HCA: Hermit Crab Association

A couple of years ago I wanted to upgrade from my 20 gallon tank, hopefully to a 100 gallon. I priced around, and realized while I wasn't looking inflation had hit.

So I dug out my old designs for a saltwater aquarium, and started pricing materials. What I ended up with is an eight feet wide, two feet deep, two feet long crabitat with a two by four stand made out of plexiglass, slotted angle steel, and stainless steel bolts. Total price? Roughly $259.

http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g172/ ... nk2007.jpg

It takes up most of one wall of my bedroom, and I've puzzled out the volume to over 200 gallons. There's between 500 and 800 pounds of sand for substrate, and I've built two removable levels from the spare plexiglass. (not shown)

For scale, the two water dishes are large paint roller trays. The "shield" on the right is a ceramic birdbath top; the "cannon" on the left is the stem of another. I have the life-sized (5') skeleton out for cleaning in this pic.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I'll post more pics as I take them, likely in the Photo thread.

Wow, putting scale on the contents helps......that is a big tank!! Have you had to clean it yet? I can imagine the second levels look pretty .
Didn't see any crabbies, though. Am I blind, or did you not have them in the tat during the photo shoot?
Thanks for sharing photo.....building that would be an interesting subject for the DIY topic

*chuckles* They're in there. The scale throws sizes off. There are five or six of the small E's just to the right and in front of one of the stone heads to the left, a couple more to the left of the far left stone head, a couple inside the "cannon", one of my large ones can be seen between the stone head and the right side of the "cannon", and one is clinging to the very top of the pyramid.

I spot clean about once a month, or when I change the food at night if necessary, and I deep clean about every six months. Half the sand I clean out even then is still as fresh as when I put it in.

I'm glad to post the pic; I need to take more. I was surprised at how easily the entire thing went together. It only took a total of about six hours if you don't count the cure time for the sealant.

leahvario wrote:Didn't see any crabbies, though. Am I blind, or did you not have them in the tat during the photo shoot?

Playing peekaboo.. one in the cannon, a couple more nearby, two by the shells headed to the water...

Cool picture, Ronin. Got one with the skeleton yet?

I have an older pic of the skeleton I can share. Kind of fuzzy, but you can see it.

http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g172/ ... upGood.jpg

That was from over a year ago, though.

(Ran in and snapped a couple of quick shots on the last of my batteries.)

http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g172/ ... ly2007.jpg

and

http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g172/ ... ly2007.jpg

wow! That is so great!

How does the humidity hold up in that large of a space? is it hard to maintain the temps to?

I bet those crabs LOVE that space!

I've found that it's much easier to keep the temperature and humidity levels in a good range with a larger tank. There's more tolerance in a larger space; an extra spritz or lack of one isn't as big of a change over the greater area.

I have a space heater just for the tank at one end on the outside which blows warm air underneath. It's set for 77 degrees. The closer end is a bit warmer and the far end is cooler by a few degrees each way, of course, and the crabs can choose what feels right to them.

About half of my E's seem to like crowding the heater by day, while the PP's tend to hang out at the cooler end more. It may also be a size thing; my PP's are medium up to large, and my E's are mostly small.

I only have humidity problems in the winter, because my house tends to hit around 40% or lower.

I love it! Gallon size is approx 240g

I'm in the planning stage of building one 6ft x 30in x 30in. Its good to hear the a larger tank is easier to regulate the temperature and humidity.

What about air flow? I was thinking about putting in small fans to circulate the air. I have a small room in my house that is going to become the Hermit Room. I large tank will be for my PP's. My E's will go into the 50g reptile terrarium.

Good luck with you tank.

I want to build something like this for my next crabitat. I have a few questions.

1) What do you use for the frame

2) What king of glass do you use and approximatley how much does it cost

3) Are there any sites that show how to make DIY tanks like this?

thanks!

That is really, really awesome.

What is that cool, I am assuming climbing or hidey or both, cone thing on the right?

I really need to look in more often.... LOL

Okay, in order: Air flow....not sure. One side I have covered with a doubled cotton sheet and the other with flat plexiglass. It seems to keep the humidity and temperature pretty well, though I've never really considered the actual flow. Wish I could be more helpful; I had a different plan for the lid that fell through, and this was a temporary solution that's worked for me for over a year.

The frame is slotted structural steel. You can buy it at most hardware stores in various lengths and thicknesses.

I used plexiglass, 1/8th inch thick. As for cost...Lord, I'd have to look around, it's been two years. I think I paid roughly $80 per 8x4 sheet.

No clue if there's a site that shows it or not. I came up with this design and such years ago for a saltwater tank that never got built.

The cone is a hanging rattan flowerpot that I took the plastic out of, removed the hanging metal chains from, and flipped upside-down. I've had it buried point-first and just sitting like it is in the picture, but they seem to like it point-up better. Just dig a little hollow under one edge, instant jumbo hidey! *chuckles*

TheGreyRonin wrote: The frame is slotted structural steel. You can buy it at most hardware stores in various lengths and thicknesses.

I used plexiglass, 1/8th inch thick. As for cost...Lord, I'd have to look around, it's been two years. I think I paid roughly $80 per 8x4 sheet.

Held together with aquarium sealant?

What a great prodject! Looks like it turned out amazing!

Held together with aquarium sealant?

Held together by 7/16ths stainless steel bolts, washers, and nuts sealed in place and coated with aquarium sealant. Then the seams were sealed.