes.



I've since caulked all the corners (siliconed, whatever you wanna call it) and am waiting for that to dry. Once it does (though 98% chance any other work to it will wait until tomorrow) I am going to add a plastic liner against all the wood.

Then... I want to find something to like line the plastic liner with -- that way the crabs have zero opportunity to pick at the plastic and make holes in it. Any ideas?
Once I get that all figured out and finished I'll start working on my great stuff foam wall and OH I still have to mount my light to the top. I mean, I also still have to put the door up.

So, there's still a lot to do, but I made great progress today.

[wolfnipplechips]

Very cool! Can't wait to see when finished!!

[Giner13]

It's coming along great!!
Wheels are an excellent idea lol


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