HCA: Hermit Crab Association

If the conversion calculator I used is correct I actually don't have a 129 gallon aquarium but rather a 121 gallon which is still a large enclosure but not what I was told it was when it was given me. I'm not upset just really confused to find out all of the sudden that I've been opperating under a dellusion for nearly three years now.Guess maybe I should have checked the validity of what I'd been told when I got the enclosure.

i understand the feeling. but in ur case you lost a few gallons but in mine i gained a lot.

I don't think your crabs are in there saying hey man we got jipped! Don't think they are going to go on a crabbing boy cot / strike, refusing to be a crab..climb and make use of the tank..be thankful for the huge tank you have and maybe the person who had it before you didn't know what size it was. I would love to have your tank. My 4 crabs would be in pure delightful Ness.

@Laurie, true they are still happy and still have plenty of space so all is well.

Most states have a bureau of weights and standards to make sure things are what they are being sold as.If you absolutely must defend the rights of crabs (so they are not disappointed), then that is where you could go complaining.LAURIE:delightfulness? I need that word.

@Keg, I didn't buy the tank it was a freebie from a guy my uncle worked with who was moving back to his home state and could not take the two large tanks he'd had his fish in so he gave the thirty gallon hex to my aunt will all the fish, decor and equipment he had to go with it and he gave me the 121 gallon since he couldn't get anyone to come get it with the fish still in it he had to sell the fish and empty out the tank he drained it nearly empty for moving to my house but I still had a ton of work to do.This was two weeks before I was supposed to go on vacation in September so I got the tank the first week of the same month and he'd had his fish in it until that week so when he drained the tank he left about an inch of water on the bottom along with the decor and gravle.Let me tell you I had a job to do, My cousins were the ones who went and picked the tank, stand and everything else up and brought it to me and help me get it in my room.After we got it settled in I had to scoop the water and gravel out in a bucket and carry it outside to be dumped so that I could get the bottom and sides clear for me soak them in vinegar and water.It took me nearly five hours of going in and out to get all of the gravel and water out then it took nearly a week to get all of the hard water deposits, lime scale and calcium dissovled off the glass with the vinegar solution.After getting the glass all cleaned and nice and letting the tank air out I had to set to work on the glass lids wich were in worse shape than the actual tank so I had to spend an extra day and half to get the lids cleaned up.I let the tank sit open for three weeks the third week I was away on vacation, I did this to allow all of the vinegar smell to completely disappear and it also gave me time to get the supplies I needed to get the tank setup properly.I ended up spending $120.00 dollars at Pet-smart on two new dual gauges, a 50-60gallon uth, a 100 watt infrared heat bulb, a new clamp lamp rated for the heat bulb, food, new mopani wood, three triple packs of eco-earth and tap water conditioner drops.I still needed to get more substrate so I went next door to home depot and bought eight bags of quick crete playsand and two new three dollar paint trays to use as water dishes which ended up totaling just over fifty dollars with tax.So all in all to get the new tank up and running I dropped $170.00 and some change.In the nearly three years I've been using this particular enclosure I have only changed the substrate out twice as I typically wait somewhere between 12 to 18 months to do substrate changes normally during the summer months when everybody is up which makes getting the old substrate out much much less of a hassle.I've litterally only spent about sixty dollars in upkeep since setting this tank up back in 2012.I can't complain about the tank because its size makes for a much longer interval between substrate changes and becuase it is so large it has been a dream to keep stable ie temp and humidity.Theres a rule that the larger the enclosure the easier it is for the enclosure to self regulate and stabilize provided that the base conditions are met and maintaned such as proper consistency to the substrate and regular inspections of the tank, lid/s, heating units and so on.Until very recently I have not had a problem with maintaning a constant humidity level of 80% which I was able to quickly fix by reducing the size of the fresh air exchange hole in the lid and lightly dampening the substrate as it had become just a tad dry on the surface.I looking to replace my glass lids they are a mess I've had so many cracks develope that the lids are almost 100% duct tape and no glass.lolThe lids were already in bad shape when I got them with the tank and having to use an overhead heat source on them has added extra stress which led to the cracks so I'm looking for a good screen lid which can be saran wraped or Glad Press and Sealed but will allow me to choose where I want the overhead heat to be placed depending on the weather conditions this is why I used the conversion calculator so that I could get an accurate tank size for when I go looking for the new lid.lol

I had to over haul my 55 gallon when I bought it to. I never did get all the lime scale hard water out, later this summer I am going to try the lemon method. Someone said lemons are not harmful to crabs. So I want to get some real ones and rub on the glass and wipe clean. It said came with base, it was a bunch of 2x4s nailed in a slap shot way and smelled of cat pee, the lights were on their way out. The lids had been glued and if I remember taped? They were the plastic ones. It came with a cool black hood but it makes the tank so tall I have trouble getting in it cause I'm short. I only paid 75$ but by the time I got done replacing the stand, the lights, the glass lids, and getting the eco earth I probably spent about another 200$.P.s.sometimes those accidental words do make sense... My son has come up with conversate. Had a hard time getting him to believe me that this is not a real word. He had quarrel and coral as being the same word.. took me a few minutes to figure out what he was talking about when his girl friend showed him a pair of shoes and said they came in coral, then he started talking about the other word but pronouncing it as coral to..confusing!!

Hey I like the word conversate Laurie. Do you guys know when Petsmart or Petco has their $1 gallon sale? I think that is what i'm going to wait on cuz everyone here wants like $2 per gallon on a used tank.

Nope, I think they just randomly have them. We asked once and the people in Quincy said they didn't even know. It was just when ever they were told from the big whigs

Ok, I guess I'll just keep an eye out for it. I thought it was a certain time of year they had it was why I asked.

I would periodically check their website and sign up for their email list. Maybe they will send you an email when they are having it.

I'm on one of their email lists so hopefully I will.