Water dish options?

[hthecvt]

My crabs range in size from small to jumbo. I'm interested in deeper dishes so the jumbo guys can fully submerge. Right now my dishes are deep enough that they can at least replenish their shell water.

I like the look of natural - but I know alot of people use tupperware.

My other issue is I have a 55g so it's only 12 inches deep so I don't want to take up too much floor space.

Ideas! Pictures too if you have them!

Thank you!

*H the CVT*

[Jedi Sena]

I'm not a fan of plastic myself. I prefer glass or ceramic.

[Nate the great]

I'm not a fan of plastic myself. I prefer glass or ceramic.

I like glass but it kept breaking.

[Nate the great]

I'm not a fan of plastic myself. I prefer glass or ceramic.

I like glass but it kept breaking.

[soilentgringa]

I use tupperware in my 55.

[courtbri]

I use tupperware in my 55.

I do as well. I can't beeline how quickly they trash the pools though lol


Crabbing for 4 years-still obsessed! 5 total crustacean kids. Gave up trying to tell them apart but I love them all.

[aussieJJDude]

Could you use repurposed bowls for eating and stick a bunch of pebbles and such on them?

[hprmom]

Not sure how deep you need your pools, but I love these bowls from IKEA:
2 1/4" deep: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10166071/
3 1/4" deep: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90166072/

I got a set of each. I bury the shallow bowl in the sub and stack the deeper bowl in it. It is the same effect as stacking two deep bowls, but better because you don't have to bury so deep into the sub and waste that space. Also the larger bowl doesn't "stick" when you nest it in the smaller one, it just lifts right out.

I like a natural look, too, so I made a ramp and wall with a ledge out of pebbles siliconed to craft mesh. It just sits on the edge of the bowl. There's a layer of pebbles on the bottom of the bowl (not glued), and a plastic aquarium plant siliconed to a chunk of concrete (to make it sit higher in the bowl). You can still see the plastic bowls, but with all the decor around the pool it blends in.


There are photos of how I made the wall/ramp here: https://flic.kr/s/aHskypCmVL

I've never seen the crabs use the ramp to get out, lol. They hide under it and climb out using the chunk of concrete and the plastic plant. The bigger guys just hook a leg over the side of the bowl. I recently added some teeny crabs so I'm going to add craft mesh along one wall in case they miss the ramp, too!

[hthecvt]

This is what I ended up doing. It's not perfect, but it's deep enough and the little mesh thing works for the little guys to get out.

What silicone do you use? And how do you use it?

Thank you!

*H the CVT*

[aussieJJDude]

Looks great! Might not look the most natural, but it does its job.
Silicone, look for silicone that's "aquarium safe". If it doesn't have it on the bottle, then move on to the next one. Just dab the silicone onto the place where you want your rock/pebble/sand/whatever to stick - if needed, a little on the rock (especially if big) could be helpful, let it dry for the recommended time. Once dry (should be no vinegar smell), wash out.

Pretty much think of it as PVC glue.

[hthecvt]

Thanks!

*H the CVT*

[hprmom]

I like your zip tie craft mesh solution! I'm a big fan of zip ties, might see if I can punch holes to attach it to my bowls instead of silicone. I'm not crazy about silicone, I used it because it seems to be the safest, most popular adhesive choice, but it's not very instant gratification, lol. Also I had this mistaken impression that it dried hard, but it doesn't. It dries sort of rubbery and you can pull something that's been siliconed apart if you try. Not the hermit crabs, but me--I'm not especially gentle at cleaning time.

[hthecvt]

Haha! Luckily, these containers (that I got at Target) had little handles on them to snap the lid on - but I just popped the handles off and voila! I had pre-made holes to run the zip-tie through.

*H the CVT*