my crabitat build photo journal!!

[limeslide]

This is win.
BTW, how many species of Bromeliads/Ferns did you buy, and what species?

[Dog Lips]

Wooooooooo she's coming along! Can't wait for the final product. It's gonna be beautiful!



P.S. You doing the 5:1 Sand/Eco-Earth Ratio?

[curious_kitty]

This is win.
BTW, how many species of Bromeliads/Ferns did you buy, and what species?

I got four different types of ferns: Adiantum , or maidenhair fern, white-rabbitfoot fern, and pacific maidenhair ferns(just different variety of maidenhair fern), and resurrection ferns(growing off of oak tree bark).
As for Broms, they are all Bromeliad Neoregelias: Dartanion, Tristis Yellow, Kelcy Lee (aztec x red dot), Wee Willy, Rubrofolia, large brom is neo Masim rare, Chiquinta linda, Ampullacea, mo peppa please, one unknown hybrid, Ambullacea x 2fool, Mariana, and Fireball.

I think I might get boston fern, if I can find a miniature of it as they could potentially get large.... any other ferns/plants would you recommend???

[curious_kitty]

Wooooooooo she's coming along! Can't wait for the final product. It's gonna be beautiful!

P.S. You doing the 5:1 Sand/Eco-Earth Ratio?

I think so.. though I don't know how many bags of sand I would need Using less EE means I need to get more sand, but they are heavy too, so my husband might not be soo happy to hear that I would have to use all sand or little EE because of I am going to use automatic misting heads, and EE might soak up too much water... What do you think?

[emberfusion]

I think so.. though I don't know how many bags of sand I would need Using less EE means I need to get more sand, but they are heavy too, so my husband might not be soo happy to hear that I would have to use all sand or little EE because of I am going to use automatic misting heads, and EE might soak up too much water... What do you think?

Well, I know a lot of people (myself included) who use all sand with no problems.

I think the biggest benefits to EE are that it helps hold humidity and it breaks down waste (be it left over food or poo). I don't mind cleaning poo/food everyday, so I'm sticking to sand until I get a bigger tank.

You should use whichever substrate you feel most comfortable using. If you want to reap the benefits of EE, add a little too it. But, if you're worried about too much water in the substrate because of the EE perhaps use very little or none at all.

If it were me, I'd probably wait until I knew for sure how much water the misting system is going to add to the tank before adding EE. That's just me, though.

[wodesorel]

EE may soak up too much water, but with the sand you could end up with quicksand. I've flooded out my all-sand tanks before, and haven't even known it! What happens is that the top of the sand stays dry, while the water all pools to the bottom. Tap the top of the sand and watch the liquefaction in action! And since the water is well-insulated because of all the sand above it, it'll never dry out. The only way I fixed the problem was by adding more dry sand.

EE might have an easier time drying out since it tends to have a wicking effect - as the top dries it pulls moisture from the bottom.

You may even want to consider having multiple layers, so that it works more effectively. The crabs will do what they do and eventually mix it up some, but it should still work. A thick base layer of sand would let them molt safely and offer emergency drainage in case of over-watering. A layer on top of that of EE would offer a wicking action to keep the sand from getting too wet. I would even put moss either mixed into the EE or just as a layer on top as that would absorb even more of the moisture before it sunk too low to be usable and would also release it more quickly than the EE could.

With the misting system and the back wall that absorbs moisture you should never really have to worry about your humidity or having the substrate dry out.

[curious_kitty]

Well, I know a lot of people (myself included) who use all sand with no problems.
If it were me, I'd probably wait until I knew for sure how much water the misting system is going to add to the tank before adding EE. That's just me, though.

thats a good point, I am going to install misting nozzles up top, but I wont be running it until I fully moisture-proof the walls... I will be turning on the heater in front of it for the next few days, and will coat the surface with titebond III to ensure there will be no water seeping into the back walls. I am also going to get a misting timer that turns on the mist for as little as 1 sec. That way, I can turn on misting more frequently, but less water is added.I will still have to measure to see how much water is sprayed on for 5sec to 10sec...

EE may soak up too much water, but with the sand you could end up with quicksand. I've flooded out my all-sand tanks before, and haven't even known it! What happens is that the top of the sand stays dry, while the water all pools to the bottom. Tap the top of the sand and watch the liquefaction in action! And since the water is well-insulated because of all the sand above it, it'll never dry out. The only way I fixed the problem was by adding more dry sand.

EE might have an easier time drying out since it tends to have a wicking effect - as the top dries it pulls moisture from the bottom.

You may even want to consider having multiple layers, so that it works more effectively. The crabs will do what they do and eventually mix it up some, but it should still work. A thick base layer of sand would let them molt safely and offer emergency drainage in case of over-watering. A layer on top of that of EE would offer a wicking action to keep the sand from getting too wet. I would even put moss either mixed into the EE or just as a layer on top as that would absorb even more of the moisture before it sunk too low to be usable and would also release it more quickly than the EE could.

With the misting system and the back wall that absorbs moisture you should never really have to worry about your humidity or having the substrate dry out.

Brilliant! layering, or even adding a fake-bottom would work to lift up the substrate if there is any pool of water getting collected at the bottom.
I do have few extra sheets of egg crate, and its about an half inch thick. I think I will put that at the bottom of the enclosure, and maybe even have a layer of pebbles, or something to stop EE, or sand from falling back into the cracks. now that you mention about EE's wicking effects, I think I have to add EE mixed with sand. otherwise, sand will tend to dry at the top, and bottom being too wet.

I installed the light this morning while my husband is still sleeping. I couldn't wait ;P It was really hard to drill- I suppose he is going to be pretty shocked when he wakes up to find that I installed the light myself. its a bit crooked, but you won't notice once there is a cabinet door put infront of the enclosure..

[NaRnAR]

I must admit I have not read every post in this thread so this may have already been addressed somewhere, but here is my worry....just because I have been there multiple times and would have had a nervous breakdown if I was in your spot with that nice, permanent, set up....

.....what are you going to do if you get mites/bugs? (especially since its right next to that window)


Otherwise, it looks great!

[curious_kitty]

I must admit I have not read every post in this thread so this may have already been addressed somewhere, but here is my worry....just because I have been there multiple times and would have had a nervous breakdown if I was in your spot with that nice, permanent, set up....

.....what are you going to do if you get mites/bugs? (especially since its right next to that window)
Otherwise, it looks great!

good point... I thought about it alot, as I decided on this project after mite incident! I installed ventilation fan that will exchange air and to circulate with fresh, so I am hoping mites will not find it too comfortable vs. stale air insid moist tank. I am also looking into option of introducing mite predators.. but I don't know how that would fare with hermit crabs. Window won't attract the mites as its a sealed window(does not open and its for decorative function only), and we are on the top floor of the building.. so that must help. Otherwise, I am going to b diligently upkeeping the tat to make sure freshfood is taken out next day.

[Dog Lips]

I noticed a couple wires in one of the pics you just posted, a little worried here, will the crabs be able to get to them?

[curious_kitty]

noo, they won't. They will be mounted on the ceiling once I get my cabinet door put up. I wanted to plug the lights so I could take a pic

[Dog Lips]

Good Idea!

[limeslide]

I got four different types of ferns: Adiantum , or maidenhair fern, white-rabbitfoot fern, and pacific maidenhair ferns(just different variety of maidenhair fern), and resurrection ferns(growing off of oak tree bark).
As for Broms, they are all Bromeliad Neoregelias: Dartanion, Tristis Yellow, Kelcy Lee (aztec x red dot), Wee Willy, Rubrofolia, large brom is neo Masim rare, Chiquinta linda, Ampullacea, mo peppa please, one unknown hybrid, Ambullacea x 2fool, Mariana, and Fireball.

Nice choices, I'm assuming you got Pleopeltis polypodioides and not other resurrection plants. They'll be a good indicator if your tank is to dry.

[Dog Lips]

Nice choices! I'd watch out with the Jericho(resurrection?) Fern, they can rot if they are too wet.

The crabs will probably rip it apart before that happens

[limeslide]

The crabs will probably rip it apart before that happens

You post too fast.
I was thinking about Anastatica, I edited the post.
Hey, why not some Tillandsia?