HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I decided to try my hand at a custom background for my ISO tank. It was SO much fun and relatively easy! But very messy.

Materials list:
1 can of "Great Stuff" foam insulation for doors & windows
1 sheet of styrofoam (free from a shipment I received) OPTIONAL
1 bottle of Gorilla Glue
1 bag of loose eco-earch substrate
1 bag of moss
Bark, rocks, sticks, from my yard & the beach
3 plastic bins from the $$ store
Plants from my yard

1) I cut the styrofoam sheet to the size of the back wall of the tank
2) Placed all the items I wanted to attach to the background
3) Sprayed foam all around the items
4) Let harden outside for 3 hours then out carved any "over-foamed" areas
5) Mixed 50/50 mix of gorilla glue with substrate and moss mix and slopped it all over the background working in smallish sections
6) Let dry for 2 hours
7) Went back over the areas that were still showing any foam through or blank spots with more glue and EE mixture
8 Added plants & filled plastic bins with moist moss
9) Done!

This is what it looked like when the foam was done.

By chloe92us at 2011-07-06

This is what it looks like completed.

By chloe92us at 2011-07-06

Thats awesome!! I am redoing an old salt water tank-40 gal, that has a background already in it, but it's flaking and needs a little work- yours is exactly what I had in mind for mine. Thanks for sharing your tips!!

AWESOME! Gorilla Glue is safe for hermies? NEAT!

That looks amazing! I bought an aquaterra background for my 150gal freshwater tank set up, thinking of redoing the crabitat the same way, but looking into a getting a 40gal breeder to replace my 20gal long set up. I love natural set ups like that!

Curious about the Gorilla Glue , has it been tested to be safe. I know the Titebond III is safe for our guys but has the Gorilla Glue been tested before or been approved for indirect human consumption?

It looks nice,but are the air plants safe? If they are I hope you cleaned them well because they carry mites. I have picked them off of trees and put them in the house and ended up infested with them.
Gorilla Glue says "keep away from children and animals". You should read the warning on the package about contact and ventilation.

Yes, airplants are safe.

I checked the Gorilla glue website and it says it is completely non toxic once fully cured.

http://www.gorillaglue.com/ToughTeam/To ... fault.aspx

I'm going to do that! It will be even more messy with my 55 gallon. >:) I might pracice on my ISO or something.

Are there any effects with the glue and heat,say from a lamp or from humidity?Like vapors or fumes? I am paronoid about using any type of chemicals in the tank.

I think you worry too much...lol. There are no vapors. Can't be any worse than the plastic plants we all use!

chloe92us wrote:I think you worry too much...lol. There are no vapors. Can't be any worse than the plastic plants we all use!

Yes but the plastic plants we all use can be boiled in saltwater to remove and plastic smell, and most glues can put off fumes when in direct heat. So IBlab Crab isn't being overly worried.

Hermit crabs have modified gills,they do not breathe the same as you and I. I am just considering the effects of long term exposure in a closed environment with heat and humidity.These forums are for the free exchange of info.,opinions and ideas. I am not sure if the glue is safe and I would not want newbies thinking that it is. I don't think the website referes to the kind of environment our crabitats would subject it to. I could be wrong, I am only questioning it.